cottage decorating

I had a customer come in on Sunday and she loved the store, which always makes us happy. She stated that she loved the romantic cottage look but that her own furniture was dark. Like me, she had been married for quite a while. I too have a lot of dark furniture--some family antiques and some items that I have bought over the years. I loved cherry furniture. I have found that you can incorporate the cottage look with a few pieces of white or painted furniture. Maybe it is just an end table or, like I have in my dining room, a lovely vintage tole painted folding sewing table. My dining room set was my great aunt Faye's and I would never readily part with it. But the sewing table, against a wall, makes the dining room cozy and cottagy. A white cabinet or a cupboard can also such a difference and a statement. I was lucking enough to find a wonderful white cupboard that could be taken apart to travel in a wagon and now it sets in the corner of my family room.
Other small things that you can do is incorporate vintage cottage style accessories. I have a collection of handpainted vintage floral paintings. I also have vintage sewing baskets. I have some lovely porcelain (again floral) pieces that I put on tables, shelves, etc. Take vintage linens, such as hankies and tea towels and use as window dressings. Whether you start a collection or have just different items, make sure that they are items that you love and that make you smile when you see them. I believe that that is the secret of cottage decorating. Simple changes can make a big difference. Make your house or apartment a blissful place to be. Life is stressful enough so add beauty to your surroundings for your enjoyment.
Live the blissful life,
Stephanie