A Fresh Take on Cottage Style
A Cottage-Contemporary Fusion
With an uncharacteristic simplicity and a subtle nod to more contemporary trends, this beautiful girl's room, designed by Krista Salmon of Kiki's List for her lucky daughter, Lou, is a refreshing take on the traditional cottage-inspired look.
Scroll through the following photos to learn more about Krista's cottage-contemporary blend, and pick up a few useful tips on how to create your own cottage dream room along the way.
A Frame to Build a Dream On
Cottage decorating is primarily about comfort, which at times may seem at odds with the style's preference for simple iron, wood and wicker furnishings. However, modest furnishings leave room for pillows and other creature comforts, which give the space a more inviting, lived-in feel. These materials also lend themselves well to a fresh coat of paint - an excellent way to tie together a collection of mixed-and-matched, hand-me-down pieces.
This beautiful, iron bed frame, which Krista transformed with a quick prime and paint job, is actually an authentic hand-me-down. Krista slept on this once-white bed frame herself as a little girl. Now it has a new little occupant and a bright new look.
Krista's collection of throw pillows, found at IKEA and personalized with iron-on appliques, capture that inviting, dive-right-in feeling that is so typical of cottage decor. However, whereas a traditional cottage design would incorporate a mix of patterns, colors and sizes, the clean uniformity of Krista's collection gives the design its fresh, contemporary edge.
Cottage Colors and Eclectic Style
Krista's color scheme is typical of cottage style, which tends to combine garden-inspired pastels with delicate bursts of brighter colors. The warmth and prominence of the gorgeous striped ceiling, painted a bright and sunny "Melon Shine" to match the bed, gives the traditional palette a bit of an update and is an excellent example of how to make the most of this often underutilized space.
Another hallmark of a cottage-inspired design is the combined use of patterns and florals for an eclectic, thrown-together look.
Krista's soft, floral-patterned curtains contrast beautifully with the boldly striped ceiling and subtly checkered bedding, giving the room a distinct cottage flavor. The shining silver end table, complimented by the other metallic accessories tucked around the room, offers yet another delicate contemporary twist.
A somewhat rough-and-tumble appearance is typical of a cottage design, making it a great choice for kids' rooms. The slightly weathered look of this former changing-table-turned-dresser only adds to this room's country cottage appeal.
The glass jars filled with collected beads and other trinkets serve as great accessories. In cottage style, accessories are often colorful and eclectic. Anything of interest - from old advertisements to bronzed baby shoes- goes.
Vintage toys and games and cleverly displayed childhood treasures are fun choices for kids' rooms.
You should also keep an eye out for anything you can salvage or remake. The mirror in this picture began its life as a clearance picture from HomeGoods. Krista painted the frame, and replaced the picture with a mirror she had cut to fit.
This gorgeous repro of a beaded chandelier, handmade by a friend using this fabulous tutorial, adds a lovely vintage-inspired touch to Krista's design. The original, offered by Marjorie Skouras Design, was a tad on the pricy side, and the brightly hued, turquoise beads were a shade too bold for Krista. It took over 4,000 beads, each one hand-painted to match the exact shade of "Bird's Egg" blue on the walls, to recreate the fixture as you see it here, but the effect is stunning.
Wishing for a one-of-a-kind light fixture of your own? You'd be surprised how easy and inexpensive it can be to transform almost anything into a lamp. Try re-purposing a vintage toy or antique tin for the perfect cottage-inspired accessory.
With an uncharacteristic simplicity and a subtle nod to more contemporary trends, this beautiful girl's room, designed by Krista Salmon of Kiki's List for her lucky daughter, Lou, is a refreshing take on the traditional cottage-inspired look.
Scroll through the following photos to learn more about Krista's cottage-contemporary blend, and pick up a few useful tips on how to create your own cottage dream room along the way.
A Frame to Build a Dream On
Cottage decorating is primarily about comfort, which at times may seem at odds with the style's preference for simple iron, wood and wicker furnishings. However, modest furnishings leave room for pillows and other creature comforts, which give the space a more inviting, lived-in feel. These materials also lend themselves well to a fresh coat of paint - an excellent way to tie together a collection of mixed-and-matched, hand-me-down pieces.
This beautiful, iron bed frame, which Krista transformed with a quick prime and paint job, is actually an authentic hand-me-down. Krista slept on this once-white bed frame herself as a little girl. Now it has a new little occupant and a bright new look.
Krista's collection of throw pillows, found at IKEA and personalized with iron-on appliques, capture that inviting, dive-right-in feeling that is so typical of cottage decor. However, whereas a traditional cottage design would incorporate a mix of patterns, colors and sizes, the clean uniformity of Krista's collection gives the design its fresh, contemporary edge.
Cottage Colors and Eclectic Style
Krista's color scheme is typical of cottage style, which tends to combine garden-inspired pastels with delicate bursts of brighter colors. The warmth and prominence of the gorgeous striped ceiling, painted a bright and sunny "Melon Shine" to match the bed, gives the traditional palette a bit of an update and is an excellent example of how to make the most of this often underutilized space.
Another hallmark of a cottage-inspired design is the combined use of patterns and florals for an eclectic, thrown-together look.
Krista's soft, floral-patterned curtains contrast beautifully with the boldly striped ceiling and subtly checkered bedding, giving the room a distinct cottage flavor. The shining silver end table, complimented by the other metallic accessories tucked around the room, offers yet another delicate contemporary twist.
A somewhat rough-and-tumble appearance is typical of a cottage design, making it a great choice for kids' rooms. The slightly weathered look of this former changing-table-turned-dresser only adds to this room's country cottage appeal.
The glass jars filled with collected beads and other trinkets serve as great accessories. In cottage style, accessories are often colorful and eclectic. Anything of interest - from old advertisements to bronzed baby shoes- goes.
Vintage toys and games and cleverly displayed childhood treasures are fun choices for kids' rooms.
You should also keep an eye out for anything you can salvage or remake. The mirror in this picture began its life as a clearance picture from HomeGoods. Krista painted the frame, and replaced the picture with a mirror she had cut to fit.
This gorgeous repro of a beaded chandelier, handmade by a friend using this fabulous tutorial, adds a lovely vintage-inspired touch to Krista's design. The original, offered by Marjorie Skouras Design, was a tad on the pricy side, and the brightly hued, turquoise beads were a shade too bold for Krista. It took over 4,000 beads, each one hand-painted to match the exact shade of "Bird's Egg" blue on the walls, to recreate the fixture as you see it here, but the effect is stunning.
Wishing for a one-of-a-kind light fixture of your own? You'd be surprised how easy and inexpensive it can be to transform almost anything into a lamp. Try re-purposing a vintage toy or antique tin for the perfect cottage-inspired accessory.
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