Color, pattern and flexibility make this an easy look to achieve.
Cottage doesn’t rise or fall on a consistent color scheme, or require orthodoxy on surfaces or overall style. Its strength is its ability to be a little bit of this and that and still work visually. That means colorful stripes [top] in a kitchen sink skirt can work in close proximity with a similar rug. No matching required.
The informality of stripes, and the number of different colors, present so many options for picking out one or two to use as accents. And unlike slicker styles which emphasize stone, wood or tile, cottage can be very dependent on fabric, particularly fabric table coverings which add tons of charm.
Red and white stripes – here accomplished by a red chevron pattern – is a default, mid-20th century cottage look whether the fabric is cotton or French linen. And in this Swedish style cottage set up, stripes mix happily with gingham, a floral print, a different stripe-style rug, and painted furniture, too. Which helps explain why cottage lives on and on.
