Cottage Colors

Some colors just typically say "cottage" when we see them. Cottage colors are welcoming and warm. They evoke the feeling of that comfortable and cozy retreat we are trying to achieve.

History of cottage colors:

When looking at the history of cottages, the colors typically used were made from all natural pigments. These came from vegetables and minerals, making them grayed down in appearance. Nothing was too bright, and maybe a bit time worn in appearance.

As time has gone on we have seen cottage colors be vibrant and cheery, as well as soft whites and pastels. As cottage style colors have evolved we have adopted some of the older grayed down colors and also introduced more vivid shades.

Cottage Style Colors

Here are the color combinations you will typically see in cottage homes. Remember all of this is relevant to personal taste. That is what makes this home decorating style so fun to create. It leaves room for us to play around with color as we see fit.

All American Blues

Blue and White is a classic combination that works just about everywhere, from the outdoors to the indoors. Here we see this charming cottage porch painted in this fresh and simple color scheme.

Blue and Yellow is another great home color scheme seen in cottage homes. You can find out more about decorating with blue colors

Welcoming Reds

Reds are warm and inviting to all who come in. Nothing says "home" like the rich shades of red. Red and White is another classic combination used easily in home decorating.

Here we see a nice color scheme of a soft country red wall with a beautiful contrast of blue and white china. A winning combination!

Americana colors are so fun to use in a cottage setting. You can use these classic all american colors in a variety of ways. Look above at the blue china and red wall, or you could use them simply by adding pillows, throws and wall decor.

Red and yellow make a nice combination. You will see a lot of variations of hues in the reds and yellows used. Find out more about using red in your home.

Sunny Citrus Colors

Today's homes are being filled with a lot of color, and can be bright and bold. Sunny citrus colors in bold hues are a more modern version of cottage home decorating colors. Typically in earlier years, these colors would have been much more pastel and grayed down. Now days anything goes!

Maybe you would like to start experimenting with adding these bright, fun colors to your home.

You can even use orange color schemes,. or maybe some shades of green

French Inspired Colors

French cottage colors tend to be a bit more on the vivid side of things. They remind us of a sun drenched region. Here is a fun and bright combination. Turqouise and yellow make a bright combination here in this outdoor patio setting.

You might like to explore the French Cottage look for you home.

Cottage Whites

We can't forget the ever popular cottage whites. Many people typically picture a cottage home with lots of white. It is a wonderful way to bring about the fresh and easy style of cottage.

White can be use all over your home in a variety of ways. This white wicker chair on a front porch is so charming!

Creamy shades of white are also used a lot, and make for such a warm and simple feel.

It is always a good idea to vary your shades of white when working with an all an all-white palette. This is a wonderful look with a soft yellow used with off-white. Very nice!

Neutral Color Schemes are a more modern addition to cottage color schemes. We see all neutral palettes through out homes today. With varying shades of whites, browns, and even black.

These neutral color schemes are so easy to live with and may be just what you're looking for.

Soft Greens and Yellows

Soft greens and yellows are very popular in cottage decorating, as they are easy to live with and bring a fresh palette to your home.

This is a charming cottage table setting that shows a typical cottage look. So fun and easy to create!

Soft cozy shades for this living room make it a place you want to stay. Notice the buttery yellow couch and an olive shade of green on the walls.

Touches of soft red make for the perfect color combination. The picture at the top of this page also shows this great three color combination of yellows, reds, and greens.

Hopefully you now have a better idea how to use cottage colors in your home.

Remember this is just a sampling of what you can do. There is so much more, the possibilities are really endless. You may want to explore the meaning of colors. and see how color effects us all. Maybe you'd like to explore more ways to decorate with color.

Are you finished looking at Cottage Colors and want to know more about cottage styles? Then head on over to Cottage Style Decorating to get started. Or return from cottage colors and go to the home page.