Escape From the Modern World With Cottagecore

Are you tired of minimalism? Of all-white kitchens, and nothing but neutrals in your home? Take a look at cottagecore, the style trend that sweeps all that away to fill your home with antiques, soft materials, and cozy, vintage décor inspired by nature.

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What It Is

Celebrating an idealized version of rural domestic life and the agrarian days of the past, cottagecore is an aesthetic that embraces a return to simpler times. Picture a cozy stone cottage in the English countryside covered in ivy and flowering vines.

Inside, a cottagecore home is filled with vintage items that are a little worn around the edges. Lampshades with pom-poms, handwritten letters, soft materials, nature-inspired artwork, chalk-painted furniture, and wallpaper are all elements you could find in a cottagecore home.

The trend has been around for a few years but really took off in 2020, as cottagecore communities formed on social media outlets. Soon the internet was flooded with cute photo shoots of people in straw hats and prairie skirts, picnicking in open fields or clearings in the woods. Those romanticized photos quickly became a home décor trend, which makes sense: This is an escapist aesthetic, viewing the past and life in a little cottage in the woods through rose-colored glasses. When you’re sheltering in place, escapism — from your screens, your family, your blur of work and life, or simply your own four walls — is just what you need.

Want more of this style? Check out the thriving #cottagecore community on Tumblr.

How to Get It

Tuck some wildflowers behind your ear, put on your overalls, and get ready to hit the flea markets, antique shops, and thrift stores.

Colors

Neutrals

Pale pastels

Earth tones: browns, greens, mauves and deep reds

Muted jewel tones

Patterns: chintz, gingham, calico, plaid, nature-inspired

Materials

From nature: wool, cotton, linen, raw silk, wood, shell, stone, clay, straw

Lace, eyelet

Brocade

Velvet

Faux leather

Handmade paper

China and porcelain

Very little in a cottagecore home is mass-produced. Many items are handmade, thrifted, or are vintage designs that have been passed down or purchased.

Décor

Plants and flowers

Baskets

Chalk paint

Animal-shaped and -inspired objects and art

Frills, ruffles, tiers, ribbons

Art representing nature, landscapes, animals

Antiques and vintage or vintage-inspired furnishings

Outdoors

Large outdoor spaces

Herb and vegetable gardens

Wildflowers

Garden gnomes, gazing balls, and other cute decor

Sitting areas to enjoy and appreciate nature

Chicken coop*

Beatrix Potter and Winnie-the-Pooh would feel very at home in a cottagecore setting.

The pandemic has driven many people to crave a break from technology — especially those tethered to their laptops by their work-from-home status, for whom work/life balance is merely a memory. Cottagecore wants to replace our tech-driven world with a more natural, comfortable, slower one — at least, one we can relax in until the next Zoom call.

*Optional.