Because cottage style is all about re-cycling and re-purposing what you have, look around your kitchen and in your storage areas for "orphaned" kitchen and house-wares which can be put to use in your sunroom, on your deck or patio. An enamelware coffee pot that has lost its top looks adorable with a hanging plant. Pyrex casseroles make sweet bases for "dish garden".
Once you start playing with ideas, it is actually quite easy to find a great deal of objects which can be used as planters, flower boxes and outdoor decorative items. For example, old kettles, wood soda crates, old wash tubs, oversized ceramic bowls are all wonderful basins or containers for plants and flowers.
Source: This tip is from my forthcoming book, Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes (Collectorbooks.com). I am the author of Hot Kitchen and Home Collectibles of the 30's, 40's, 50's.
In response to the question where can you find my books....My first book Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s is available from Collectorbooks.com, Amazon and in all major bookstores and on-line sites. My new book, Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes will be out early Fall 08. You can take a peak at the cover of Hot Cottage by going to Collectorbooks.com and clicking on upcoming titles.
my whole house is cottage style furnished ala thrift and curbside finds and cast offs!!! i made a headboard with old painted shutters drped sheer floral swags over it with a garland of pinky and burgundy colored roses made candle sconces from ones i got for 50 cents a piece heavy scroll french style ones painted white and then distressed to let black through and hung some crystal drops i pile up old luggage suitcase trunks in the corner with a huge salvaged paint chippy mirror old porch posts become lamp bases and i repiant and repurpose everything i can i love old cups saucers and anything time worn or loved to its age!!! in my garden i use an old wooden ladder with potted plants stcked at varying heights i use old tall painted shutters to hang a plant from with a country prim welcome sign use shutters to hang on your porch and sit birhouses and baskets on i use old windows in decorating on the wall with a grapevine wreath with berries find old tabeles and chairs paint out white distress instant country dont you love all you can find that can be incorporated into a cottagey feeling for almost next to nothing i could go on forever!!!!
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