Step aside modern farmhouses, all-white kitchens, and gray walls in every room; these trends have fallen by the wayside. For several years — and with good reason — cottage core decor has been the aesthetic resonating with many interior design aficionados.
You can make your home look and feel like a cabin in the English countryside, in a simpler and perhaps bygone era, with the right materials and a willingness to go deep into DIY.
What Is Cottage Core?
Cottage core is more than an aesthetic; it’s an ethos that invites you to be closer to the earth and rooted in day-to-day activities in your home, as noted by decor professional Davina Ogilvie.
"As a concept, it embraces a simpler, sustainable existence that is more harmonious with nature," she explained. "Aesthetically, it’s a nod to the traditional English countryside style, romantic and nostalgic."
Cottage core embraces canning vegetables from your garden, sewing your own dresses, and making sourdough bread from scratch. It’s not surprising, then, that 2020 was the year cottage core became especially popular, shares Black cottage core expert Noemie Sérieux.
“With ample time on our hands when the pandemic hit and quarantine became commonplace across the globe, we turned to finding fulfillment and purpose outside of our monetary potential — and cottagecore was the perfect vehicle," she points out.
So put your screens down, perfect the recipe for that rhubarb pie, finish crocheting the lace shawl you started, and tend to the burgeoning herb garden on your kitchen windowsill. That made-by-hand energy, in essence, is what cottage core is all about.
What Is Cottage Core Decor?
With a focus on sustainability, proximity to nature, and the goal of curating a welcoming space that inspires creativity, cottage core room decor should make you feel totally comfortable in your space, says interior designer Susan Davis Taylor.
"We achieve this through floral-inspired wallpaper, natural textiles, light unfinished woods, plants, wood beams, crochet, natural pottery, ambient lighting, fairy lights, comfy chairs, and fluffy rugs," she shares. "Everything has to be soft and enveloping."
That’s how we imagine the interior of an English cottage, replete with vintage furniture, fresh lavender from the garden, and patterned curtains dancing gently in the breeze. Here you can curl up with a mug of chamomile tea and a good book without distraction.
In a nutshell, imagine what the interior of a British country home in the 1900s looked like and replicate that decor style with intentional objects.
A Few Cottage Core Room Decor Ideas to Get Your Cozy Design Started
Pastel-coloured ceramic dishes atop floral print tablecloths. Fresh-picked flowers perched in a teapot on a vintage hutch. Antique lamps with nature-inspired patterns on the shades. These are just some of the hallmarks of cottage core decor.
Don’t be afraid to accent your hutch with patterned wallpaper or hang floral-print curtains on all your windows. Cottage core is by nature a bit maximalist, so overlapping patterns and fabrics fit right in. Just keep the colours romantic and your space nature-oriented.
Ensure that your chairs and sofas are comfortable, inviting you to sit and focus on a project. Select colours that complement the wallpaper or paint for added harmony. Wicker furniture and baskets also fit the cottage core aesthetic nicely.
Accent with plenty of plants, dried flower artwork, lace throws, and vintage rugs to tie your cottage core room decor together.
Our Favorite Cottage Core Art From Cedar Mountain
At Cedar Mountain Studios, creating impactful artwork with intention and care is at the heart of our philosophy. We believe in the power of nature and making every moment meaningful — and our pieces reflect that.
Central to cottage core decor is a garden blooming with flowers, plants, and pollinators. Pay homage to that aspect with our Crazy Beautiful Art Block, which depicts an idyllic scene of colourful country blooms.
$49.95
Life is crazy, unexpected and endlessly beautiful. Lost + Found hand plastered wood art blocks have a vintage feel. They celebrate beautiful things that could have been lost but instead were found. This piece was designed by Salt Spring Island… read moreArt Block - Lost & Found - Crazy Beautiful
Go deeper into the woods with our Wander Art Block, which will transport you to the wilderness behind your sweet cottage. To shed some light on the subject, light our Walk in the Woods Candle, beckoning you outside while adding warmth to your space.
$26.95
Introducing our line of beautiful, giftable candles. Our small batch, hand-poured candles come in an elegant matte black tin. They feature simple designs which resemble a hand-typed card you would give to a loved one or friend. Sometimes one or two… read moreCandle - Quote - Walk In The Woods
Cottage core is also about slowing down and disconnecting from the digital world to focus on you and your home. Let our Collect Moments Timber Bit remind you that you need to unplug in order to nurture your peace.
$13.95
Because we don't remember the days or years, only the moments. Our Timber Bits woodblocks have an inspiring or funny word or phrase that can be stacked and combined. Printed on cedar Dimensions: 8" x 2" x 1" Shop the… read moreTimber Bit - Medium - Collect Moments
Cottage Core Decor is From the Heart and Made By Hand
Home truly is where the heart is, as the old adage tells us. Cottage core allows us to take that mantra to heart, creating a beautiful space in which we apply ourselves mindfully to all of our projects.
Let Cedar Mountain Studios help you level up your cottage core decor with art that speaks to you.
