I’ve been procrastinating about writing this post for the Style Defined series for quite a while. I even created a Pinterest board for it and kept it private until now.
Follow Dancing Dish & Decor’s board cottage-chic-style-defined on Pinterest.
Part of the reason for the delay is I’m not sure how many of you will recognize the style Cottage Chic. While it is one of the Etsy listed styles, which is the list I used to create this series, I think you really know it as something else. That something else is trademarked. I completely respect other people’s intellectual property and would not want to infringe in any way on that. So like Etsy, I’m sticking with the term Cottage Chic.
The Basics of Cottage Chic Style
Cottage Chic style is feminine and frugal. Its romantic, practical and elegant all rolled into one (sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it). It’s eclectic, vintage, antiques, worn, quaint and a bit coastal. Think once elegant, English country estate that enjoys a worn version of what was once grand.
Furniture
Although you can go lots of places to buy new furniture made to look cottage chic, the best IMHO come from the ones you drag home from the thrift store. Those are the ones that you remake into your own personal style. Distressed wood tables and overstuffed chairs make a great Cottage Chic sitting area. Of course, a real DIYer (not me) would be making your own furniture or accessories from barn wood.
Fabrics
The fabrics of the cottage chic home decor style are faded velvets, chenilles, gingham, burlap, lace and cottons. White cotton and floral prints, especially mismatched, are signatures of the Cottage Chic style. As with furniture vintage fabrics can be awesome re-purposed. Previously loved curtains, sheets, and quilts can be remade into throw pillows, bedding sets, slipcovers and window treatments.
Accessories
The re-purposing carries over into accessories. Beautiful slightly tarnished silver water pitchers are perfect to hold fresh flower arrangements. Mismatched china teacups become sweet candle holders. Other Cottage Chic accessories are:
- Chandeliers
- Fresh and slightly faded flowers
- Aged mirrors
- Candles
- Hand painted signs
- Anything repurposed
- Mismatched china
- Old books
- Doilies
Colors
Romantic and feminine soft muted tones are the primary colors of this home decor style; pale pink, celadon, seafoam, mint, dusty rose, white, ivory, sky blue, cream & grey.
Do you decorate in cottage chic? Is your home full of mismatched china displayed on shelves and walls? Do you love the feminine, easy-going vibe of this style? Share your impressions of Cottage Chic home decor in the comments below this post.
Blessings,
Lauree
…keep dancing the dream
Find more personal styles defined here:
