Cute, Cook-Friendly Cottage Kitchens

I drool over cottage kitchens, but then, my husband does most of the cooking. (I cooked for the first 25 years, so it seemed only fair that he cook for the next 25.) Naturally, his response to cottage kitchens is distinctly different from mine. Where I drool, he spits.

So how can a cottage dweller who loves to cook work within the limitations of a cottage kitchen? Here are some examples of kitchens that have risen to the challenge — in terms of both looks and function.

Cottage kitchens have several ingredients in common. On the downside, they often have limited — even nonexistent — cupboard space. Many times there is no dishwasher (which also seems to be true of most vintage California bungalows). And counter space is in short supply.

On the upside, they make up in charm what they lack in utility. Simply put, they can be drop-dead cute.


I remember watching my grandfather chop wood and carry it into the kitchen for Grandma’s old wood-burning stove. She had absolutely zero problem producing mouthwatering concoctions of every kind on that low-tech appliance. But following generations seem to have lost that skill. (And we call that progress?)

My husband would probably approve of this not-quite-as-vintage range.


I mean, really, what more do you need than a bottle of wine, a couple of lemons and some parsnips? (I am visualizing these delicious roots sautéed in butter and a dash of lemon and drizzled with maple syrup. Yum.)


It’s not that it’s impossible to bring contemporary sensibilities to a cottage kitchen. Soapstone counters, a custom island and a built-in storage wall bring this kitchen into the 21st century without losing any charm. And the espresso maker is the crowning glory.


Here again modernization has been successfully accomplished without any loss of important character. The look is enhanced by a farm table that appears as if it could be original to the home.


Even I think that a range hood is critical to a kitchen. Grease all over everything is not my idea of a good time. This spectacularly appropriate and very high-end hood, custom made by Archive Designs, totally fits the aesthetic of a cottage kitchen.

Something similar could probably be created by covering a standard hood in wood or drywall, if one was a bit clever.


If you already have a cottage, lucky you. But if you don’t and you hunger for a cottage-style kitchen, here are the necessary design elements:

Open shelving, which optimally would display vintage bowls or kitchenware.


A porcelain sink — chips totally OK — preferably in a farmhouse style.


Distressed wood floors are such a great match that their inclusion almost goes without saying,


White painted cabinets are de rigueur, as is simple, basic hardware. Your accessories should be colorful, whimsical and personal.


Copper pans hung for all the world to see are also a plus.


Finally, no cottage kitchen is complete without a vintage farm table — or at least one made to look so.

Once you have those elements, you can add all the high-end 21st-century appliances you can fit in the space. And then you can really cook!

More: 8 Benefits of Cottage Living

URL: Cute, Cook-Friendly Cottage Kitchens http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-24224.html