Decorating “Simple Cottage Style”

By Martha Loberg
Interior designer and owner of Martha’s Closet

Cottage style has enticed us with its intimacy, inciting us to open our hearts at home. It’s not just a way of decorating but a way of life. Think of soft, warm fabrics that envelop you on even the dreariest of lake days. Life is simpler here, and so is cottage style. The following are some tips to conjure up cottage decorating for the not hard of heart.
* It’s easy to coordinate fabrics and paint by staying within a palette. Five colors that mix naturally are buttercream yellow, sage green, lavender, eggshell blue, and a soft coral. These colors unite and harmonize in patterns on upholstery, pillows, and curtains to create a relaxed atmosphere.
* Many of our homes have massive windows with beautiful views. But how to keep privacy and let light in is the challenge. Here’s a simple solution: a flat panel made of organdy edged with a ticking stripe and hung inside the window frame using a tension rod. Add a tailored look by mitering the corners. Wooden shutters fold over at night to darken the room.
* Bring nature indoors. Fresh wildflowers brighten every room with color and fragrance. Group pillar candles on a dessert pedestal, then surround with a variety of stones form the beach.
* Make comfort come first. Nothing in your home should be too precious to be touched. Slipcovered furniture, utilitarian antiques, flea-market finds, and easy care floors make life easier on yourself and your house guests.
* A guest bedroom’s look can change every few days when you rely on duvet covers, sheets, and pillowcases to create an interesting mix of color and pattern. Simple furnishings against a neutral backdrop, calico cottons, florals, gingham checks, madras plaids, and stripes work together to set a casual mood.
* Oversized pillows slipcovered with vintage fabrics work as a cozy seat for extra guests. When covering seats select a chair with gracious size and shape in slipcovers or upholstery. Use fabrics with a nostalgic look with pleats and curves to resemble a vintage dress. Chenille, which resembles terry cloth, fares well in a moist environment. Use it as an absorbent and comfortable covering for seat cushions – add your monogram for a personal touch.
* For storage, use coordinating wicker baskets and label what’s in them with tags from an office supply store. Use watercolors to give tags a soft wash of color for a paint-box effect. A wooden tool box carrier is ideal to store Ball jars of cooking and serving utensils. A fresh coat of paint makes it practical and pretty.
* Create unity by using color to link patterns and forms. Painting mix & match side chairs a favorite color makes them look as though they have always belonged together. A fresh wash of color updates an old toy chest or a hand-me-down dresser.
* Surround yourself with collections of things you find useful and delightful and leave the rest behind. Take care to save or replace elements that give a house its architectural identity – try to keep original flooring, fixtures, and woodwork.
Your decor should be elegant but casual to be enjoyed by friends and family. Keep it simple and trust your instincts in choosing color and furnishings. Enjoy your cottage by making it relaxed, inviting, musical, memorable, playful, honest, and peaceful.