Decorating Your Kitchen in the Cottage Style

Cottage style decorating seems to be a favorite among people living in all types of homes. This light, cheerful style appears in homes everywhere. Your home doesn't have to be nestled in the mountains or beside an ocean or lake for you to enjoy the cottage style of decorating.

A kitchen decorated in cottage style gives the occupants and guests a casual, relaxed feeling. It should feel calm, yet never boring. Light colors in the room and its furniture should give the room a sense of spaciousness. You should get the feeling that if you look out the window, you might just see that mountain or ocean.

So how do you create that cottage type style of decorating without hiring a professional decorator? It's simple, really. Think of things that seem light and breezy to you. Think of curtains blowing gently in the wind. What type of curtains do you see when you imagine this? Lace curtains are probably the ones that come to mind. Lace is a great material for cottage style curtains, but you could also use cotton or linen. Any lightweight material would do for the curtains. You can also omit curtains completely and just use shutters or light blinds. Bamboo type blinds also help to create that cottage feel.

If you plan on painting the walls, keep them very light. White or pastel colors work best for the cottage style. Pale yellow is a favorite for many cottage kitchens as is clean white.

Keep furniture light and airy. That doesn't mean you have to paint your cabinets white. Unless you want to, of course. That might be an option if your cabinets are old and you were thinking of replacing them anyway. You could try painting them first. Who knows, you might save yourself quite a bit of money. However, If you have very dark cabinets that are in good shape and you don't want to paint them, try removing some of the doors and leaving the shelves open. Or maybe replace some of the doors with glass doors. This will help to create a more open and casual look.

The table should be light wood, wicker, or glass. If your table is dark and you want to keep it, simply cover it with a white tablecloth. Use light colored napkins on your table and cheerful dishware.

You can cover the seat cushions of your chairs in a pale shade or white or even a pale floral design. In fact, if you have heavy, dark colored chairs, you can make slipcovers to cover the entire chair. It's really quite simple to do. Make the back section first, decorating it with maybe a bow or even large buttons, then cover the seat cushion with the same material. The last step is to make a skirt to hide the legs by simply sewing elastic to more of the same material. If the skirt doesn't stay in place well, either stitch it to the seat cushion or glue it in place.

Baskets help create a light and casual style. You can use the baskets to hold fruits or vegetables. Fill one with fresh cut flowers or line one with a clean dish towel to serve oven warm bread in.

Plants also help to create that cottage style of decorating. Homes with plants just seem healthier and more alive. Just make sure to give your plants a little tender loving care every now and then. Artificial plants can be used as decorating props on tops of cabinets or on shelves that are high up. You don't want fake plants down where people can feel them. And whatever you do, remember to dust them often.

The key element to cottage style decorating is to keep it simple. Light, airy, and casual decorating will help you relax and enjoy your surroundings day after day in your cottage style kitchen.