Creating a cottage look in your home is easier than you might think. Paint is one of the most useful tools in creating a cottage look. Cottage paint ideas can apply to walls, cabinetry, furnishings and home accessories. You may even want to use some of these ideas for outdoor furnishings or garden decor. Cottage-style painting doesn't rely on any special skills, just a bit of time and basic supplies.
Painting Walls
Cottage-style walls can be painted clean shades of white or cream, or you can opt for pastel shades. Pale blues, light grays or butter yellow can all work well with a cottage decorating scheme, especially if you have white upholstery or slipcovers. Soft pinks or lilacs may also work in a more feminine room. Avoid high-gloss finishes for a cottage look. You can also try faux finishes that give your walls an aged look, like faux plaster, but keep your colors soft to preserve the cottage style.
Painting Furniture
Painted furniture is ideal for a cottage look. You can revitalize old pieces and make mismatched furniture coordinate with paint. Clean white paint is a good choice for a more formal cottage space. You may want to look for painted pieces with flaking, peeling and aged paint to use in your cottage style spaces. If you are looking for a more affordable alternative to antique pieces, try creating a crackle paint or distressed paint finish using products available in your local home center or craft store. A splash of warm yellow, deep red or any color you love can add personality to a painted furniture piece.
Adding Painted Details
Stenciling and free-hand painted details can add personality and cottage flair to your furniture or walls. Simple stenciled floral or vine patterns are a good choice for painted furniture pieces. Keep the colors soft and paint light to preserve the aged appearance you are working to create. Stencils are also a good choice for wall designs, especially if you choose similar tones. Consider using a stencil to write a simple verse above a door or your kitchen cabinets.
Related posts
Even ultra-feminine cottage designs can have bold pops of color.Choosing a cottage style for your home means decorating it with quaint, romantic and feminine details. But you also have options, as...
A neutral color, like brown, is one option for your home's exterior.Painting the exterior of your home can help increase your home's value and curb appeal. Choose a color that fits the style and f...
Paint a mural on the outside of a public building.Public buildings, whether places that are publicly owned or just places that are seen by the public, should be painted to draw people in and refle...
Take your color cues from a vibrantly colored quilt.French country style is the decorating cousin of the American country style, but with a few subtle differences. In the French countryside, the c...
Buyers who pay the most for a home are motivated by emotion. Offering a painting allowance instead of fixing a simple, relatively inexpensive issue like paint color will cause the emotional buyer...
