Welcome to our English country cottage-style kitchen! This room is one of my favorite places in the house. For those of you who have expressed a love for the cottage style, this post shares ten different DIY projects that can help you create an English country cottage look in your kitchen. Let’s get started!
1. Covering the Stove Burners
Our stove sits in the corner of our kitchen where there is little counter space. The addition of a stove top cover in the cutting board style would not only look pretty, but it would expand our working counter space. More project ideas…
2. Installing Beadboard or Tongue-and-Groove Paneling
We added tongue-and-groove paneling below our kitchen cabinets and on the largest open wall. Installing beadboard or some type of paneling is a more involved project, but it is scalable. It’s affordable, classic, and gives that English country feel instantly. You can do as much or as little as you wish depending on your specific kitchen layout. Not only did this paneling add depth and character to the kitchen and unify it design-wise, but it also provided the ideal backdrop for… hanging an antique blue & white plate/platter wall!
3. Hanging a Plate Wall
Hunting down antique blue & white English plates and platters is a delight of mine… And for birthdays, Christmas, or special occasions, one just might show up. To create this gallery display, we began with the largest, most eye-catching platter in the center and an equally large one centered just beneath. Starting with the two largest platters in the center helped to ground the collection and give a bit of symmetry. Then we just built out from there.
“When you hang up your plates, you display personality.”
We both loved how this turned out so much that, at Matt’s suggestion, we hung a blue transferware plate & platter wall in our new kitchen!
4. Sewing Bar Stool or Dining Chair Slipcovers
Slipcovers soften the space and are so forgiving, especially in a busy kitchen. This project can be as involved or as simple as you wish. If you can sew, this gives you nearly endless options in color and pattern to customize your kitchen. If you cannot sew, then you can either hire this project to be done, or you can find ready-made slipcovers. Slipcovers invite you to sit, stay, and spill, without fear.
5. Painting the Cabinets
This project was the biggest, but it made the biggest impact. Our cabinets were solid wood but dark and dated. We gave them fresh, new life with a creamy off-white paint on the upper cabinets and a rich, grassy green on the lower cabinets. As a result, the whole space feels personalized and lighter.
6. Installing Corbels
Sometimes the smallest things carry the biggest punch. This is the case with the wooden corbels we added to the underside of our upper cabinets and beneath the quartz countertop. The corbels weren’t in the original plan, but were added on after the cabinets were painted. You can find similar corbels to these at your local hardware store, or these wooden corbels from Amazon.
Corbels are those small architectural touches that do feel so ‘cottage’, but also create a handcrafted feeling to your cabinetry that instantly elevates the kitchen. Paint or stain these inexpensive unfinished wood corbels to match your cabinetry, and they’ll look like they’ve always belonged. We loved the look so much that we included these same corbels in our Butler’s pantry makeover.
7. Swapping Out Hardware
This simple DIY project was also a simple change, but gave quite a boost to the polish and finished feeling in the kitchen. The unlacquered brass cup pulls were handmade from a shop on Etsy & I love them!
8. Sewing Curtains
With all the hard surfaces in the kitchen, adding fabrics to soften the edges is a great idea to create a homey, welcoming feeling. If you can sew, the options afforded you in pattern and color are nearly endless. If you cannot sew, then you can either hire a seamstress to sew them for you, or you can find some ready-made. Whichever route you choose, adding the softness of curtains to your window will undoubtedly add your personality to the kitchen.
9. Adding a Skirt to the Sink
This is another way to add softness and personality to your kitchen. There is also just something country and relaxing about a sink skirt. They are whimsical and practical at the same time. Also, adding a fabric panel under a sink or countertop is much more cost-effective than cabinetry. Sink skirts are both humble and heartwarming; they do the job and look darling doing it!
10. Creating a Tea & Coffee Station
This is always fun, and several different renditions have appeared in our kitchen over the years. To corral the tea tins, sugar bowl, spoons, etc. I use a vintage brass tray found at an antique shop. This tray not only provides order, but it looks beautiful! The tea/coffee station usually holds a thrifted lamp, vintage (thrifted) tea tins filled with different flavors of tea, a vintage ceramic sugar bowl, and real silver dessert spoons. Having a setup like this with everything on hand makes tea time so easy and special!
If you’re dreaming of a cozy kitchen without breaking the bank, I hope these ideas gave you some inspiration and a fresh vision to see new potential in your kitchen. Tell me what’s on your kitchen DIY list!
Warmly,
Rachel
