You don't have to be tucked away on a mountain or nestled next to a lake to make your home feel like a welcoming cottage. Cottage style decor is very homey and inviting. It exudes family life and being together. In this style everything and anything goes as long as it represents you and your family.

Color - Light and Bright! - There are many colors and patterns associated with cottage style design. In order to keep your space from feeling too chaotic it is always good to come up with a small selected color palette of only a few colors. For example, pink and green, green and cream, red and white are all great combinations. You can use these color palettes in everything from your stripes and floral to your walls and dishtowels. Use your location to get inspiration for your color palette. If you are near a lake or ocean choose beach colors like blues and beiges with lots of white. Patriotic color themes also work well with these comfortable, family inspired homes.

Furniture - Reuse, Recycle, Restore! - Furniture for this style can be found in flea markets and thrift stores. Anything found or inherited can be refinished to fit in with your theme. You do not want everything in this style of decor to match. A great way to add character to this space will be to use pieces of furniture that have other intended uses. For example, use a bench as a coffee table or turn an old kitchen table into a desk or vise versa. Another great way to incorporate old wood scraps lying around would be to use a section of an old fence or an old wooden door as a headboard. The reusing and refinishing is very Shabby Chic and will help to add to your cottage decor.

Fabrics and Textures - Mix and Match! - Cottage style homes are very comfortable and inviting so you should portray this in your window treatments. The window treatments should be sheer, light, and airy. Let as much natural light in as possible. Heavy, opaque window treatments might give your space a smothering feeling. The fabrics for your upholstered furniture should be a mix of patterned and single color pieces. Combining prints likes floral, plaids, and stripes throughout your home will give you a cottage feel. If you are only doing one room as a cottage theme do not combine over two patterns. For example, go with floral and stripes, and if you have more pieces than two choose a fabric that is a single complimenting color. Mixing patterns is wonderful, but use your own judgment.

Accessories - Anything Family! - When accessorizing your cottage style home you will want to keep your family in mind. Fill every corner and tabletop with old family photos dating generations back. Have your grandmother's old hat hanging on the wall, along with charming plates and old musical instruments tucked in a corner. You want a charming antique feel for this space so if you feel you do not have enough family heirlooms handy. You can always run out to an antique shop of local flea market and stumble across treasure.

Decorating a home cottage style is all about you and your family. Always make sure your space is warm and inviting. Keeping the above elements in mind is sure to start you off on the right foot.