Cottage style - interior design - Brief Article

Sunset, June, 2001 by Ann Bertelsen

The simplest, most effective ways to achieve this charming, casual look

* You don't need to own a thatch-roofed home in the English countryside or vast collections of vintage furnishings to decorate your home like a cottage. What you do need is a passion for the past and a knack for creative recycling.

"Cottage style" means a mix of simple furnishings and accessories that are a little (or a lot) worn. Unlike true antiques, which must be at least 100 years old and have a verifiable pedigree, cottage-style pieces are humble in nature and can be almost anything, including old farmhouse tables and chairs, Depression-era glassware and ceramics, enamelware, and artisan finds from country fairs and flea markets. There's often a garden tie-in, expressed in fabric and china patterns, painted furniture, and an exuberant use of color and flowers.

The goal is cozy informality rather than sterile perfection. Cottage-style furniture often has a distressed look. Peeling paint with exposed undercoats is appreciated--the mark of years of cherished use--rather than a turn-off. A chipped Wedgwood plate takes on a new role propped on a mantel. "In this form of decorating," says Pamela Fritz, owner of furniture and accessory gallery Interieur Perdu, "most things are not used as they were intended."

Pulling the look together

There are no hard and fast rules governing cottage style. But these are some tricks of the trade to make the most of this approach. * Think photographically: Imagine a large space as a series of snapshots, making each area a carefully composed vignette.

* Group similar things together, such as a collection of crystal pieces on an old dresser or a group of plates hung on a wall.

* Combine painted and distressed furniture with plaids and florals to evoke an Old World atmosphere.

* Layer objects, mixing and matching treasured finds. A pretty pitcher in front of a decorative platter propped on edge on a painted cabinet creates a multitextured focal point.

* Mix different styles. For example, place Victorian-era porcelain on an art deco tray

* Look beyond the primary function of a piece-a Spode teapot can make an attractive vase or hold a small topiary

* Make visual references to the outside. Use flowers and plants wherever you can, and where you can't, use their likenesses in fabrics and patterned china.

* Keep flowers simple. A delicate posy or pitcher of wildflowers feels softer and more natural than a format arrangement

WHERE TO FIND IT

While antiques and collectibles stores are obvious sources for this style, there are others in every city and suburb.

* Look for flea markets and rummage sales, often held to benefit a local charity or school.

* Check your local newspaper for garage and estate sales.

* Weekend drives in the countryside can reveal small stores selling everything from old garden furniture to decorative pillows.

* Investigate family resources for items that relatives don't consider precious, such as old posters or kitchenware.

* Decide what you like and start gathering pieces to build up a small collection. Collectibles include ceramics, glassware, baskets, iron- and enamelware, lamps, figurines, mirrors, textiles (needlepoint and quilting, as well as linens and fabrics), trays, vases, teaspoons, posters, and kitchenware.