Cottagecore Style Aesthetic | How to Create it

A girl in a white victorian nightgown and a braid with a green bow standing infront of a cottagecore style aesthetic kitchen shelf, holding a candle

The cottagecore style aesthetic has quickly become one of my favorite design styles out there, and I find myself gravitating towards it quite often! One of the main reasons I love it is that it is so cozy and inviting as well as being exceptionally easy on the budget.

I’m excited to share all about the Cottagecore style aesthetic with you!

How can I decorate in the Cottagecore style aesthetic?

Create collections in your home. Gather books and stack them or group pitchers filled with wildflowers together for true cottagecore style aesthetic.
Incorporate vintage and antique furniture. Cottagecore is about creating a lived in, relaxed, old world feel.
Value Nostalgia. Use family photos, display heirloom pieces, and handmade items in your decor.
Display vintage dishes. Store them out in the open on shelving or hang them on the wall as art.
Use baskets. Use them for storage in the kitchen and throughout the home. Hang them on the wall and fill them with florals or greenery.
Bring nature indoors. Nature is king in cottagecore style design, so get yourself some house plants and wildflower bouquets.
Incorporate muted greens and blues by painting some of your walls, kitchen cabinets, of furniture.
Consider wallpaper. Floral prints are huge in cottagecore. Start small by using wallpaper on an accent wall or only the top half of a larger wall.
Raw wood creates that warm and rustic look of cottagecore. You can do this with pieces of furniture, shelving, or the ultimate – installing faux or real wood beams in your home.
Hang a vintage mirror on the wall.
Thrift for vintage candlesticks to incorporate into your decorating.
Also gather whimsical art, especially botanicals or woodland themed art.
Incorporate a gallery wall to embody the essence of the cottagecore style aesthetic.

What is the Cottagecore Style Aesthetic?

Cottagecore is a romanticized version of life lived in a peaceful cottage in the countryside. Think fairy tales and pastoral English views. Fields of wildflowers and beautiful meadows.

The home design aspect of cottagecore is essentially a combination of old world English cottage and authentic farmhouse lifestyle. It is relaxed and cozy, with rustic, vintage vibes.

It is ultra feminine and full of botanicals. Books piled high around the fire place and collections of treasures displayed on walls of shelving. It absolutely pushes against minimalism and embraces the cozy feeling of being surrounded by what you need and what you love.

an old fashioned table filled with home cooked food in a rustic country dinning room — This lovely table belongs to Michelle at the blog Remembering the Old Ways. Isn’t it absolutely cozy and inviting? The essence of cottagecore.

Cottagecore Lifestyle

My interpretation of the cottagecore lifestyle is a life lived and enjoyed within the home and in nature.

Windows are open, bringing the melody of the outdoors inside. Creature comforts are within arms reach, not tucked away out of sight.

Handcrafts are often the pastime, as is baking and gardening.

Life is slow and appreciated. The little things are upheld as the day’s greatest gift. The smell of bread baking, forged wildflowers, the feel of soft grass under bare feet, and the ritual of routine are all the simple pleasures of the cottagecore lifestyle.

a shadowy Photograph of a handmade lattice pie — Kaetlyn Ann of the blog Calico and Twine perfectly embodies the feel of cottagecore with her warm aesthetic and homemade kitchen.

Affordability of the Cottagecore Style Aesthetic

The cottagecore style aesthetic is very budget friendly! For example, when you look at an image of cottagecore design, there is a sense that nothing is new, but rather everything there could have been thrifted. The unfussy vibe of cottagecore makes it perfect for the thrifty, vintage decorator.

a cozy little wall mounted desk painted a soft rose color and decorated with what appears to be mostly thrifted and vintage cottagecore style decor

Why I Love the Cottagecore Style Aesthetic

Cottagecore is a culmination of so many things that bring me joy. To me, it is almost silly to give it such a name, because in actuality, it is simply an old fashioned way of life.

Less noise.

More quiet.

Creating.

And Nature.

