Everything You Need to Know About Cottagecore

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If you find yourself deep down an Instagram rabbit-hole at 2 a.m. checking out the casually cluttered, beautifully collected interiors of the British countryside, then you've likely stumbled across the cottagecore aesthetic. Think Beatrix Potter-style interiors or the rose-covered cedar-shake cottages of Nantucket. The style has gained popularity in recent years, especially on Instagram and TikTok, where creators from around the globe share their take on this unapologetically twee lifestyle. There's usually a flock of ducks involved (the Indian Runner breed is especially popular), as well as copious quilts and enough hot tea to fill a clawfoot tub. Accounts and creators such as @hillhousevintage, @cottagecoredream, and @monalogue have hundreds of thousands of followers.

So, if you've found yourself a fan of this happily hodgepodge style, but don't know how to integrate the style into your home, then look no further than this guide. Here, we're explaining exactly what cottagecore is (and isn't) and how you can bring the look home with ease.

What Is Cottagecore?

Cottagecore took off in a time when many of us were dreaming of more pastoral, relaxed environs—Google tracked its explosion to the summer of 2020, reaching its peak in October of that year. While the spirit behind cottagecore is nothing new—we here at Country Living have celebrated cottage interiors for 40-plus years—its widespread popularity is. And it makes sense! Not only is cottagecore a more sustainable way to design and live (thanks to its focus on slow living, repurposed pieces, and general pastoral pursuits like tending a garden), it's also a bit cozier and more collected than other popular styles such as modern farmhouse. Think of it like this: If modern farmhouse is a hot cup of black coffee, then cottagecore is an afternoon mug of tea with milk and sugar. (Best served out of a vintage teapot, which you hopefully found on an antiquing trip to the Cotswolds.) Cottagecore style is about making your home a place you actually want to spend time and pursue your wildest pastoral dreams. And, the interiors are meant to support that.

At its, well, core, the aesthetic is a combination of classic country utilitarianism with a twinge of twee. Patchwork quilts, delightfully patinated primitive wood furniture, and handwoven baskets are all tenets of the style because they were once the quintessential pieces of a quiet, resourceful country life. Intrigued yet? Here's how to give the look the old cottage try.

The Six Tenets of Cottagecore

Storybook Exteriors

"Good cottage exteriors are known for their cozy and rustic look," says architectural designer Heather French of French & French Interiors. They should have a whimsical and worn-in feel, influenced by classic British cottage architecture. Favored finishes include weathered woods, limestone washes, and locally sourced masonry. Rooflines are steep and trim is ornate-yet-folksy (think gingerbread trim on a Queen Anne), giving the exterior a fairy tale-esque feel. While thatched roofs are common across the pond, in America cedar shake or similar wood shingles are the way to go, says Heather.

Another key to making your exterior feel quintessentially cottagecore is to focus on landscaping. "It should look like someone plopped the house down in the middle of a garden," says Heather. Climbing, blooming flowers add a good dose of English charm with relative ease. (We'll get more into cottagecore garden design below!)

Timeworn Architectural Quirks

Inside, eccentric architectural elements are prized. Low or sloped ceilings, warmly worn floors, and exposed wood add personality to any interior. Though some styles might dictate that you remodel or hide those imperfections, cottagecore demands you celebrate them.

While these architectural aberrations are often built-in when you purchase an older home, you can still bring them to life inside a new build. Wood beams bring instant patina. Beadboard adds historic texture. Painting your wood floors with a classic checkerboard pattern is one of our favorite ways to charm up a space—just don’t forget to sand away some paint to give it that walked-over feel before you seal it.

Gingham Pillow

Brass Duck Statue

Botanical Prints

Rattan Lamp

French Country End Table

Strawberry Fields Recipe Box

Yellow Vintage-Style Glasses

Wicker Mushroom Basket

Floral Bedding

Lively, Layered Interiors

Happy patterns, frilly edges, and a mix of colors are the hallmark of good cottagecore interiors. "The room should give you the same feeling you had when you were at your grandparents' house, except everything is current and put together in a modern, relevant way," says interior designer Marynn Udvarhelyi of Wildflower Home Interiors. When it comes to textiles, seek out ditsy florals, and pair them with more crisp and tonal graphics such as gingham (Marynn's favorite) or ticking stripes. And, of course, an heirloom quilt or two.

While textiles do most of the work to make interiors feel layered, paint plays a significant role, too. Going all white is a classic choice (try one with warmer undertones), but soft earthy pinks and terracottas are also quite popular with this set. As long as you balance your use of color with layers of patina (chippy furniture, faded oil paintings), you'll be in good shape.

Patina, Not Perfection

The patina from passed-down furniture or freshly picked pieces is where cottagecore gets its soul. "Antiques are an essential part of country interiors," says Audrey Gelman, who founded Brooklyn's cottagecore emporium The Six Bells. "Without them, the look will fall flat." She recommends seeking out pieces such as spongeware ceramics, Shaker baskets, steel pails, and other types of primitive decor. Embracing a mix of eras and styles contributes to that acquired-over-time look that cottagecore enthusiasts crave, even if you happened to purchase it all online on the same day. (Check out our other favorite online antique stores to get a head start!)

Room for Play

Embracing pastoral, "slow living" pursuits—chicken keeping, gardening, flower arranging, sewing, basket-making, from-scratch baking—is very much part of the cottagecore lifestyle, which is why hobby-centric spaces are also seeing a surge in popularity. Flower enthusiasts, for example, have their 'bloom rooms' (basically a mudroom, but with more vases!), while gardeners can tinker in their sheds, quilters can retreat to the craft room, and chicken ladies can outfit their chicken coops with all sorts of bells and whistles. Even if you don't (yet!) have time for such pursuits, you can pay a nod to them with antiques and collectibles, like a DIY garland of vintage seed packets or a crock filled with antique wooden rolling pins.

Gardens Gone Wild

Out back, cottagecore lovers embrace whimsical plants grounded in traditional British-garden style. "Stick to old-fashioned, nostalgic throwbacks," says Country Living's Senior Food & Garden Editor Chris Michel. "Think tea or climbing roses, foxgloves, tall spires of hollyhock, lavender bushes, and fragrant sweet pea, climbing a garden trellis or trailing along a wonky wooden fence." But, flowers aren't the only thing you'll need. Traditionally, English gardens were places where ornate flowers grew next to subsistence plantings. "It wouldn’t be out of place to have a spot for some vegetables—cabbages, carrots, etc., or even a small fruit tree," says Chris. Just be sure to leave space for a small cafe table to sit at and enjoy hard work.

There are a few plants you are probably best to leave out of your garden, Chris notes. He suggests avoiding invasive, fast growing plants such as English ivy and wisteria that can choke out other plantings. ("If you really love wisteria, try to get American wisteria, which is native, and much less aggressive," says Chris.)

One Gallon Watering Can

Thorn-Proof Gardening Gloves

Wicker Gathering Basket

Aged Terra-Cotta Pots

Garden Clog

Wood-Handled Tool Set

Cottage to the Core

Now that you're all up to speed on this decorating style, you can get your (literal) ducks in a row. Just remember: Cottagecore decorating is all about embracing whatever makes your home feel happy and cozy. Think of it as permission to fill your space with the things you care most about and to not fret over how and if they perfectly fit together.

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