Cottage Style Cabinets and Kitchen Furnishing

Overall cottage look should appear slightly worn, but not shabby. Framed wood kitchen cabinets with an antique appearance - especially in a mix of finishes, such as a honey maple paired with a color stain that looks aged or distressed - provide a good starting point for building on the cottage theme. You can create a warn-in look by distressing wood surface of the tabletop, or adding glazed finish to the woodwork.

Built-in open plate or pot racks and display shelves should be part of the cabinetry's design. Milk- or clear-glass knobs and pulls will dress the cabinets nicely, or use forged metal kitchen hardware for a rustic appearance. You can also install an exposed-apron farmhouse-style sink with a reproduction chrome and porcelain faucet set to add more charm.

Use a natural dye on table linens or cotton fabric window treatments. Compared with synthetics, these dyes seem slightly faded and will lend a comfortable lived-in feeling to your cottage-style kitchen.