A cottage kitchen is warm, cozy, welcoming, and nostalgic. Modern cottage style is a trend that mixes traditional and farmhouse elements but gives them a slightly more romantic feel. You can emulate cottage style in a modern kitchen with everything from paint colors to lighting, wall paneling, shelving, appliances, cabinets, countertops, and decor.
Cottage kitchens can vary in style from more rustic to modern, incorporating traditional, farmhouse, and English- or French-country elements. The style works particularly well in small spaces, with plenty of natural wood, quaint touches, and cozy elements that make them especially inviting.
Check out these modern cottage kitchens for inspiration.
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01
of 25Hang Vintage Lace Curtains
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Rustic reclaimed wood window trim and a vintage lace curtain panel above the kitchen sink add elevated English country charm to this space from deVOL Kitchens. Wildflowers in patterned vintage china vases complete the look.
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02
of 25Use Reproduction Fixtures
Credit: Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photo by Julie Soefer
An apron sink finished with vintage-style brass plumbing fixtures gives this all-white space from Marie Flanigan Interiors a modern cottage feel. A vase of flowering branches adds the right note of decor.
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03
of 25Hang Floral Wallpaper
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Floral wallpaper will add charm to a cottage-style eat-in kitchen like this space from Jessica Nelson Design. Moody forest green wall paint and a farm table and chairs with clean lines give the space a more modern feel.
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04
of 25Hang a Copper Pot Rack
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Hang a brass rod to display a collection of copper pots and a wire basket over a vintage-style stove to give your kitchen a cottage look. Kate Marker Interiors paired white shiplap walls with natural wood cabinetry finished with vintage brass door pulls for a cozy feel.
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05
of 25Try a Vintage China Cabinet
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Give a thrift store china cabinet a DIY makeover and use it to display dishes, teapots, and more. Lobster and Swan painted it in the same olive green as kitchen cabinetry to complement dark wood flooring in this English country cottage kitchen.
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06
of 25Try a Vintage Dish Rack
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Add authenticity to a cottage kitchen with vintage or vintage-style decor. Ashley Montgomery Design hung a black metal dishrack on the wall that is both practical and decorative.
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07
of 25Add a French Butcher Block
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A French butcher block table in place of an island adds cottage charm to this bright space from Marie Flanigan Interiors. Choose butcher block countertops for a similar effect.
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08
of 25Bring the Garden Inside
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Decorate your kitchen with potted plants for a cottage look, like this space from deVOL Kitchens that turns the area around the sink into an indoor garden with terracotta pots filled with herbs and geraniums.
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09
of 25Expose Brick Walls
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Let original details like exposed brick set the tone in a modern cottage-style kitchen. Jessica Nelson Design exposed the brick over the stovetop on the chimney wall shared with the dining room fireplace on the other side, then added a shelf for displaying objects.
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10
of 25Exposed a Wood Ceiling
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Give your modern cottage kitchen an industrial edge with black metal pendant lights and darker finishes on countertops and cabinetry. Becca Interiors contrasted the look with white walls and hanging shelves that mimic the dramatic exposed ceiling.
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11
of 25Expose Stone Walls
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Mix a rustic exposed stone wall with colorful cabinetry and vintage furniture to create a cozy atmosphere, like this English fisherman’s cottage from deVOL Kitchens. Decorate with timeless details like vintage linens and taper candles for a romantic feel.
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12
of 25Pick Pastel Colors
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Use soft colors to bring a cottage feel to a modern kitchen. Michelle Berwick Design paired sage green upper and lower cabinetry with a soft multicolored patchwork tile backsplash and added painted wooden bar stools around the island to make the renovated space feel homey.
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13
of 25Use Mismatched Seating
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Use mismatched seating to create a cozy cottage-style breakfast nook. Kate Marker Interiors paired a teal corner banquette with wishbone chairs and extra wood stools for an effortless feel.
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14
of 25Channel English Country
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Pair soft neutral tones of gray, beige, and/or greige with traditional cabinetry and hardwood flooring to channel a modern English country-inspired cottage feel in a new build kitchen, like this space from Whittney Parkinson Design.
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15
of 25Add a Modern Coastal Feel
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Pair blue and white cabinetry and walls with wood floors and accents for a modern coastal cottage look. Michelle Berwick Design chose a checkered neutral pattern for the barstool seats and clad the range hood with shiplap to make the modern space a bit more rustic.
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16
of 25Include Romantic Touches
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Simple touches like a tasseled pendant lighting, layered tablecloths, and vintage furniture give this English beach cottage from deVOL Kitchens a romantic feel.
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17
of 25Display Everyday Items
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Display everyday items like china and vases with personal touches like framed prints and plenty of greenery for a cozy cottage feel. Lobster and Swan added hooks on the bottom of this reclaimed wood wall-hung shelf to display a collection of colorful dishtowels to bring home the cottage feel in this English country kitchen.
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18
of 25Add an Under-Sink Curtain
Credit: Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Reid Rolls
A vintage sink and an under-sink curtain that puddles on the hardwood floors creates a timeless vignette in a cottage kitchen. Leanne Ford Interiors finished the space with a white beadboard backsplash and a peg rail for hanging up vintage-style accessories like a copper strainer and a silver teapot.
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19
of 25Try a Tonal Palette
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Give a small cottage kitchen a big dose of personality with a tonal look on tile and cabinetry, like this space from deVOL Kitchens that is finished in shades of green and contrasted with rustic terracotta flooring.
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20
of 25Add French Country Notes
Credit: Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona
Give a modern cottage a dose of French country style with something as simple as a pair of cross-back wood dining chairs, like this eat-in space from blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona.
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21
of 25Add a Cozy Seating Area
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Skip the barstools and install a cozy seating area on the other side of your kitchen island decorated with vintage furniture and accents instead, like this space from deVOL Kitchens.
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22
of 25Use Rustic Materials
Credit: Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Amy Neunsinger
Take cottage style into rustic cabin territory with reclaimed wood cabinetry, dark countertops, rustic floor tile, and vintage-style fixtures, like this space from Leanne Ford Interiors.
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23
of 25Add a Scalloped Edge
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A hood range with a scalloped edge adds a note of softness to this Canadian cottage kitchen warmed up with coral paint and terracotta tile from Michelle Berwick Design.
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24
of 25Try an Open-Plan Layout
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Give a cottage kitchen a modern feel with an open-plan layout. Maite Granda decorated this coastal Florida cottage kitchen with Shaker cabinetry finished with molding and simple hardware.
Blue-and-white checkered dish towels tie in with the blue upholstery on wicker seating at the adjacent dining table to bring the cottage style to the modern coastal space.
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25
of 25Hang Open Shelving
Credit: Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Tessa Neustadt
Open shelving displaying dishware and kitchen items gives this all-white kitchen from Leanne Ford Interiors a laid back cottage feel.