Incorporating Cottage Paint Colors Throughout My House

If you’ve been a fan of Pennies for a Fortune for some time now, you know that cottage-style decor is one of my favorites. I can’t get enough of the soft, feminine, and cozy features mixed with balanced masculine tones. If you feel the same way, you’re in for a treat.  

I shared ways to bring the cottage chic style to your home a few blogs ago. And while I shared some great ideas there, I want to hone in on one particular element of the cottage theme: color. Contrary to popular belief, your cottage-style home doesn’t have to be the same soft beige throughout. You can have so much fun with a cottage color scheme! 

Take my home, for example. When choosing our cottage paint colors, I wanted warm, neutral colors for an inviting atmosphere. But I also wanted to make sure each room had its own energy. Because I needed each room to serve a unique purpose and have a unique feel, I handpicked different colors to achieve that goal while staying within the cottage color scheme.  

If you’re struggling to find the right cottage colors for your home, read on! I’ll tell you the colors I chose, the different high end paint brands I used, and how you can put a spin on your cottage color scheme! 

Choosing the Right Color Scheme 

When choosing the right color scheme, start by envisioning the final product. How do you want your home to feel? Which colors have you always wanted to see on your walls? If you’re unsure, get some inspiration from Pinterest to find out what you might like.  

After you’ve jotted some ideas down, look at the existing furniture throughout your home. Focus on the major pieces of furniture that’ll attract the eye. Unless you plan on getting new furniture, work around your furniture colors in your overall color scheme as you choose paint for each space.  

If you’re working with loud colors, look for soft, complementary cottage colors to calm their appearance on the eyes. If there are colors you’d love to make the focus of the room, see what accents you can add to your home trim work to make them pop even more! While cottage colors are typically warm neutral colors, you can always find soft and warm reds, blues, or greens that’ll work too. It’s all about finding balance. 

Here are some of my favorite colors and interior paint finishes throughout my home:  

• The primary paint color in my house is Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams, painted in a matte sheen. The whole house trim color is Extra White by Sherwin-Williams in semi-gloss. Catch a glimpse of it here! 
• My dining room is Motor City by Clare Paint in satin, while the trim is Extra White by Sherwin-Williams. 
• The laundry room is Providence Blue by Benjamin Moore in semi-gloss, and the trim is the same color.

Incorporating different paint colors throughout my home has created the warm and welcoming vibe that I’ve been looking for! Check out my downloadable Complete Guide to Every Paint Color in My Home for a closer look at the different colors that I chose to use.

See how there are some neutral whites but also splashes of red, blue, and even pink? Don’t be afraid to add color in there! You’ll see further down that I even did an all-black in one room! 

(Note: if you’re unsure which interior paint finishes to use, check out your local home store to find out what they recommend for each room.)

Identifying the Right Brand for Cottage Paint Colors 

If this is the first time you’ve ever taken on a DIY paint job, here’s a quick heads-up. While the extra dollars you might save on low-cost paint brands might seem worth it, you may regret it in the long run. 

With lesser-known and often cheaper brands, you may need double the paint to complete the job and the paint may not hold up over the years. 

Cottage paint colors look best with a smooth, soothing, rich feel. So once you’ve chosen your paint palette color, be picky when identifying the right brand to bring those colors to life. While high end paint brands may cost a bit more, you’ll get more for your money with excellent quality and durability, especially in high-traffic areas like hallways, kids’ rooms, and playrooms. 

Some of my time-tested and favorite paint brands include:

• Clare
• Sherwin-Williams
• Benjamin Moore
• Farrow & Ball

So which interior paint finishes did I go with throughout my home? Download my Complete Guide to Every Paint Color in My Home to find out! 

Testing Paint Samples 

If you’re anything like me, once you’ve picked your paint color scheme and walked into the paint section of a home improvement store, you’ll fall in love with about 20 different colors on the spot. But it’s so important to take a deep breath and start your process of elimination. You’ll want to test out your paints, but save yourself the headache and remind yourself that you won’t be able to test them ALL out. My suggestion? Take as much time as you need, but narrow your sample picking to 3-5 colors.  

Once you’ve got those down, you can test your paint samples in many ways. One of the easiest ways is by putting it straight on your wall when you get home. Find an area you don’t mind getting messy and lay them out side by side! Another way? Try a peel-and-stick paint sample from Home Depot. You can paint your color onto a transparent sheet and stick it on your wall. This way, you’re not committing to anything because you won’t have to paint directly on your wall, and you can move it around to different rooms and next to other colors to get a more accurate picture of what it might look like.  

For our banquette area, while I landed on a Deep Reddish Brown by Farrow & Ball in high gloss, I took the old-school testing route to get there!  

My final tip with testing paint samples is to avoid making final decisions the same day. Leave the paint colors up for a few days (maybe even a week) and see how they look after they dry and at different hours of the day. If you still like it in all different lighting and after you’ve had time to decide, you’re ready to buy the big gallons!

The Inside Look Into My Whole House Design

If you’re feeling inspired by all the cottage paint colors, be sure to check out the design process for every room in the posts below!

• Dining room
• Office
• Playroom
• Zaki’s Room
• Eesa’s room
• Media room
• Laundry room
• Guest room
• Primary bedroom

Now that you’ve taken a closer look at my home, I hope you’ve thought of some unique ways to bring color into your cottage-style home. 

Don’t Let Cottage Paint Colors Constrict You! 

Incorporating cottage paint colors shouldn’t leave you feeling paralyzed. There are so many versions of warm neutral colors that can still bring about the cottage theme you’re looking for without cutting out the things you love.

Choosing the right color scheme with the right interior paint finishes and finding a quality paint brand allows you to create a unique cottage theme that makes your house feel like a home.    

Are you tackling a DIY paint project? Make sure to check out my website and download the Complete Guide to Every Paint Color in My Home for more interior painting inspiration!