How to turn this 90’s kitchen into cottage core?

last year

This kitchen is being taken out of a house and being installed in another house. The couple would like their newly purchased house to have a cottage feel but this “new” kitchen, with its very nice custom cabinets and granite countertops don’t exactly fit that description. Budget is limited but will be putting new flooring and backsplash in.

Featured Answer

Kendrah

last year

I had to look up cottage core too. It seems like most early 1990s kitchens in Country Living Magazine. These cabinets totally fit the description and will be fine. A few thoughts:

- Instead of granite on island, use butcher block. It's an inexpensive countertop to use and will help to give the kitchen an immediate feeling of country core when you walk in.

- Paint the walls buttery yellow, dusty pink, or sage. That all sounds awful to me but there are plenty of cottage core pics with wood cabinets in this tone and those colors.

- Hang an open shelf somewhere or put hooks that they can hang mugs or copper pots on.

- Use print fabric somewhere - chairs, table cloth, curtains.

- You could take two doors off of the upper cabinets - one on each end, and they can have open shelves to store stuff in mason jars.

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Comments (6)

PRO
beesneeds
last year
last modified: last year
Heh, I had to go look up cottage core. Learn something new every day. Looks like a lot of wood floors with a little tile. Mostly simple cabinet faces in pale colors to creamy whites- but not so much on the stark whites. Often a mix of open shelving and cabinets. A lot of white or pale countertops with little to no movement, or wood/wood look countertops.

What has the new couple offered by way of their likes or color preferences?
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debraminter
Original Author
last year
Great ideas! Thank you
PRO
lisedv
last year
For the Cottagecore Style, I would paint the cabinets with white walls such as illustrated below. A glossy white subway tile would work perfectly for the backsplash.
Theresa Peterson
last year
last modified: last year
I'd paint the cabinets a pale color -- sage green, Robin's egg blue, or butter yellow. Butcher block countertops would look wonderful, but I question their longevity, so I'd probably go with a simple white Corian.

If the cabinets won't go to the ceiling in the new space, add baskets up top (for extra storage and to close the gap).

White walls.

Soft floral curtain for the window.

White appliances.
herbflavor
last year
do you know the size of space ...lots of wall cabinets filling up wall areas isnt a great cottage look. If they can live without a few of the wall cabinets I would work on that. if there is a spot to re use some of the wall cabs elsewhere.......they can go on a lower area w furniture feet for storage almost anywhere.

these are very much transitional cabs but the space has a nice cozy cottage feel. Notice some wall areas left open. I would not paint the maple cabs if they are good cabinets still in great shape. Can they afford a hood instead of microwave ? that would be money Id spend.

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