Sep 10, 2023
Bill Gardner
Original Text by Laura W (via Frame Destination) with Amendments and Additions by Bill Gardner (via Bill Gardner Photography)
In an age when technology rules the world and our daily screen time often competes with the number of hours we sleep, Cottagecore comes to the rescue. This new-yet-old style of decorating combines elements of nostalgia, fairytale romance, and nature — all with a European countryside vibe. It’s cozy. It’s whimsical. And it’s all the rage right now. If you’re not familiar with Cottagecore yet, think "The Secret Garden" (by Frances Hodgson Burnett) or "Tuck Everlasting" (by Natalie Babbitt). Still not sure? Read on!
This decor style surfaced in the early 2010s and really took off toward the end of 2019 and into the pandemic, when we were all at home and actually slowing down to bake and make things. However, you could argue that Cottagecore’s roots go back at least as far as the 1700s, when French aristocrats like Marie Antoinette escaped the formalities of royalty to a no-frills village retreat. No matter the era, Cottagecore embraces a simpler, slower, homespun approach.
Young adults are typically attracted to Cottagecore, but anyone who loves romance and nature may find it appealing. It’s been called a “step below” Grandmillenial style, but that’s not a slam. Grandmillenial style combines traditional, homey pieces with modern elements, Cottagecore tends to be cozier and more casual, such as displaying your portrait photos on one of our BGPhoto unframed standouts, while Grandmillennial is more formal and traditional. To put it another way, Grandmillennial is the English manor, while Cottagecore is the English cottage in the country. Both are beautiful, maximalist, and best of all, fun!
Cottagecore stems from a maximalist foundation, embracing “more is more” and choosing boldness over bland. Because of this, the decorating possibilities are as long as a winding country road. Like many other home design styles, Cottagecore overlaps patterns, colors, textures, and time periods — but in a deliberate way. When choosing furnishings, you have flexibility. For example, you could hang an ornate, gold-trimmed mirror over a velvet burgundy sofa or a gingham-print couch. Candles, specifically candlesticks, are very appropriate to add throughout the home.
Consider the allure that living plants and flowers bring to a space. Rich, wooden antique furniture pieces really feed into the vintage feel that this decor style aims to present. Play with texture and patterns on throw pillows. Think of a dreamy wallpaper (or even a colorful mural) to cottage-up the walls. Get excited about framed art and botanical prints — can you say, gallery wall?! At Bill Gardner Photography, we offer many options to display your favorite portrait images as a Gallery Collection.
Here are a few components to keep in mind when decorating in Cottagecore style:
• Live green plants
• Dried flowers and live flowers
• Vintage and antique furniture
• Chenille, velvet, and lacy fabrics
• Vintage rugs
• Intentional color palettes
• Victorian teacups
• Botanical prints on chairs or sofas
• Botanical prints in picture frames with brushstroke texture (think BGPhoto frames!)
• Drawings or sketches of butterflies, mushrooms, or anything in nature
• Baskets and wicker
• Stationery and books
The following ideas may help get you started styling different spaces with Cottagecore éclat.
Integrating Cottagecore Into Your Living Room:
Typically, the largest space in a home, the living room will give you the most freedom to decorate, which is both an opportunity and a challenge. We recommend appointing a larger piece of furniture as your visual anchor. Think large, distressed wooden bookshelf filled with your favorite reads and accented with vining plants. From there, multiple patterns and textures can really come into play. For example, find a beautiful vintage-style striped couch and layer it with vivid floral throw pillows. When mixing patterns, make sure you mix up the size; large-scale patterns can be dominant, while smaller-scale patterns work well as accents. Texture can be added through rugs, window treatments, and furnishings in leather, velvet, or wicker.
Incorporate some of this year’s popular colors, which include magenta, deep mossy green, raspberry blush, buttery yellow, and watery blue. You can even find rustic textures and enchanting colors in the cottage frames you choose. Bill Gardner Photography offers a variety of cottage-type frames that “scream” Cottagecore! Take, for example, one of our contemporary wood frames featuring a light brushstroke texture framed by a thin border of natural wood. These modern contemporary frames are ideal for plein air paintings up to 3/4-inch thick, charcoal drawings, and a variety of photographic prints, especially portraits. And, of course, think Bill Gardner Photography Portraits! And when it comes to combining colors, keep in mind the 60-30-10 rule. That is, 60% of the room should be the prevailing color; 30% a secondary hue; and 10% your accent.
Cottagecore Ideas for Your Kitchen:
A simple large wooden table with mixed chairs for dining sets the scene. Don’t underestimate a vase with a bundle of baby’s breath flowers in the center. Elevated charm in this space could look like a window seat with tufted velvet cushions. On the bench seat, toss in throw pillows with a mushroom or leafy print. Old family recipes add character to a kitchen, especially in a slim, ornate wood frame, many of which we offer at Bill Gardner Photography. Plants in the kitchen bring fresh life to the heart of the home. Dishes are most often overlooked when we think about decor, but with Cottagecore, plates and bowls could really be a pivotal addition. Think florals, bright colors, or a natural stoneware.
Bedroom Cottagecore Aesthetic:
This can easily and appropriately become the most romantic room in your home. Again, wooden furniture — even worn, white pieces — add a charming flair. A bouquet of flowers on the nightstand or dresser. Candles, of course. A colorful bedspread or a ruffled duvet. A four-post bed is very Cottagecore. Picture your portrait photos framed in one of Bill Gardner Photography’s French vanilla style wood frames with tiered edging. Vintage-style rugs on hardwood floors add a touch of warmth. Rows of plants on shelves or even hanging in windows, vines trailing down. Again, Cottagecore is maximalist, but cultivated with forethought.
Bathroom Decor Ideas:
We’re envisioning a free-standing wooden vanity. Vintage-style bronze sconces as an elegant light source for the space? Yes, please! Hand-cut natural soaps. Glass or amber bottles dispensing hand soap, shampoo, all your pampering potions. Cottagecore in the bathroom is a decor style in which living plants can thrive — sunshine + humidity = botanical bliss.
To sum it up, Cottagecore is meant to bring coziness, nature, and romance together artfully and functionally. It’s liberating, yet reined in by intention. Because it is a maximalist design style, there are countless options when it comes to furnishings, colors, and textures — which all serve to open up the ways you can decorate your home in this casual, lived-in aesthetic.
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