5 Easy Hacks to Achieve the Cottagecore Home Style Everyone is Raving About
Perhaps it’s a manifestation of our dreams to be out in nature and a sign of these socially distanced times, but the calming cottagecore aesthetic has dominated our feeds, our ‘fits, and is now settling into our homes. Established a decade ago, cottagecore or countrycore’s basic essence is embracing a simpler living, akin to living the farm life or in nature, and is nostalgic to the imaginary English countryside lifestyle younger generations now yearn for. This is exactly why peasant dresses, eyelet lace, and the toile de jouy fabric pattern are dominating the fashion scene. If dressing like an English maiden and copping your grandmother’s accessories are not enough, take countrycore to the next level by recreating your own scenic retreat at home, lace and natural elements included.
1. Tone down your home palette
Photo by Charlotte May from Pexels
To capture that old-timey look, you’ll need to recreate the hazy color palette it’s commonly associated with. Let go of bold and solid-colored items as the rural 1800s had little of those hues and more earthy tones such as brown, green, with hints of pastel. Nothing too harsh along these lines, with soft natural colors, as complicated dyes were far and between at those times.
2. Think cozy and comfortable
Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels
Similar to the Danish home trend known as ‘hygge,’ cottagecore is about making your nest as cozy as possible. So add on that thick throw blanket over your couch, take out and fluff those throw pillows, and light the area with a scented candle or two. In choosing your home accessories, don’t hold back on the textures that are light and airy.
3. Invite nature and natural elements in
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
Those who have honed their gardening skills while working from home have the advantage of incorporating their backyard babies into their interiors. Bring in a few potted flowers, vines, or climbing plants that add both a romantic and rustic vibe. Potted plants can help achieve the natural look, but so can raw textiles, floral-inspired curtains or wallpaper, and a bit of crochet. These are items you don’t need to buy and can easily find at home or DIY.
4. Bring out the fine china
Photo by Lachlan Ross from Pexels
One of the quintessential corners that cottagecore homes tend to showcase is a wall of vintage china. This is very specific and might be hard to find, so you can either rummage through your family or your grandmother’s stock of ceramics or you can replace this with a shelf of the odd vintage finds instead. It could be old frames, figurines, mugs, and vases from your past.
5. Just let things be out of place
Photo by Charlotte May from Pexels
A large part of the charm of cottage living is its eclecticism—everything can be mismatched. Chairs around a dining table don’t have to come from the same set, the table settings need not match, and your home textiles can have different patterns (you’re better off with checks and stripes). But to anchor the entire look, you’ll need to find items or decorations that are grounded by a particular palette and the said aesthetic and bring them together. It’s a premeditated and planned type of old world allure.