Imagine it: you come upon a small, sturdy cottage in the forest with a thatched roof and a curl of smoke rising through the air; you enter to see a cozy little kitchen with matching multi-hued blue trim, slat walls, and smooth cabinets with an adorable mix of bin pulls and filigreed hardware. *sigh*

Living in the forest in a small cottage may not be practical these days, but Cottage Revival is REAL in modern kitchens, and easier to achieve than you think; it all hinges on the mood you create. Check out our four best ways to get the cottage look and feel into your kitchen.

Cozy up with new paint

Cottages are known for having matching cabinets and trim, with the walls painted a different shade. Try having your kitchen cabinets refinished in a deep eggshell blue, then paint the walls one to two shades lighter. White walls also get the job done. Other great colors include duck green, dove grey, and mustard yellow.

Pro tip: Work with your Kitchen FX pro designer to come up with the perfect color for refinishing your cabinets and matching it other hues for the walls.

Backdate your backsplash

It seems strange to think of getting rid of your beloved modern backsplash, but going back in time with a horizontal wood panel wall or beadboard backsplash will whisk you back to the cottage in the forest in no time. Matched with the right cabinet facing, your kitchen will shout—or rather calmly whisper—“cozy” in no time.

Pro tip: Talk to your designer at Kitchen FX about your plans, and why you’re refinishing or refacing your cabinets. Our designers have decades of experience in kitchen remodeling and can help you decide which backsplash will look best with your cabinets.

Embrace simple lines

Ornate cabinets aren’t common in a cottage kitchen. If you want the truly “cottage” look and feel, a kitchen cabinet refacing project might be just what you need to bring it all together. Shaker cabinets, cottage cabinets, and other simple cabinet facings with clean, understated lines evoke the cottage feel and allow your design, rather than your cabinets to do the talking.

Pro tip: Show your Kitchen FX designer pictures of what you’re hoping to accomplish. We can help you make the right pairings for backsplash, paint, and your cabinets so that you love your cottage kitchen for years to come.

Pretty up with patina

Cottage kitchens get part of their charm from their worn look. Rely on antiqued bin pulls, distressed cabinet corners or surfaces, and other design features to give your brand new kitchen the well-loved, lived-in look that makes woodland cottages the setting for the best fairytales.

Pro tip: Talk to your Kitchen FX designer about your options for distressing your cabinets during the refacing or refinishing process. We will talk you through every step of what you’re trying to accomplish, how it will look, and whether it will hold up to years of use.

The cozy mood of your new kitchen cottage could be just a refinish and a few cabinet pulls away. There’s no better time than the present to plan your “old” kitchen.