People who lived the original cottagecore life in history, without all the distractions of our modern day, had free mental space to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. They went outside to work in their garden with no option of what podcast they might want to put on while doing so. The only music to listen to while working was the songs of the birds. Their minds were undistracted and more able to appreciate the beauty around them. Not inundated with an overload of advertisements, information, and social pressures.

Doesn’t that sound absolutely lovely? I strive for that, and I appreciate that the aesthetic of cottgecore is striving for that as well.

Cottgecore is also comfortable with a cluttery feel. The decor is already imperfect and lived in. There is no perfection here, making it a very forgiving space for a family with young children. Which, of course with four young boys in the house, speaks to me very much!

I like the idea of striking a happy medium in this cluttered verses minimal approach. Most days I am dealing with toy clutter all over my floor, so I don’t want too much of a cluttery feel on my surfaces. Otherwise the whole home could quickly become overwhelming. This is why I like the idea of a style that I’m coining “traditional cottagecore,” which in my mind means a slightly refined cotatgecore look blended with traditional elements.

My Traditional Approach to Cottagecore Home Design

There are certainly varying levels of intensity to cottagecore. Some of it is very fairly tale heavy and extremely romanticized, while some interpretations are more toned down and rooted in a true-to-life historical feel.

cottage living room with pink couches and exposed beams

Some dipictions are very bright and full of color,

dark green chair surrounded by plants and botanical wall art

while others are dark and moody.

For me, I am wanting to create a traditional approach to cottagecore. This will mean leaning more towards historical decor inspiration rather than the fairy tale side of the aesthetic. Keeping things causal, and yet refined. Comfortable collections and treasures that bring beauty into the home, but keeping the design visually clean as well.

nursery shelf with books and a large basket trunk on top and fold quilts underneath in a cottagecore style aesthetic nursery — See more of my vintage inspired cottagecore nursery here.

I want to create a feeling of space in the home and a place for visual rest. Therefore, I will want to be careful to maintain a balance of a collected, yet clean look where everything has a place.

Aspects of the Cottagecore Style Aesthetic in Home Design

Embracing Maximalism

Cottagecore, in essence, is pushing back on the more sterile aspects of the minimalist movement and taking more of maximalists approach. You will see vintage books piled by the fireplace. Gallery walls that are imperfect and whimsical. Open shelving displaying a warm collection of the practical and the beautiful.

a cottagecore style aesthetic kitchen with green cabinets and a counter filled with the necessities of kitchen work — Shaye Elliot of The Elliot Homestead Blog was doing cottagecore long before it was even a thing. So much of my inspiration stems from her style. See a tour of her cottage kitchen here.

Cottagecore frees the minimalist from this idea that nostalgia needs to be limited, and instead it is embraced. Heirlooms are cherished and displayed. These is almost a sense that everything within cottagecore design is truly loved and purposefully placed.

white shelf with an heirloom photo of two parents with their child in a cottagecore style aesthetic nursery

Vintage Furniture

vintage dresser in background and wicker basket in foreground filled with white vintage linens

Vintage furniture is a must for cottagecore design, opting for curves and turned legs over straight lines that are typical in craftsman’s style farmhouse design. The more rustic and imperfect, the better.

a pantry filled with preserved food in old canning jars — Another cozy cottagecore feeling space brought to you by Kaetlyn Ann of Calico and Twine.

You will see worn, wooden cabinets filled with goodies made and preserved in the cottage kitchen. Tufted vintage chairs so comfortable you can curl up in it by the fire and read all day long.

a collection of white dishes on display in an antique hutch

You will find antique hutches brimming with collections of vintage dishes.

Create a cozy little nook, complete with a lamp, a comfy chair, and a vintage side table for a classic cottagecore style look.

Color and Wallpaper

Firstly, florals are absolutely back with the cottagecore style aesthetic! We see them in wallpaper, bold drapes, and bed linens.

cottagecore style aesthetic office space with blue dresser and a white desk and chair

Secondly, you will see much more color in the cottagecore aesthetic than in farmhouse design. However, the colors that are still muted, but more saturated than what we tend to see in modern farmhouse design. Muted blues and greens, buttery yellows, warm grays, and even dusty rose colors abound.

