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Slipcover Care

Before purchasing a slipcover, check its care instructions. Cotton covers usually are washable, while covers made from linen and other natural fibers may require dry cleaning to prevent shrinkage. If you have children or pets, cotton slipcovers may be more practical and economical.

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  • Capturing Cottage Style

    It’s inviting, it’s relaxed, it’s versatile—no wonder cottage style continues to be the home décor style of choice for many people.

    by Romy Schafer

    “Everybody loves cottage style,” says Holly Blalock, creative director for C.R. Laine Furniture Co. “It’s popular because it’s cozy and comfortable. And it evolves over the years, as you add and subtract pieces.”

    Cottage style can transform a bland family room into a colorful gathering place, or an uninspired bedroom into an eclectic seaside retreat. It’s just a matter of choosing the right colors, fabrics and furnishings. Here’s a primer to help you get started on your cottage style room makeover.

     

    Fabrics

    Layers of cotton, linen and other natural-fiber fabrics give cottage style its distinctive look. It’s okay to mix patterns—stripes, checks, dots and florals—as long as the colors are in the same or complementary color palettes.

    Nautical and beach prints, stripes, dots and cotton duck slipcovers are ideal for creating a beach cottage look, while toiles, damasks and antique floral prints exude traditional English and French cottage charm. Natural shades paired with small amounts of checks, stripes or florals give Scandinavian cottage its light, airy aesthetic.

     

    Slipcovers

    “Slipcovers definitely partner well with all kinds of cottage style,” says Blalock. “They’re relaxed and have a loosely tailored look that’s cozy.”

    Slipcovers are also an affordable way to incorporate existing upholstery pieces into your cottage style room, provided they’re fairly clean-lined style and not overly large or bulky. In addition, slipcovers can be changed seasonally or as the style of your room evolves. And if you have children or pets, washable slipcovers are ideal.

     

    Style Elements

    Turned legs, scalloped aprons, raised-panel doors, louvers and decorative carvings are some of the style elements common to cottage-style tables, chairs, armoires and other wooden case pieces. The overall look, however, is clean and sturdy, a direction in which cottage style is moving.

    “There’s a dramatic difference between today’s and yesterday’s cottage style,” says clothing designer Alexander Julian, who recently partnered with Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co. to introduce a line of adult and children’s bedroom furniture called Cottage Colours. “If you put them side by side, you can see that easily. It’s cleaner. It’s lighter. It’s got more articulation in it. It’s added onto and pared down at the same time.”

    John Lockler, vice president of sales at Trade Winds Furniture, a maker of coastal and cottage furniture, agrees: “Ten years ago, when we got into this business, it was all about the carving and the distressing that accents it. Now we’ve gone toward straighter lines with softer curves.”

     

    The Finish Line

    When it comes to furniture finishes, nothing says cottage like a hand-painted, distressed white finish. “It’s still our best-selling color,” Lockler notes.

    But pastels—yellows, aquas, blues and greens—are also important cottage colors, especially for creating a beach cottage look. Introducing a wood finish like cherry or pine into your cottage design will help give your room that eclectic feel for which cottage style is known.

     

    Fuss-Free Flooring

    Not surprisingly, bare wood floors and area rugs are the perfect flooring options for a cottage style setting, so pull up that carpeting that you installed to hide your less-than-perfect wood floors. If your floors are too worn for your taste and new wood flooring isn’t an option, consider painting them.