This Blue Cottage Highlights Vintage and Flea Market Finds—Step Inside

Warm Welcome

Shutters and a front door painted in a pale aqua hue create a different look and feel for this home. It no longer feels like a 1970s ranch; instead, it looks like a little cottage, which is a reflection of its interior.

Blue Cottage House Accents

Repeating a bold hue in a space filled with softer colors brings unity and makes the standout color look like it belongs. Here, the watery cerulean is repeated on the solid throw pillows and the back of the china cabinet. A slight variation in the shades lends well-placed eclecticism.

A collection of antiques, flea market finds, and castoffs complete the cottage look. Discarded closet doors appear as wall art and white glassware brings a smooth texture to the weathered wear on the furniture. A white slipcover on the sofa imbues casual cottage style in the room.

Painting an old brown coffee table with cerulean aqua paint brought a splash of bold color to an otherwise mellow living room.

Aqua and White

Painting the back of a vintage hutch light aqua adds interest when paired with its white outline. The light aqua background allows the hutch's white items to pop instead of blending in. DIY custom paint jobs will make secondhand pieces feel more like yours.

Stenciled Vintage Chest

A stenciled chest of drawers in the entry shows off the homeowner's custom mixing of acrylic paints to produce the exact color she wants. The mirror above reflects the room across from it, making the space seem grand. Vintage plates are turned into wall art by being hung symmetrically around the mirror.

Dining Decor

Buying a dining set at a garage sale for a song allows for the chance to repurpose it into the perfect set for less. Blue velvet seat cushions keep the room grounded and the color scheme from becoming too sweet.

Editor's tip: When shopping for secondhand furniture, look at the silhouette and style. Then, determine if it's sturdy, if all the components (drawers, leaves, etc.) are working correctly, or if they can be easily fixed. Almost any surface can be changed with paint or stain, but the shape and structure of the furniture are less easily altered.

Country Curtain Call

Hanging the curtains higher makes the ceiling appear tall, while the pale color allows the sun to shine in and brighten the room. Pale blue paint continues the blue cottage house theme in the dining room, and the beaded board continues the cottage theme. A bit of green in the pattern of the curtains adds a spark of something different.

Painted Flea Market Finds

Using pieces purchased at a flea market, the homeowner furnishes the screen porch for less than $100. A "rug" was created from a vinyl-flooring remnant turned upside down and painted with stripes in every shade of the room's color palette..

Cozy Quarters

In the primary bedroom, rose pink floral fabric on the bed skirt and pillows introduces a feminine alternative to the home's accents of green. Tactile linen dresses the windows, and wood floors with reddish-orange undertones act as a complementary hue to the blue walls. Accents of crystal and antique rubbed brass add a bit of romance to the boudoir.

Editor's Tip: A foundation of basic white linens is a smart investment for easy-to-change decor. With a white bedspread and shams, throw pillows and bed skirts can come and go without the investment of replacing an entire bed set.

Unexpected Artwork

Vintage finds, such as this "fleurist" panel, are turned into artwork simply by being hung on the wall. Painting the frame white makes it pop out from the wall instead of blending in. A lamp base in a brighter shade of aqua sticks out against the more demure tone of the walls.

Mirror, Mirror

A large mirror adds depth to the bedroom. Fresh flowers add color and a flourish that completes the room. Old photographs hang to the mirror's right, carrying that vintage touch throughout the room.

Writer's Corner

A distressed vanity serves as a writing desk in the corner of the living room. The blue mirror above adds a punch of color to the cream walls. Reusing an old vase as a wastebasket maintains the vintage aura of the room.

Vintage Maps

Using old maps as wall art carries the vintage theme throughout the room. Simple frames add a touch of elegance. The more ornate frame in the middle breaks up the other two similar frames while hinting at the blue cottage house decor.

Decorating in Blue

Get more tips for decorating with blue.