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How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

Bring this chic, laid-back vibe into your home and feel like you’re on vacation all year long! Design expert Samantha Pynn shows us how to pull off the new country look with modern style
How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

Cottage-country style

There’s something about cottage-country style—the casual look of mismatched furniture, low-maintenance finishes and happy patterns—that makes you instantly relax and feel at home. But for the young family living in this retro house, the dated kitchen and honey-pine walls were far from charming. I worked with my team of experts to transform the dark and woody home into a bright summery getaway. All it took was some paint, new floors, vibrant textiles and, well, a little more paint.
Choose nature-inspired accent colours Bring the outdoors in with an applegreen sofa, warm wicker armchairs and piles of pillows in shades of fern. And nothing shows off these soft, organic hues — and says classic cottage — like white painted panelling.
Get this look: Wall paint, snowfall, Para Paints. Flooring, Ponderosa Pine in Natural, Carpet One. Pillow fabric in Heirloom, Cobistyle. Sofa fabric, Robert Allen.

Meet our expert: Samantha Pynn is the designer and host of Summer Home on HGTV Canada, Mondays at 8 p.m. EST.

cottage-country style, nature-inspired furniture, casual home decor

Don’t renovate — refresh!

A gut job often isn’t necessary. We found the kitchen’s original lower cabinets married easily with butcher block counters and new glass-front upper cabinets. Adding an apartment-sized stainless steel fridge and stove modernizes the space without interfering with the original footprint. And an intensely coloured backsplash adds pizzazz. Tip: Opt for open shelves to turn your storage into a pretty kitchenware display.

How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

Stick to one type of flooring throughout A consistent floor from room to room creates a less-cluttered, seamless flow, which makes the space feel much bigger. Pine floors in this home add warmth and rustic charm. Plus, you only need a broom to clean up sand from the beach (or grit from the city).

Get this look: Counter accessories, Breville. Shelving, Ikea. Appliances, GEAppliances. Cabinet hardware, Lee Valley Tools. Counter top, Belanger Laminates. Backsplash, Subway tile in Q098, Carpet One. Akurum Cabinets, Bredskar sink, Ringskar faucet, Ikea. Lights and drapery rods, Rejuvenation.

kitchen design, kitchen butcher block counters, kitchen cabinets, stainless steel fridge and stove

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Paint everything!

From walls to cupboards, chairs to chandeliers, a lick of paint will modernize and unify a yard sale’s worth of cast-offs. Here, a coat of white paint on a chunky wooden table and heavy iron chandelier gives the dining area a clean and spacious look. Tip: Snip ferns from the garden for a simple yet stunning display.
Note: The pale green paint on the chairs is a thread that connects the two rooms (the kitchen backsplash seen on the previous page).
Get this look: Dining chairs, Calder's Antiques. Chair paint, Fresh Artichoke, Para Paints.

white wooden table, dining room with chandelier, green chairs

Frame a map of your favourite getaway

Create a cottagey entranceway by accessorizing a store-bought console with items that have a country feel. DIY artwork perfectly complements treasures like pitchers, bottles, sailboats or an old-school fan.

Get this look: Wall paint, Snowfall, Para Paints. Flooring, Ponderosa Pine in Natural, Carpet One.
Get more inspiration at HGTV.ca/summerhome.

cottage country style, map art, art display of pitchers, bottles and sailboat

How to get the look

1. Make it pop with paint. Hustle, Para Paints.

How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

2. Show off your fleet. Gluckstein Home regatta sailboats, $10 - $15, Home Outfitters.

How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

3. Toss in a touch of the tropics. Paisley embroidered pillow, $45, Pier 1 Imports.

How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

4. Perfect for field-fresh daisies or pink lemonade. Bistro pitcher, $5, President's Choice.

How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

5. A classic table gets a colourful update and adds punch to a neutral room. Table in green, $300, Canfloyd, 1-800-263-3551.

How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

6. Corral anything in wicker. Steven & Chris hyacinth baskets, $160/2, Canfloyd, 1-800-263-3551.

How to fake a cottage: Decorating ideas from Samantha Pynn

7. Glam up a harvest table. Vivian chandelier with shades, Crate&Barrel.

piasley embroidered pillow from Pier 1, President's Choice bistro pitcher, Cobistyle bamboo table, Hyacinth wicker baskets, Vivian chandelier, Gluckstein Home regatta sailboats

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