12 steps to cottage style

Use unexpected finishing touches
Use unexpected finishing touches for a dash of panache: try mixing galvanized metals in with romantic whitewashed living spaces, for example.

Pretty passementerie
Pretty passementerie gives a nod to quixotic days gone by. Spools of ribbon and vintage cards set the scene perfectly.

Wind fresh herbs
Wind fresh herbs and a blowsy rose or two around the neck of a glass decanter with floral wire to add whimsical texture and interest to your table.

Romance is in bloom
Romance is in bloom in this vignette. cottage style florals are twirled into a relaxed wreath, and using lots of candles, such as here in the candle box, makes the setting intimate. While the furniture is battered and rustic, the backdrop is crisp and orderly, letting the patina of the table pop.

Even in an almost industrial space
Even in an almost industrial space, cottage style can come to the fore. It's the whitewashed effect over rustic surfaces that does the trick. Cement floors, stainless steel and stone counters all recede into an overriding impression of age.

Read more in Decorating and Decorating 101