Cottage Living Room – The relaxed informality of the summer rental cottage doesn’t have to stay behind at the shore. Easily re-create the comfort and ease of cottage style in a suburban home or a downtown apartment with relaxed and comfortable furnishings that welcome you to sit and put your feet up. Mix in some time-worn accessories that welcome curious hands. The only thing missing will be the views of the water.

How to Design a Cottage Living Room

Living Room Walls and Floors

Cottage style is anything but formal. Cottage style is often subdued, relaxed and influenced by colors found in nature. When choosing paint colors for a cottage room, select calming neutrals. Opt for creamy whites, light, ocean blues or subdued tans. Skip the paint in one or two rooms and cover the walls with wood. Beadboard wall panels or rustic wood panels can not only cover walls that are worse for wear but add texture and visual interest. Keep the floors simple as well. Allow the Cottage Living Room floors to stay in their original, and potentially, imperfect state. Should you want to cover the floors, opt for throw rugs or painted stencils. Vintage rugs provide comfort underfoot, but painted rugs can add visual interest and define space within a large living room.

Cottage Living Room Furniture

Cottage style is a mixture of old and new, and all of it is casual and unassuming. Reinforce the “put your feet up” ideal with secondhand furniture found at the thrift store or inherited from a family member. Add seating to any living space with an overstuffed armchair or couch, both covered with a tan slipcover. Throw pillows and blankets in complementary tones of mismatched fabrics, such as plaids and floral, add whimsical color. Eat your meals at a vintage table, made of wood, metal or wicker. Dining table chairs need not match but should be the same height. When decorating a sleeping space, keep it relaxed and unfussy. Metal bed frames and wooden bureaus procured from the consignment shop provide the basics. Increase the cottage charm and use sections of aged wooden fences as headboards or antique crates as side tables. Any Cottage Living Room can benefit from storage. Use rustic bookcases, armoires and shipping trunks to provide function and a sense of cottage chic.

Living Room Accessories