Cottagecore in the Kitchen

If you want to start experimenting with a cottagecore style aesthetic, the kitchen is an easy place to start. So much of what is needed for a cottagecore style kitchen is easily thrifted or even handed down by Grandma.

old world style open kitchen shelving with hanging copper and stacks of bowls, and a candle burning

Bring in vintage dishes, maybe a plate rack, and some brass candlesticks. Consider putting some open shelving on a blank wall for cottage style storage. Don’t tuck every item away in a cabinet where their beauty cannot be enjoyed. For instance, hang some of the prettier items on the wall and stack them on shelves to be enjoyed.

produce stored in baskets — I find this storage so beautiful and rustic. Again, the cottage space brought to you by Shaye at The Elliot Homestead.

Bring in baskets for your produce and maybe a peg rack or two for a space to hang up your apron.

We are seeing so much more color in the kitchen with cottagecore! Cabinets are no longer only white with shiny hardware, but painted muted colors with vintage style hardware. A stand alone cupboard instead of built in cabinetry gives all the cottage feels.

The kitchen is warmed by bringing in woven wool rugs and cafe curtains.

cottage style kitchen with a French stove and copper pans hanging from a pot rack — Another beautiful view at the Elliot Homestead.

Collections of copper pots and pans hang on the wall or from pot racks, casting a warm and cozy glow.

cottagecore kitchen with stone hearth and shelving above the stove displaying many beloved treasures — This gorgeous stove and hearth belong to Angela at parisiennefarmgirl.com. Her design style is very old world influenced and never ceases to inspire me!

Braided onions from the garden are considered decor. Dried herbs are strung, adding such practical beauty to a kitchen space. The tools you need to cook from scratch in your kitchen are easily available and ready to be put to use.

vintage floral dishes on display in a vintage dish rack

Beautiful vintage dishes are not something to hide away in cupboard, but rather something to be set out and enjoyed.

creating a cottagecore style aesthetic with an airstone kitchen accent wall — Andrea from the blog Pine and Prospect Home created this gorgeous cottage accent wall with a product called airstone. Click here to see how simple this DIY project can be to achieve!

Stone, if possible, is the perfect cottagecore style kitchen accent.

Cottagecore Lifestyle

My interpretation of the cottagecore lifestyle is life slowed down and appreciated. Making the most of everyday moments in the home.

One way I like to live this out is with our family meals.

For example, I have found so much pleasure in actually setting the table for dinner. Moving beyond just grabbing our water bottles, but using real drinking glasses.

candlelit dinner table with a pile of corn on the cob on a serving platter

Serving the food on beautiful platters and serving bread in rustic baskets.

rice and shrimp dish on a serving platter at a candlelit dinner

Lighting candles just because we want to make this ordinary night special. This gives me a sense of pride in my work as a homemaker, as we slow down and enjoy this meal that I prepared for my people.

I try to have at least one night a week, recently it’s been Friday nights, where I pull out all the stops. Even if we are just having pizza, we have it on beautiful plates with candlelight and a glass of wine for my husband and me.

little boy drinking from a mason jar at a candlelit dinner

We also use Friday night candlelit dinners as an opportunity to be intentional in teaching our children table manners. We buy each of them a special cup (that I found a thrift store) and once they have demonstrated polite table manners for a stretch of time, they earn their special cup to be used at our special meals.

When we have these special family times planned, as we do on Friday nights, it’s a wonderful treat to look forward to at the end of long week. To sit down and be together.

A Call to Slower Living Lies Within the Cottagecore Style Aesthetic

Call it cottagecore or call it an old fashioned way of living. For me, I am enjoying this call to slow down and appreciate what is around me, all while incorporating some warm, old world design elements into my home.

If you feel the same way about slowing down and appreciating the home, consider joining our Intentional Home Living Community by clicking here. By joining you will be the first to be notified of new content and from-scratch recipes from my cottage kitchen. In addition to that, you will also receive monthly emails from me with my thoughts and reflections on Intentional Home Living.

How do you feel about the cottagecore style aesthetic?

Is any of it speaking to you? Is it something you can see yourself wanting to incorporate into your home?

I’d love to chat about it in the comments below!

Have a beautiful day friends!