“The kitchen is the heart of the home” is definitely true for our home. This cozy little cottage kitchen is what sold me on this house. I’ve spent so much time in this room over the years, cooking, making school lunches, and hanging out with the family for dinner and Sunday breakfast.
We bought this house from some good friends of ours. She loves antiques and has an eye for design and he is a cabinet maker by trade. Together they designed this kitchen and he built it himself! We’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy this cottage kitchen they’ve built for many years now.
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Timeless design
A cottage style kitchen is all about pulling design elements from the past while maintaining the practicality for modern living. What I love most about this kitchen is that it stays true to the era of the house, but has all the modern conveniences of today. This house is over 100 years old and the “new” kitchen is a little over 20 years old now, but it still feels cozy and current.
Throughout the years we’ve updated the appliances, changed hardware, added new countertops, wall-papered, then added shiplap, painted and more. The overall design and cabinetry have remained the same of the years and I still love it.
Embracing Vintage Elements of a Simple Cottage Kitchen
A cottage-style kitchen to me, is all about keeping with the character of the home while maintaining practicality. I love how I can display all my vintage ironstone dishes and transferware, but also have our everyday dishes blend right in. I can only reach the first two shelves in the cabinets, so the rest is all about collectibles at this point.
I do a lot of cooking and this AGA stove has gotten so much use. Its vintage style brings this cottage kitchen to the next level. It really is a focal point in this room, but can also keep up with large family dinners. Last, but definitely not least, was adding a farm sink to our kitchen. Nothing says cottage kitchen more than a farm sink!
To create a cottage kitchen, consider incorporating these key elements:
- Classic Cabinetry: Choose a classic cabinetry design like shaker-style or glass-front cabinets for a timeless look. Having glass-front cabinetry allows me to display all my vintage dishes I’ve collected throughout the years.
- Antique-Inspired Hardware: There are so many new vintage-style hardware options out there making it a real simple way to cottage-up a kitchen design. Pulls and cabinet latches are two classics that we have in our kitchen.
- Farmhouse Sink: A deep, apron-front sink instantly adds cottage kitchen charm while offering practicality for everyday use.
- Vintage inspired appliances: There are also many vintage style appliance options out there these days. We love our AGA stove and have had it for over ten years and it’s still going strong.
Adding Cozy Touches that bring it all together
The idea of a simple cottage kitchen should feel warm and inviting – lived in. Adding cozy touches can easily be achieved. Here are a few ways add cottage coziness to your kitchen:
- Wooden Accents: We refreshed our kitchen a few years ago and added a lighter colored quartz countertop, however we used to have butcher block countertops in here. Butcher block countertops are a great way to add cottage style to a kitchen. When we replaced ours, I added a few butcher block cutting boards throughout to add the warmth that wooden accents can bring to a kitchen.
- Patterned Linens: Gingham or floral curtains, tablecloths, and dish towels enhance the cozy vibe. I change linens out all the time in our kitchen for quick and affordable refresh! A cute little cozy rug can add some warmth and cottage style as well.
- Soft Lighting: One of my favorite ways to add cottage charm to a kitchen, is to add a cozy little kitchen lamp. I love to find a vintage lamp and swap out the shade here and there for a cozy touch. There are so many rechargeable little lamps out there these days that would be a great kitchen lamp option as well.
- Flowers, Greenery and Fruit: Full disclosure – I’m a faux plant and flower girl. I don’t have a green thumb or the time to care for plants right now. Lucky for me there are some beautiful faux options out there. Add a pitcher with greenery and or flowers or some fruit in your favorite vintage bowl will add instant cottage charm to any kitchen.
Final Thoughts: Why I’ll Always Love This Simple Cottage Kitchen
Our kitchen is small, but mighty and still is one of my favorite rooms in our home. Because the kitchen is the heart of the home and we typically spend so much time there, for me, it’s important to make it cozy.
