Country Cottage Decorating Ideas

Recreate a beautiful country cottage decorating style.

Relax into a perfect country idyll - without leaving your own home!

Here you will find useful and stylish hints and tips on how to get your own country decorating ideas.

our country cottage living room makeover

I actually live in a quaint country cottage...that is my living room in the photos above and below...

And my pretty cottage style kitchen in the image below (I'll show you exactly how I got the look, with a link to my makeover page, later...)

our pretty cottage style kitchen makeover

But even if you live in a more modern town house or apartment, country cottage decorating is now becoming very popular!

Whatever your home is like - I will bring you lots of ideas to get the country cottage look for yourself...

country cottage decorating chair

Why choose a cottage style?

Cottage style decorating is an ideal look to create a comfy, cozy bolthole, from the stresses and rigours of modern life.

Country decorating ideas will give you a very relaxed style, with a warm and friendly feel. Decorating is practical – but with very pretty and friendly touches.

Items don’t have to be shiny and new – you can get a very authentic country cottage decorating style with second-hand and older items, which look like they have been well-loved, and handed down through the family.

Walls and Colors

Because cottage style decorating is such a relaxed style, there are not really any hard and fast rules as to color.

There are some good guidelines though – depending on the sort of country cottage decorating look you want to go for
- Classic English country cottage
  – use pretty and fresh pastels, especially pinks, greens, creams and florals (all mixed in together)
- Rustic cottage style
  – decorating in greens, reds, rusts and golds will give a gorgeously warm, cozy feel. Stripes, checks and tartans will all look great – again feel free to mix and match.
- Light and airy ‘beach’ style
  – use whites, creams, sand, pale blue and teal.

Windows & Curtains

Cottage windows are usually quite small, but very attractive and distinctive.
Even if you don’t have typical, small, cottage windows, you can still get the look – with clever use of curtains and window treatments.

To get a perfect country interior design style, go for pretty, full and frilly curtains.
Curtains should always be informal in style – putting a simple valance, or frill, on an existing pair of plain curtains, is a good way to get the look.

country cottage decorating - pretty check curtains are a simple, rustic look

Choose valances, pelmets, swags and tails, drapes and tie-backs to accessorize your curtains.
Click here for more information on these window treatment design ideas.

For Summer, and for lighter decorating looks, choose light and floaty sheers, voiles and nets.

For Winter, and for cozy decorating schemes, choose sumptuous velvet, tapestry and brocade curtains – for a really warm and comfortable look.

Country cottage patterns and fabrics

Mix plenty of patterns and fabrics in your country cottage decorating style room. Like I said before, this look is very relaxed, so, really – anything goes!

If you need some excellent suggestions for patterns and styles to suit a country cottage decorating scheme, choose florals (especially the old-fashioned looking prints), stripes, checks, tartans and ginghams.

Include plenty of throws, cushions, patchwork and handmade quilts, in a mixture of different fabrics and patterns, to cozy it all up, and create a really warm and comfortable feel.

country cottage decorating - bed with pretty patchwork quilt

Pretty as patchwork

Try to include a home-made patchwork quilt somewhere - on a bed or sofa is ideal...
Try these gorgeous Cath Kidston prints, which are ideal for a country cottage decorating style.
You can buy lengths of fabric for curtain-making or upholstery.
I like these patchwork quilt kits - pre-cut squares of fabric - ideal for making your own patchwork quilt - much cheaper than a bought one...
Click below to find out more...

Assorted Patchwork Haberdashery Swatches

Take a look in store while you're there, she does some really beautiful fabrics and homeware that would suit this style perfectly...

See more Cath Kidston Home Decor and Vintage Inspired Fabic from Cath Kidston USA
If the Cath Kidston fabric swatches and home decor items shown above interest you, please support my website by using the links on this page to buy.
The price to you is always the same, but I will earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to provide you with the information on this website, all for free.
Thanks for your continued support :)
Click here for my interior design tricks for using pattern successfully in your scheme.

A touch of texture

Don’t forget texture too, to create a warm and cozy feel in your country cottage.
Click here for information on interior design tricks you can use to bring texture into your decorating scheme.

Floors

Wooden floorboards are definitely the way to go, if you get to choose your flooring. A worn or ‘distressed’ look is what you really need.

Try painting and stencilling your floorboards in white or pastels. You can even distress them a little, by rubbing down your paintwork with a wire brush or wire wool.

Make sure your country cottage is cozy, by adding gorgeous dainty area rugs in traditional styles. Look out for small and pretty rugs which are very suitable for country and cottage style decorating.

country cottage decorating sofa

Furniture

Choose quality, solid, second-hand furniture, for your country cottage decorating style. Use favourite family heirlooms, or scour flea markets and antique sales for bargain buys.

Natural pine or oak furniture will be perfect – or try painting all different styles in the same color - white or cream are ideal colors for this – and will go with all different color schemes.

country cottage decorating - a pine and white painted wood kitchen in a simple rustic style

Look out for tables and benches, dressers and sideboards, comfortable old rocking chairs and old pews.

Adding Accessories

Choose lots of wicker accessories - baskets filled with logs, pinecones or flowers – and open shelving to display your pretty knick-knacks.

Include plenty of gorgeous, country cottage style accessories - display plates and pretty tea-cups and tea-pots on open display shelves or dresser shelves.

our own country kitchen in yellow and brown

Also find space for porcelain figurines and dolls, embroideries, tapestries and old-style samplers.

A country cottage decorating style is the perfect style for showing off (or starting!) any collections – pot cats, pot pigs, figurines, tea pots…. Whatever tickles your fancy…!
Display your treasures on open shelves, or in display cabinets.

Add vintage-style lighting, lanterns, wall sconces, table lamps and warming, scented candles to your country cottage decorating scheme – for relaxing mood lighting, for cozy nights in!
Click here for more tips on how to use lighting to create a relaxing, cozy mood.

Where to find country cottage treasures

Craft fairs are a great place to find unique, hand-made bits and pieces, to add to your collections.

Also make sure you look on eBay - where are there always plenty of country decorating bargains to be found...

Take a look now...
This is a live feed from eBay, and is constantly updated. Just click on a product for further information, or to bid or buy.

Happy Shopping...!

If any of these recommended eBay auction products interest you, please support my website by using the links on this page to buy. The price to you is always the same, but I will earn a small commission.

This allows me to continue to provide you with the information on this website, all for free.

Thanks for your continued support :)

Fire it up

country cottage decorating wood burning stove

Center your country cottage decorating look around a real, open fire, or wood-burning stove - if you are lucky enough to have one, or able to fit one.

This will give you that perfect country feel, and a real warm, cosy look (and feel – they really do kick out a lot of heat!) and your own little oasis of calm in a busy, modern life!

I hope this has helped and inspired you to create your own country cottage decorating scheme at home.