There is a lovely new style of decorating, called cottage style decorating which is actually not new at all. Many people have rediscovered how lovely the look of simple old fashioned cottages are and the style has come back into vogue. If you like a simple and easy decorating style, this is for you. Especially for small homes, or homes with children, cottage style decorating is ideal. A little scratch or dent that an active child might make will not have a big impact on the decorating style.

Families and busy people love cottage style decorating because it is so forgiving. The "used" look of the furniture makes it easy to just sit and relax without worrying about the furniture, as you might with a more formal style. Children can play, adults can relax and put up their feet, all with no worries.

In days gone by, a cottage was the servants? quarters, or perhaps a separate building to house occasional guests. The cottage may have been furnished with a wide assortment of styles, leftovers from the main house that were the wrong style or showed signs of wear and tear. Therefore, a few scratches are not only accepted, but welcome in this look. The style can certainly be called eclectic, because different decorating styles and eras may be represented, even in one room.

This relaxed eclectic look has now been formalized in its own style called cottage style decorating. Since you can mix and match as you please, antiques and odds and ends furniture fit perfectly and you can put almost any style into a home decorated like this. An antique furniture piece, that was perhaps not as well cared for as it should have been, makes a perfect addition to the cottage style home.

Since anything goes in this style of decorating, you can really save a lot of money because you don't have to look for top quality in perfect condition. As a matter of fact, some new furniture has been scratched and dented to be made to look old and beat up! But you can get great bargains at flea markets and estate sales and these items will still look in style long after a new expensive decorating trend has gone out of style.

Another cost saving advantage of this style is that fabrics also do not have to match. You can buy remnants and odd pieces instead of paying full price for a bolt of fabric. And since the look of cottage style is already a bit busy because of different styles and patterns, you don't want to have too many accent pieces placed around the room, so you save money on these items as well.

Cottage style decorating has passed the test of time and is now even considered an interior decorating style by the professionals. But many ordinary families did not need the interior decorating profession to tell them that this style is ideal, and homes all across the country have incorporated this comfortable, easy to live with and inexpensive style into their decor.