Cottage kitchens are basic cozy kitchens that are not pretentious or fussy - they tend to be warm and inviting instead.
Whether you live in an actual cottage or just like the cottage interior design style, here are some ideas for how to decorate your kitchen to look its best.
photo courtesy of Brent Eckley flickr.com/photos/96831183@N08/31141699406/White or Pastel Painted Woodwork
White or pastel painted woodwork is very common in cottage kitchens.
Woodwork often includes cabinets with crown molding, baseboards, window and door trim, and beadboard.
Sometimes the paint finish is distressed, but more modern and contemporary cottage kitchens do not distress the woodwork.
If you choose to have a distressed paint finish, try to find pieces that were distressed naturally over time, not new pieces that are artificially distressed in a factory.
Open Shelves
For a more casual feel, cottage kitchens sometimes use open shelves instead of cabinets to showcase beautiful dishes and other kitchen necessities.
The open shelves often are stained to create an accent wall and break up all of the white upper cabinets.
Open shelves are cheaper than cabinets, however the items on your shelves will get dusty quicker. Cleaning shelves that are high on a wall might be a bit difficult.
Glass Front Cabinets
If cottages kitchens have glass front cabinets, they typically use seeded glass.
Another option is frosted glass since it will hide messy cabinets.
Before making all of your cabinets glass front, consider what you store in your kitchen that is not very attractive - perhaps medicine, plastic cups, or a collection of mismatched coffee mugs.
You might appreciate the article Alternatives for Glass Front Kitchen Cabinet Doors.
Dishes
Many cottage kitchens use simple white dishes. Sometimes the dishes have no embellishments, however other times the dishes have a textural pattern.
Another option for cottage kitchens is to use vintage dishes or dishes with a vintage pattern. You might choose to have a mismatched collection of vintage dishes for added interest.
Natural Flooring
Natural flooring, such as wood (sometimes painted wood), slate, or brick floors are popular in cottage kitchens.
Distressed flooring is common, so don't make the floors too perfect.
Flooring made of natural materials is preferred to manmade materials.
Beadboard or Shiplap
Beadboard is a vertical wood paneling, usually painted white, with vertical grooves.
Beadboard is often used as wainscoting (wall covering from the floor to about 36" high) in a cottage kitchen.
It can also be used for a backsplash or on the ceiling.
Shiplap is a horizontal wood plank building material found in the wall structure of older homes. You can paint it or leave it a natural color for added charm.
White Subway Tile
Subway tile is plain white glossy tile, similar to the square tile on the walls in many basic bathrooms, except it is rectangular and applied in a brick pattern.
They are called subway tile because they are found on the walls in many subway stations.
Subway tile is very popular as a backsplash choice in cottage kitchens.
The grout color of subway tile ranges from white, to black, and every color of gray in between. You can decide how dramatic you want to be with white being the least dramatic and black being the most dramatic.
Farmhouse Sink
Basic large farmhouse sinks are common in cottage kitchens.
They are often large enough to wash a small dog or baby.
The front of a farmhouse sink is called an apron. Some aprons are plain while others have a pattern.
Farmhouse Table
Farmhouse tables are often used in the breakfast room of a cottage kitchen.
The table can have chairs, benches, or a combination of both.
Farmhouse tables are typically stained or painted white or black.
The chairs at farmhouse tables are typically all wood without upholstery.
Simple Everyday Items
Cottage kitchens are very functional without too much emphasis on decorative accessories.
They do not include ornate, intricate, or fussy items that do not serve a purpose.
If there are decorative items, then the decorative item needs to be useful.
Black and White with a Pop of Color
For color, select white with touches of black and a maybe a small splash of color.
The splash of color is often a pastel blue or green, but most any color would work.
You can add color through linens, wall paint, accessories, or fresh flowers.
Vintage Accessories
For accessories, door pulls, plumbing fixtures, and light fixtures, select vintage or vintage inspired pieces.
You can even add repurposed vintage furniture pieces, such as a church pew becoming a dining table bench or an armoire being used as a storage piece.
