Cottage Decorating Ideas

cottage style bedroom checked bedspread — Photo: Brian McWeeney

Cottage style embraces casual comforts and simple charms. Infuse your home with the quaint character with these cottage decorating ideas. Soft colors, natural textures, and cozy accents can make any space feel like a homey cottage.

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Cottage Living Room

Sofa and chairs around table in living room — Adam Albright

Incorporate cottage decor that combines comfort with practicality. In this living room, slipcovers reflect the easy-living attitude that's crucial to cottage style. Sewn from affordable cotton or canvas, most slipcovers easily slip off and into the wash.

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Collected Cottage Decor

bedroom butterfly portrait pillows — Joyelle West

Mix patterns, textures, and colors to create a collected look. In this cottage bedroom, a pile of pillows in various prints and fabrics feels cohesive thanks to a shared color palette. The neutral hues and hints of red and green are pulled from the butterfly art above the bed.

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Cottage Antiques

cottage dining room by windows — John Bessler

Antique finds blend easily with cottage decor. Outfitted with flea-market chairs and a weathered wood table, this breakfast nook boasts old-fashioned charm. Seat cushions and pillows introduce subtle patterns and extra comfort to the cozy dining area.

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Cottage Color Schemes

Cottages are often filled with soft neutrals and pastels, but bolder hues can have a place in cottage color schemes, too. Bright red walls and trim bring unexpected color to this casual living room. Collected artwork, slipcovered furniture, and a textured woven rug reinforce the cottage charm.

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Beaded Board Walls

black white farmhouse bedroom buffalo check wall panels — Christina Schmidhofer

Beaded board is a popular element in cottage-style homes. The grooved wall treatment instantly cozies up bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and more. For a low-cost, easy-to-install option, look for faux beaded board at local home improvement stores.

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Cottage Kitchen Ideas

kitchen with white cabinets with wood top — Brie Williams

A variety of textures bring visual interest to simple cottage designs. In this cottage kitchen, shiplap, beaded board, and tile add dimension to the walls, while wood floors and butcherblock countertops introduce a natural element. Open shelves provide display space for antique finds and everyday dishware.

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Cottage-Style Furniture

vintage painted light pink dresser dormer bedroom snake plant — John Bessler

Furniture with worn, chipping paint suits cottage interiors. Search antique stores and flea markets for pieces with patina. Or paint furniture and rough it up with sandpaper for a time-worn finish.

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Cottage Sunroom

four seasons room tile floor — Amy Mazzenga

Simple furnishings and cozy accessories make this cottage sunroom an inviting spot to relax. Two cushioned armchairs and a slipcovered sofa cozy up to a coffee table crafted from an old washboard. Rugged brick walls and slate tiles laid in a herringbone pattern add a sense of history to the space.

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Cottage-Style Patterns

Select fabrics in pretty patterns for a quaint cottage look. Buffalo check, florals, stripes, plaids, and dotted prints all suit cottage homes. This bedroom layers several patterns over a foundation of shiplap walls and knotty wood floors for a characterful effect.

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Cottage Bathroom ideas

bathroom wall with stenciled art — Kim Cornelison

Install wainscoting to wrap a cottage-style bathroom with charm. Here, a bright white board-and-batten treatment provides a restful counterpoint to the colorful pattern on the upper walls. For a more daring look, try painting the millwork in a vibrant hue that contrasts with the wall color.

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Cottage Light Fixtures

white farmhouse dining wood candelabra plate display — Nathan Schroder

Chandeliers add a romantic focal point to cottage-style rooms. This wooden candelabra fixture ties in with the rustic feel of this dining room, which boasts an antique table and mismatched chairs. For a daintier look, opt for a fixture with delicate crystals or strands of wood beads.

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Classic Cottage Floors

bedroom fur rug blue bedspread — Edmund Barr

Hardwood floors provide a versatile foundation for cottage decorating ideas. This easy-care surface offers warm wood tones that pair well with soft fabrics and subdued color schemes. Leave the floors bare in warmer weather and layer on rugs when the temperatures dip.

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Cottage Bedroom Decor

metal bed with blue bedspread — Keller and Keller Photography

Introduce cottage character to any home with style-appropriate furniture. Here, a classic wrought-iron bed frame and an antique nightstand add a sense of age to this bedroom. Lots of pillows and a textured coverlet dress the bed with cottage style.

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Modern Cottage Style

Put a fresh twist on cottage style with modern furniture and pared-down decor. In this living room, layered area rugs, pillows in various patterns, and collected accessories establish a cottage feel, but the vaulted ceilings and streamlined furniture freshen the look. The striped area rug repeats the straight lines of the wall paneling and ceiling beams for eye-pleasing continuity.

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Cottage-Style Collections

vintage dinnerware plates — Courtney Apple

Collections are a key element of cottage style. For a curated display, sort treasures by type, size, or color, and arrange like items together. Here, antique dishes and silver serveware are carefully arranged in glass-front cabinets, which both showcase and protect the impressive collection.

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Cottage Storage Ideas

Wooden bench wicker baskets pillows — Jason Donnelly

Baskets can introduce casual style and cottage-inspired storage to any room. In an entryway, use baskets to corral shoes, hats, scarves, and other accessories near the door. Choose a variety of baskets woven from different materials for added texture and interest.

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Cottage Furniture Arrangements

white living room wood beams — Edmund Barr

Cottage-style rooms invite you to settle in and stay awhile. Emphasize that mood with furniture arrangements that encourage relaxation and conversation. In this seating area, four slipcovered chairs surround a small coffee table to create a comfy spot to chat with family members or guests.

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Relaxing Cottage Bathroom

Curtain over bathtub in bathroom — Adam Albright

Claw-foot tubs offer instant cottage style in the bathroom. Here, beaded-board ceilings and penny tile floors complement this vintage bathtub. Scour salvage and antique stores to find an old-fashioned tub in your area.

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Wicker Furniture

living room with wicker chairs red white blue decor — Dana Gallagher

Wicker furniture isn't just for the outdoors. Bring the feel of the porch inside with woven rattan chairs, accent tables, and more. Leave the wicker unpainted to let the natural texture shine, or cover the piece with spray paint for a colorful twist.

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Salvaged Cottage Decor

white bedroom with canopy — Kim Cornelison

Architectural fragments, such as old mantels, windows, corbels, brackets, and molding, bring aged cottage elements into a new home. Look for vintage pieces at flea markets and antique shops, and consider creative ways to display your finds. In this bedroom, a salvaged half-arch window is mounted as art above the nightstand.

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Cottage-Style Wallpaper

Establish a homey feel with wallpaper in soft colors and charming patterns. Light blue buffalo-check wallpaper wraps this living room in cottage-style character. Outfitted with vintage wall art and an antique rug, the room feels fresh not stuffy thanks to a subdued color palette.

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Cottage Furniture Refresh

plate display vintage cabinet — Gordon Beall

Dress up a utilitarian piece of furniture with simple cottage-style updates. Adding cut-glass knobs freshened this dated sideboard. Look for new or vintage knobs at flea markets and garage sales, or consider painting the piece's existing hardware for a quick refresh.

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