Cozy Cottage Tips

Cottage style is a personal, charming, and fresh way to decorate. Try these ideas for a warm and romantic cottage look.

Bring the outdoors in with garden furniture and ornaments. Wire plant stands, metal garden chairs, tole-painted trays, and botanical prints are often inexpensive, easy-to-find elements that mix well in a cottage room.

Barely-there window treatments are perfect for a cottage room, especially if you're blessed with a beautiful view.

Create intimacy with comfy spaces for conversation or lounging. A wonderful old wing chair or a bed plumped with pillows offers an invitation to cocoon. Layer on the details with ruffles, lace, buttons, and handmade needlework to gain romance with every touch.

Accent artfully with the things you collect and love. Favorite books, heirloom jewelry, old family photos, and other mementos express who you are and can have a place in your decorating scheme. Composing like items in groups tells a story and adds to their overall impact within a room.

Plain pitchers overflowing with bouquets of flowers increase the feeling of garden abundance. Whether from your own garden or purchased from your local supermarket or farmers' market, flowers add life to any space.

Add candlelight, a simple yet elegant way to put romance in a cottage room. Include crystal candleholders and mirrored plates for more sparkle. Use candles scented with florals or spices for another delightful sensation.