8 Cottagecore Decor Ideas for the Home

If you’re just catching onto the cottagecore trend, you’re not alone. This is one of the latest styles to sweep through the interior design world. Like farmhouse, shabby chic, vintage, and rustic interior design themes, cottagecore draws inspiration from days of yore, when things were slower and simpler. Introduce cottagecore decor into your home by incorporating design concepts like:

8 Cottagecore Decor Ideas

1. Romantic Doors
2. Plants and Florals
3. Vintage Rugs
4. Victorian Furniture
5. Natural Linens and Textures
6. Vintage Decor
7. Vintage Library
8. Handmade Items

Though the items on this list are similar to other interior design concepts, cottagecore decor is a unique concept that can be easily spotted when all the elements are in use.

What is Cottagecore Decor?

Cottagecore is a fashion and interior design concept based on a romanticized idea of rural living. The design features all the ideal aspects of living in the country with none of its hardships. This translates to cottagecore decor ideas that include items like floral prints, plants, shabby chic or modern rustic doors, vintage elements, flowers, Victorian furniture, and handmade items. Each of these cottagecore room decor items combines to create a feeling that is intended to transport the resident back to simpler times, when farm animals needed tending, long winter days were spent inside, and village neighbors knew each other.

When it comes to perfecting the overall look of cottagecore decor, it’s the little things that matter most. Large items of cottagecore room decor like furniture, rugs, and artwork are certainly important, but the small details will tie it all together and give you a complete look. If you want the full cottagecore home decor look, be sure to incorporate bouquets of live flowers, dried herbs and florals, plants and greenery, and plenty of handmade items throughout the home.

Where Does Cottagecore Come From?

In some respects, cottagecore has been around since the mid-1900s, but it has only recently gained worldwide attention through the use of social media and influencers. The concept comes from the idea of those who want to retreat into an idyllic lifestyle from yesteryear; where things are perceived as simpler and more wholesome. Basic elements of cottagecore include a romanticized vision of rural living and unimpeded enjoyment of nature.

The idea of a cottage lifestyle is drawn from scenic countryside images found in rural parts of England. The cottagecore aesthetic reflects these images in every way, so that cottagecore wall decor is filled with images of flowers, nature, and rural countrywide. A cottagecore house will feature plenty of natural elements, such as plants, bouquets of living and dried flowers and herbs, and plenty of vintage finds that creating the feeling that you’re stepping back in time.

Why is Cottagecore Trending Now?

Cottagecore has been around for a number of years, but it’s recently become popular due to the lockdowns and focus on home life brought about by COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. In many places around the world, nearly two straight years of lockdowns caused a general shift in attitude and mindset from accepting the busy, frenetic pace of life as standard to desiring a slower, easier, less stressful pace instead.

Starting in 2019, specifically, cottagecore decor ideas gained serious traction as influencers shared their cottagecore bedroom ideas, home decor concepts, and aesthetically pleasing fashion trends. The shift saw influencers shying away from new, modern decor and, instead, featuring botanical prints one might find at a thrift store, bouquets of dried flowers, vintage wall decor, and handmade decor that fit right into the cottagecore style.

The trend took off among influencer fan bases, as their followers resonated with the longing for a simpler, less hectic, and more peaceful lifestyle in the midst of a worldwide pandemic that flipped everyone’s “normal” upside down.

8 Cottagecore Decor Ideas for the Home

If you’re looking to adopt a slower, more purposeful lifestyle, then the cottagecore decor trend may be just what you’re looking for. Add it to your space by incorporating these cottagecore elements:  

1. Romantic Doors

One thing you’ll want to think about when planning your interior cottagecore decor design is your entry and exit points. The standard doors that come with new-build homes are often lackluster and leave a lot to be desired when it comes to interior design. Switching out the interior doors in your home is an easy DIY task that can dramatically add to the overall cottagecore look you’re going for.

At Rustica, we have several stunning doors that would fit right in with the cottagecore trend for your home, including:

• Antique doors—Antique doors are perfect for the cottagecore vibe, and serve as a unique focal point anywhere in your home. Antique doors are meant to reflect the style and aesthetic of days gone by. If you don’t want to upcycle an old door, you can go for a new antique-style door instead. These are made to resemble true antique doors, and some are crafted from reclaimed wood to ensure rustic elements are present.
• Cottage Barn Door—This is a simple door that will easily fit a home that features a cottagecore lifestyle. Choose your wood finish and wood texture to create a one-of-a-kind cottagecore door that’s as rustic or as modern as you want it to be.
• Modern Cottage French Barn Door—The Modern Cottage French Barn Door is an ideal option for an even more updated look and feel. Since it’s made entirely of glass panes and steel, the door is a great option for spaces where you want lots of natural light to flow from one room into another. This is also ideal for garden entrances.
• Modern Cottage Mirror Barn Door—If you’re looking for a little something updated and modern while keeping with the cottagecore vibe, the Modern Cottage Mirror Barn Door is perfect. It maintains a classic cottage door feel, but features mirror paneling, making it ideal for use in a bedroom or bathroom.

