Not your grandmother's house.
Simple Ways to Bring the Cottagecore Aesthetic into Your Home
Not your grandmother's house.
Has the Cottagecore movement leapfrogged trend status and cemented itself into something more enduring? If our continual yearning for a slower pace of life – where domesticity is king and technology is not – then it certainly looks that way.
What is Cottagecore?
Cottagecore was simmering away through the 2010s, a moniker given to an internet aesthetic viewed as an aspirational form of nostalgia celebrating rural and sustainable living. Then came the Covid-19 outbreak and boom: it was quickly fetishised. An appreciation of nature and championing a forgotten and ritualistic way of life made for a heady cocktail during a global pandemic. Even if you don’t live in a cottage in the sticks, Cottagecore symbolises simple pleasures, an appreciation of craft, and an onus on self-sufficiency.
What are the key elements of Cottagecore?
In our wardrobes, the movement has manifested itself via flouncy, prairie-inspired dresses while in our homes, it equals chintzy fabric or an heirloom piece of furniture. The look is unapologetically feminine, whimsical, and where flowers are concerned, abundant. It transforms the ‘What, this old thing?’ objects in our homes into finds rich in provenance and sentimental value.
Cottagecore usually hinges upon three key elements: vintage furniture, pastel colours and rustic finishes. Handmade decor features heavily – think crochet and embroidery, while nature motifs, specifically English garden florals, are plentiful.
What isn’t Cottagecore?
Cottagecore isn’t just a look; it’s a feeling. It’s the smell of baking bread, the feeling of a soft linen dress against your legs, the soft music of birdsong as you wake up or the gleam of dew on the grass in the early morning light. Bringing this ‘vibe’ into your home is about more than just furniture, it’s about embracing this slow, gentle lifestyle too.
The comforting aesthetic can easily be mistaken for an antique look – similar to what you might find at your grandparents home. However, cottagecore entails a much more considered approach to decoration, as well as the slow-paced lifestyle that comes with the aesthetic.
Core may now be slapped on to the end of every burgeoning trend (yes, we’re looking at you Barbie…) but cottage looks set to stay. Here’s how to incorporate aspects of it into your own home, without anyone mistaking it for your grandma’s.
