When it comes to cozy home decor, the cottagecore aesthetic is a great interior design option — no matter where you live. The classic cottage style is a surefire way to bring rustic charm to your home, while still having room to add your own personal touches.

The cottagecore style is the epitome of comfort and simple living, which makes it the perfect space to spend time with family and friends. It has a romantic quality that can bring a welcoming and dreamy feeling to your living spaces.

So, how can you decorate your home to infuse it with the classic cottage look? Read on to explore our breakdown of the eclectic vintage style and the top 10 ways to make your home feel like a cottage.

What is cottagecore decor?

Cottagecore, like the name suggests, is focused on creating a home that looks right at home in the peace of the country — even if you’re located in the heart of a city. It’s all about getting back to our roots in nature with simple patterns, materials and furniture.

The popularity of romanticized country decor originally stems from European nobility that would temporarily get away to rural areas for a simpler living situation compared to their opulent homes. That’s why the cottagecore aesthetic is primarily nature-driven, with floral patterns and indoor plants a common staple.

Recently, the cottagecore trend has gained momentum again with comforting design elements and furniture readily available to transform your home into a personalized farmhouse.

10 cottagecore ideas for your home

1. Look for natural materials to incorporate into your home

Cottagecore is all about going back to the basics, and that includes the materials you use to decorate your home. From furniture to pillows to art, get inspired by rustic elements that cozy up your space easily to transform it into your own cottage.

When shopping for furniture, keep an eye out for wicker and wood, which can easily match existing pieces and transition any room into your ideal vintage home. Meanwhile, for other cottage materials, you can opt for cotton, wool and/or macrame pieces made from hemp. All of these will instantly add a cozy feel to your home.

However, if you fall in love with a piece that’s not made from a natural material, no need to toss it away! Cottagecore is all about eclectic decor, so odds are it’ll probably still fit within your space.

2. Decorate with nature-inspired art

Art pieces can quickly transform any space into a rustic country home. Fill your walls and bookshelves with floral art prints and/or scenic landscapes to make it feel like you’re in the country — even if you’re not.

If you want to incorporate art that doesn’t highlight nature, don’t worry! Simply choose frames that still match the cottagecore aesthetic. Choose wooden frames or plastic frames with neutral colors. They don’t all have to match since cottagecore isn’t about perfection.

3. Stick to a pastel color palette

When choosing a color scheme for your new home design, take inspiration from nature. Soft, pastel blues and earthy neutrals are ideal places to start. Similarly, off-white, cheery yellow and dusty pink can brighten a space while still building a calming environment.

For pops of color, think of your favorite flower. This can help you envision the cottage home of your dreams.

4. Try using wallpaper

Whether in your entryway, bedroom or bathroom, try decorating with wallpaper. Rustic homes often have simple patterns and styles that emphasize the great outdoors. Nowadays, wallpaper comes in a wide variety of patterns, colors and subjects to choose from.

This enables you to perfectly tailor your space to fit the cottagecore home aesthetic. Similarly, you can personalize each room to have its own style while still maintaining cohesiveness.

5. Fill your space with nature

Plants add color, brightness and coziness to any space seamlessly. Spruce up your kitchen with a bright flower arrangement or herb garden to create a little cottage haven. Other exciting ideas to try are decorating with dried herbs or hanging a bouquet of lavender in your bathroom. Both work as decor and calming home fragrances.

If you have children, pets and/or can’t commit to daily watering, you can always fill your cottagecore space with fake plants and flowers. Alternatively, you can also start with a beginner-friendly plant, such as peace lily, snake plant or ZZ plant.

6. Get cottagecore-inspired light fixtures

Cottagecore style is a romantic interior design, so you can be free to choose a light fixture that achieves that feel. Even though this design mostly uses simple and rustic elements, you can choose more intricate pieces for your focal light fixture — just prioritize natural-looking material.

A great example is an intricate chandelier designed with delicate crystals or beads. Similarly, you can complete your home dining room with a wooden candelabra centerpiece.

7. Bring coziness to your living spaces with comforting textiles

From the master bedroom to your living room, make sure every living space has access to soft, homey textiles. Classic quilts, soft pillows and knit throws will help bring in cuddly nights and create warm memories with the family and friends.

And remember, you can never have too many blankets! Simply use a wicker basket or cabinet to store extra textiles that can be brought out when needed.

8. Shop for antique kitchenware and cutlery

As previously mentioned, your cottagecore home doesn’t have to match perfectly. In fact, it’s probably helpful if not everything comes as a matching set. With this in mind, you can nail the vintage kitchen look with antique dishes, china and cutlery, just like from your childhood.

9. Let the sunshine in

Bring the outdoors inside through your windows! Invest in light linen drapery that can complement the shining daylight and brighten the space. If you prefer colorful and/or patterned drapery, try adding a layer of sheer drapery behind the main fabric.

Then in the early mornings, you can pull away the main drapery to allow a soft glow to enter your cottagecore living spaces through the lighter drapery. This design element can also add to the dreamy quality of your home, which is essential for cottage-inspired design.

10. Experiment with atmospheric lighting

Candles, decorative lanterns and string lights can all help build the perfect romantic glow to your cottage-inspired home. As the sun sets, instead of turning on your overhead lights, you can recreate the simpler atmosphere of past country living with softer ambient lighting.

To avoid potential safety hazards, invest in battery-powered candles to fill your space and brighten your home. You also don’t need to commit to one source of ambient lighting. Instead, play around with different lighting options to get your preferred cottagecore look.

Achieve your cottagecore home with Decorating Den Interiors

Excited to get started on your home’s interior design? Decorating Den Interiors and our personal decorators can help you transform your home into a cottage getaway — whether in one room or your entire home! We offer tips, personalized assistance and solutions to streamline the entire process.

Simply reach out and one of our design consultants will meet you at your home to provide a complimentary one-on-one consultation. At this meeting, they’ll get to know you, your current space and what you want from your cottagecore design. This will help them build a tailored plan with you to decorate your home. Once approved, the designing begins! Your personal design consultant will handle all remaining steps to make your home feel like a cottage.

Get started today and get your cottagecore home sooner rather than later. Contact Decorating Den Interiors today!