2. Plants and Florals

Since the cottagecore aesthetic is focused on the idealism of living in a little house on the countryside, it makes sense that natural material, vintage furniture, and other rustic elements contribute to the simple living style. In addition to these elements, you’ll also want to add live plants, dried flower decorations, and an item or two of decor that features a floral pattern.

The cottagecore style is somewhat similar to the farmhouse feel, thanks to the shared elements of vintage items, natural materials, pressed flowers, and cut flowers on display inside the home. You can place plants and florals anywhere from the living room to the bedroom or kitchen for a dose of nature.

Whether you’re striving for a total cottagecore look, or want to mix some modern farmhouse aesthetics in with your interior design, you won’t go wrong by incorporating florals and a plant or two.

3. Vintage Rugs

To give your space a cozy vibe, add a vintage rug or two to your living room and bedroom. While a rug itself isn’t specifically cottagecore room decor, as with farmhouse decor, it ties together the overall look and feel you’re trying to create. You might like the look of a floral print, a small vintage pattern, or even a solid color. The sky is the limit as long as it contributes to the cozy feel of your room.

4. Victorian Furniture

If you’re going for a shabby chic design in your home, be sure to include a few pieces of Victorian furniture to complete your cottagecore design. You don’t need every piece of furniture to be Victorian in style, but consider incorporating several eye-catching pieces, like a prominent couch and oversized chair in a living area or a bedframe and ornate mirror for the bedroom.

5. Natural Linens and Textures

Natural linens and textures will fit right into the simpler feel of a cottagecore home. Aim for creating a light, bright, and airy feel inside with sheer window treatments, light-colored bedding, and throw blankets that contrast against the darker wood of your Victorian furniture.

6. Vintage Decor

Interiors that feature cottagecore home decor all share a few similarities. One of those similarities is the use of vintage decor throughout the home. The fun part about vintage decor is that you can find it at thrift stores, roadside yard sales, swap meets, antique shops, and estate sales. There’s no telling what vintage finds you’ll score when you’re on the hunt for cottagecore decor for your home.

Cottagecore decor ideas include vintage kitchen items like bowls, wooden spoons, a hand-crank coffee grinder, and wood storage boxes for tea or bread loaves. Consider incorporating old books you pick up here and there, and handmade furniture, including rocking chairs, stools, or coffee tables. Display an old photograph depicting a cottage home, rural life, or the countryside. Use old pitchers to display bouquets of fresh cut or dried flowers, and hand-tatted doilies to place under vases or drape across coffee tables.

7. Vintage Library

While this may not be the case for every cottagecore house, a vintage library, or at the least a few vintage books, are an absolute must. Think of those old books printed in the early 1900s or 1800s that come with no cover design, with only the most basic markings to tell the reader what is inside. These books drum up images of English winters where homeowners sat by the fireside reading books while passing the long, dark hours of winter.

You certainly don’t have to choose expensive versions of 1800s classics to fill your library. Consider visiting a thrift store or a used bookshop and rummaging through their offerings. You might just find an old copy of a botany book or an herbalist’s guide to edible plants. Perhaps you’ll select an old novel by an author you’ve never heard of, or maybe you’ll get lucky and find an old copy from of a favorite classic instead.

8. Handmade Items

Handmade items fit right in with cottagecore decor ideas, including cottagecore bedroom decor and cottagecore wall decor. What might you select when planning your new interior decor scheme? Hand-knit throw blankets are perfect for your bedroom or living area to keep you cozy during cold days. Hand-embroidered sayings and pastoral scenes are ideal to frame and place on the wall. Feature a few thrift store or vintage finds by cleaning them up but keeping them as-is rather than upcycling them.

Other items you might want to incorporate into your cottagecore style include hand-sewn aprons for the kitchen, a handmade outfit or two, hand-stitched pillowcases, and hand-baked goodies to stave off the winter blues.

Incorporating a Cottagecore Look in Your Home

If you’re a fan of the cottagecore movement, you’ll love the look that cottagecore home decor will add to your house. Cottagecore decor provides you with a lot of opportunities to be creative as you mix and match floral wallpaper with vintage furniture, romantic doors, natural materials, and florals.

The main cottagecore element you want to strive for is the look of living in the English countryside. Whether you incorporate a fresh flower bouquet, pressed flowers in a frame, or even a few statues of woodland creatures among your botanical motifs, you’re sure to create a unique cottage style that demonstrates all the best elements of a warm, cozy, and uniquely styled cottagecore space.