Cottage Kitchen Ideas

Gather cottage kitchen ideas, and get ready to create a cozy and welcoming kitchen design in your home.

Classic kitchen with farmhouse appeal

Cottage-Style Kitchen with Farmhouse Sink

Exposed cabinetry, wood floors, vintage lighting and a retro sink are the stars in this charming kitchen.

Exposed cabinetry, wood floors, vintage lighting and a retro sink are the stars in this charming kitchen.
By: Sean McEvoy

If you're planning a kitchen remodel and your tastes run towards the cozy and casual, you may want to explore the wide range of cottage kitchen ideas available.

English Cottage Charm

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Casual and welcoming, cottage-style kitchens are inspired by those found in traditional vacation or summer cottages—spaces specifically designed for relaxation and entertaining. Hallmarks of cottage-style kitchens include painted cabinets, beadboard on walls, light and bright color schemes, and an overall comfortable and guest-friendly feel.

Storage elements are an important theme in cottage-style kitchens, as they allow homeowners to efficiently stow their kitchen wares, but also to display them in a manner that's at once stylish and casual. One of the chief means of achieving this trademark of cottage kitchen design is by using an open cabinet scheme. Leaving doors off cabinets or relying on a combination of cabinets and shelving will create a design that feels more open, expansive and casual.

Color is another important aspect of cottage-style kitchen design. Many homeowners opt for a light and bright feel in a cottage-style kitchen, with whites, beiges, and light yellows among the most common colors used to create an airy and open feel in the space. Floors and furniture may feature contrasting hues, often in dark wood that helps to ground the space. Walls often feature white or light beadboard, a direct reference to the style commonly found in vacation cottages.

When it comes to furniture in cottage-style kitchens, the casual and comfortable theme is generally upheld by using sturdy tables of natural wood, often paired with equally substantial chairs, fitted for comfort with cushions in colorful patterns or solids.

Additional design flourishes can add great visual interest to a cottage-style kitchen. Some homeowners choose thematic elements for backsplashes or wallpaper. In a country-themed cottage-style kitchen, for example, farm or pastoral scenes in toile might be a great fit. Similarly, nautical or ocean-inspired designs might be featured by homeowners who reside by the seaside, adding a soothing thematic element to their cottage-style kitchen.

Finally, consider elegantly displaying cookware as a feature of your cottage-style kitchen design. Hanging pots, pans and large utensils from racks or hooks on the wall can further emphasize both a casual design and a space that's always ready to cook. Choosing cookware that's as visually interesting as it is utilitarian will add to a cottage style kitchen design where guests and family alike will want to spend plenty of time.

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