Cottage Style

Top Ideabooks

Appears in

Decorating Guides → Decorating Styles

Decorating Guides

Top Ideabooks

See also

Art Accessories Budget Decorating Color Decorating 101 Decorating Styles DIY Projects Entertaining Furniture Green Decorating Working With an Interior Designer Holidays Houseplants Lighting Pattern Organizing Room of the Day Small Spaces Tastemakers Wall Treatments

Decorating a Cottage? Think Flea Market Style

Hit up swap meets and junk shops for furniture that’s comfortable, beautiful and full of stories

Becky Dietrich June 28, 2014

Comment35

Click "Embed" to display an article on your own website or blog.

What do flea markets, thrift stores and antiques shops have in common? You are likely to find the most fabulous stuff buried under piles of blankets or sitting in a dark corner. This is the kind of stuff that brings story and humor and a bit of quirkiness to your interior — and that’s just the kind of decor a cottage loves.

Eclectic Living Room Eclectic Living Room

If your decorating bent is toward old handmade rugs and quilts, chairs with messy slipcovers and a personal array of accessories, flea market style is just right for you and your cottage.

Julie Ranee Photography

Vintage pieces are often painted — sometimes with multiple coats of peeling and distressed paint. These kinds of furnishings tell the same story as the cottage itself. Age is good, and a little wear and tear not only are to be expected but are desirable. (Keep peeling paint away from toddlers, though, as it could contain lead.)

Justine Hand

Look what this whimsical cupboard brings to this space, and imagine what the space would lose if it weren’t there. Note, too, that the scale of the older linen-covered chairs is just right. And even though the table is long, its profile is not in any way bulky — helpful when you’re dealing with small spaces.

Dreamy Whites

Long, narrow farm tables are so appropriate for cottage living. Whether used for dining or doing a project or homework, their skinny dimensions and family-friendly finish make them a key ingredient in flea market style and a multipurpose tool. They are also readily available — either vintage or created from old wood.

Cottage Industry

Vintage furniture (or, in this case, reproduction vintage furniture) tends to be smaller than its contemporary counterparts, which makes it perfect for decorating your cottage. In spaces where every inch counts, smaller is definitely better.

Farmhouse Living Room Traditional Living Room

The old benches that are common at flea markets also totally work for a cottage. Like the farm table, they are long and narrow, and adapt readily to many uses. From beings the consummate cottage coffee table to providing extra seating, to allowing dining in front of the TV, the bench answers the call.

My Romantic Home

Flea market wicker, whether used inside or out …

CBRD

… speaks cottage fluently, with its open weave, cozy feel and whimsical style.

Mixing is inherent to the success of flea market decorating, and cottages totally embrace that. The varied chairs pulled up to this drop-leaf table are utterly charming, as is the mix of wood and caned pieces in the living area. Drop-leaf tables are, by the way, another great friend in decorating a cottage.

Bill Mathews Photographer, Inc

Some of my favorite ingredients of flea market style are the mixed textiles …

… the frumpy, comfy, “come sit on me” upholstery …

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

… and the quirky pieces that abound with personality and function. In what new-furniture store would you find a piece like this sink?

Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books

Or this enchantingly fanciful coffee table?

Corynne Pless

Or this welcoming painted bench? Flea market style and cottages are a match made in design heaven.

More:
Cottages: The Comfort Food of Architecture
8 Benefits of Cottage Living
Modern Alternatives to Cottage Decor

Comment35

Sponsored

Eco-solvent Canvas Print Prada Marfa Fashion Wall Artwork Art

$70

Grey Skies Throw Pillow

$58

Cheyenne Framed Round Mirror, Black

$207

Machine Made Jizah Rug, Blue, 8'x10'

$353

Fogless, Dimmable, Color Temperature Adjustable LED Mirror, 48x36

$642

Herringbone Coir Boot Scraper Brush

$23

Comments (35)

See 32 more comments

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

Eight Mile Vintage on Etsy

Love the look, especially the displays of vintage kitchenware!

1 Like July 3, 2014 at 4:32AM

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

oldschoolgrammy

Thank you for including my 'cabin/ hideout'. I use it mostly for quiet reading or sleepovers with the grandchildren. It's my special place to dream or relax [.Made from a storage grainery]

Like July 14, 2014 at 9:07PM

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

Patricia Dowd

I agree with emcnulty - a coat of polyurethane on those pieces with worn away or peeling paint assures safety with both children (yours or visitors) and pets. It's a no brainer!
PS Another great Dietrich article!

Like July 16, 2014 at 4:42PM