20 Cottage Kitchen Ideas That Add Cozy Style to Your Space

Add warmth and a welcoming feel to your kitchen with these timeless cottage touches.

Whether paneled in beaded board or filled with furnishings from flea markets, adding cottage kitchen ideas creates a welcoming place to gather with family and friends. Get the look in your home with these style tips. We have suggestions for color, countertops, wall treatments, and more. Define your cottage style with the updates you love most.

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Add Materials with Vintage Appeal

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Surfaces with an aged look exemplify an easy-care cottage kitchen idea with a relaxed feel, including touchable textures. These x-back bistro bar stools mix effortlessly with marble countertops, while gray subway tiles suggest age and timeworn character.

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Opt for Fresh Features

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An all-white cottage kitchen is classic, but pretty painted base cabinets in pastel blue are a cottage kitchen idea that brightens the room with color. Cork floor tile installed in a chevron display and a DIY range hood add modern interest to this room’s otherwise traditional cottage design elements.

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Add Character to New Builds

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New house? No problem. Use much-loved cottage kitchen ideas such as moldings, beaded board, schoolhouse lights, and an apron-front sink to create architectural detail and a sense of history. Install pieces in stages as your budget allows.

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Paint it Pretty Pastels

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Pastel accents, such as a mint-green beaded board and soft yellow wall color, join traditional white cabinetry for cottage kitchen ideas that add charm. Crystal pendants sparkle above the T-shape island, while Edwardian-style faucets, turned legs, and shapely hardware add feminine touches.

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Try an Unfitted Cottage Kitchen Idea

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Change out the wall-to-wall cabinetry and opt for an unfitted design for a kitchen that looks like it's evolved over time. Shop for refurbished appliances or new retro-looking options. Think about omitting upper cabinetry or replacing some closed cabinets with open shelves. Add an antique table and seating to give the room a lived-in feel.

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Incorporate Elements of Cottage Style

Discover how to add loads of charming cottage kitchen ideas to the heart of your home.

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Go for Gray

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A breezy open layout and soothing gray color palette keep this kitchen calm and collected. Antique silverware is a charming accent to the steel base of a light fixture, adding to the cottage style that includes wide-grouted travertine flooring and horizontal wall paneling.

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Include Comfy Seating

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Help people feel at home with this cottage kitchen idea for a comfy place to sit and visit. Partner a table with curvy wicker chairs and a padded banquette to create a cozy spot for dining and conversation.

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Showcase French Flair

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Open shelving, a skirted sink cabinet, and a shimmering chandelier are cottage kitchen ideas that provide Parisian charm. A black hutch-style cabinet with plenty of patina gains added function with chalkboard paint.

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Add Glass Fronts to Cabinets

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Avoid a mass of solid white cabinetry by retrofitting recessed cabinet doors with glass. A sleek industrial island with contrasting basket storage is a fresh and functional workspace.

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Go for Bold Accents

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This spacious kitchen gets an heirloom feel from mullion windows topped with transoms, beaded-board paneling above the range, and wrought-iron cabinet hardware. Display shelves and cup hooks keep everyday dishes in full view for easy access.

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Combine Cottage Kitchen Ideas

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Cottage style encompasses many design choices. Here, the white custom cabinetry with brushed and bin-style cup pulls gives it a vintage feel. The apron-front sink, honed granite counters, and subway tile are more cottage kitchen ideas that amp up the country look. Added simple, homey touches like the striped rug and the antique step stool with chipped paint make it feel like this space has evolved over time.

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Vary Wood Finishes

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Don't be afraid to blend painted wood with naturally finished wood. White is a classic cottage color choice that works well with several wood tones, such as unfinished, whitewashed, or dark. When choosing materials for your cottage kitchen, get samples of your materials to see how they will look together before buying.

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Add Furniture-Style Details

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Furniture-style cabinets with feet and simple crown molding are cottage kitchen ideas that consistently work for this decor. Create the look of vintage built-ins from a bygone era with glass-front cabinetry and brackets, beaded board, and a contrasting countertop material made from wood or stone.

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Go Beyond White

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Cottage kitchen ideas for color are often white and soft pastels. But don't be afraid to shake things up with a bit of bright color: An island painted a warm tomato red brings this room to life.

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Use Accessories to Accent Style

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This refrigerator and freezer disguise their modern functions with paneled doors and old-world hinges and handles. The soft blue-green finish breaks up the expanse of white and introduces a classic cottage color into the scheme.

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Install Beaded Board

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Feel free to use beaded board liberally in a cottage kitchen. It looks great on ceilings, walls, islands, and cabinet doors. Install beaded board horizontally or on the diagonal to add an unexpected twist.

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Customize a Hutch

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A glass-front hutch is a great place to create and curate a vignette of useful and beautiful items. Add details like beaded board to the back of the cabinet and use cupboard latches for a functional cottage kitchen idea.

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Display Your Collections

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Show your stuff. Whether it's everyday dishes or found treasures, open shelves (or open cabinets without doors) let you display what you use and collect. You can easily DIY open shelves by removing cabinet doors.

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A Chameleon Style

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Ask four people to define “cottage,” and you’ll likely get four different descriptions. Spanning locales, eras, and lifestyles, cottage kitchen ideas are all about personal style. For example, a pale blue oven and green cabinetry might lend themselves to a beach look. But pair them with exposed rustic ceiling beams, wall paneling, and dark wood floors, and this versatile kitchen will add fresh cottage style no matter where the home is located.

Other Kitchen Design Styles to Consider

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