Cozy Cottage Calm Whites: Capture the Look

As modern life grows more complicated and chaotic, the sweetness of cottage simplicity seems to grow richer. Where home is a retreat and a sanctuary, capturing cozy calm cottage vibes can even be an investment in healthcare to increase restfulness and renewal. But where to start if such a look is brand new? We’ll dig a bit deeper into paint colors, mood, moments and layers.

Cozy Calm Cottage Interiors: Calm Colors to Capture the Look

Before we deep dive into cozy calm cottage charm ideas, here’s a pro to know. I took her interior design course at Create Academy and found much design wisdom:

Find a Soothing Color Palette

Here’s a wonderful place to start when white feels like the right direction and you’re ready to sample a variety of whites for your walls…

I love SW Greek Villa. It is very close to the white I chose for the interiors in our Arizona home. The green undertones worked well in balancing that color given the Southern exposure.

Many people fear greyish off-whites will look dirty or dingy. Sample multiple shades to gather the data you need without overthinking the enterprise too much.

Is there a place in your home where you could introduce Inchyra Blue?

Need ideas for more blues?

The Most Versatile Whites

BM Simply White

This white seems to be particularly popular and finds itself at the top of the heap when it comes to designer-approved trusted whites.

I know I’m a broken record, but when you see samples of different whites in your space side by side, your eyes will be opened.

Some will appear cool and grey, others creamy and warm.

BM White Dove

Just because half of the white rooms on the internet are painted White Dove doesn’t mean you should avoid trying it.

There are important reasons White Dove has top shelf status.

After so many years as a paint color consultant, I have experience recognizing undertones, temperature, moods and even knowing which whites are best suited for a particular aged home.

For example, I like WHITE DOVE for older homes or for painting vintage furniture.

But for a space where you want to introduce a more light-reflective white that feels modern, fresh, and more contemporary (i.e. for a new build), I might suggest BM Chantilly Lace.

See more rooms with Chantilly Lace in THIS. We aren’t always in the know about the exact paint color a designer or homeowner used, and in plenty of high end designs, there’s no paint at all when the walls are plaster. The Giannettis often choose kal-kote plaster:

Creamy White Paint Color Ideas

W can make some educated guesses about colors to approximate the look of creamy plaster.

Here’s SW Alabaster in a new build French country style bedroom:

Farrow & Ball James White

While I’m not sure if the walls are plaster or painted, here’s a paint color idea to try…

The Stikwood wall paneling we installed in our former bedroom came with a white washed finish that wasn’t too cool, too grey, or too warm. Finding that sweet spot for your white takes a little sampling detective work.

Here’s another bedroom where we don’t know the wall color but can guess.

While I’m unsure of the wall color below, James White may impart a similar mood:

James White also reminds me of Sherwin-Williams Eider White. It is in our kitchen and laundry room here at the Georgian.

Eider White (above on board) has a bit of purple/magenta which can be flattering for many skin tones.

Sophisticated & Complex Gray Colors

Grey is not an outdated choice, no matter what the Google headlines suggest.

In my own home, greige colors feel timeless and anything but outdated. A soothing beige called Agreeable Gray strikes a balance between warm and cool while staying atmospheric.

If you look at the contrast with our white trim (above), you can clearly see how much warmer this tone is. The thing is, depending on your lighting contexts, the same gray will look different across situations.

What may be too cool in a given interior (in a particular geographical location) will feel balanced and just right in another.

It’s not something most folks think about when they’re viewing photo galleries online. Where is the home located? What is that room’s exposure? And what time of day was the photo snapped?

Don’t even get me started on post-photography edits!

Cottage Cozy Layers & Textures

You already know that especially for neutral interiors, patterns and texture becomes that much more important in the layering to create interest and character. Wallpaper can help, and it’s definitely gaining traction with folks lately. I spy a wallpaper favorite of mine: Schumacher Chenonceau BISQUE…

Not that designers have ever shied away from wallcoverings to add personality, movement, customization, and chic.

In our former home, adding a wallpapered statement wall to a bath we created made all the difference and gave me a jumping off point for other design decisions in the space.

I hope these inspiring moments help you see the diversity and endless design opportunities awaiting, and stay tuned for PART TWO.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Thanks for shopping RIGHT HERE to keep decor inspiration flowing on Hello Lovely!

Hello Lovely is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.