Cottagecore has become a buzzword in the world of interior and fashion trends over the last few years. This trend is all about creating a cottage-inspired aesthetic that evokes a simpler, more wholesome time, taking inspiration from country cottages, traditional farmhouses, and woodland cabins, regardless of whether you live in a city centre apartment, cramped terrace, or suburban semi.
The cottagecore aesthetic is relatively easy to incorporate in your home, whether that’s through floral wallpaper, gingham tablecloths, or rustic wooden floorboards. Here are our top tips for bringing cottagecore to your home:
What Is Cottagecore?
Cottagecore, which is sometimes also referred to as ‘farmcore’, has been an aesthetic trend for a few years now, but it gained particular traction amid the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, as a throwback to a supposedly simpler time.
Traditional hobbies such as baking, sewing, and gardening enjoyed a revival, and people sought out comforting, wholesome activities amid so much worrying news. The cottagecore aesthetic fed into this perfectly, inspiring people to create rustic, calming environments in the homes they were now suddenly spending so much more time in.
Cottagecore romanticises the rural lifestyle, evoking images of rustic farmhouses and woodland cabins – it’s the perfect antidote to busy modern lifestyles full of technology.
The cottagecore trend is also relatively sustainable, incorporating homemade, rustic, recycled, and reclaimed items, which may be another reason behind its growing popularity, as more people look to address their impact on the planet.
How To Create The Cottagecore Aesthetic
The cottagecore trend has so many different elements, meaning there are multiple ways to bring it to your home to suit your lifestyle and preferred aesthetic. With this in mind, here are just some of the ways you can incorporate cottagecore in your home decor:
- Gingham tablecloths – to add a rustic, almost picnic blanket-like feel to any mealtime
- Homemade curtains – extra cottagecore points if they’re fashioned from an old bed sheet or tablecloth
- Garden gnomes – the ultimate kitsch cottagecore addition to any garden
- A knitted tea cosy – even better if it’s homemade! The perfect finishing touch to a vintage tea set
- A log burner or open fireplace – incredibly rustic, will fill your home with the ultimate warming glow on winter nights
- Rag rugs – the perfect homespun addition to add extra texture to a wooden floor
- Mismatched soft furnishings – going for different colours and patterns for seat covers, carpets, rugs, cushions, and throws can create a wonderfully homely feel
- Wildflowers – bring the cottage garden indoors with vases (or milk bottles for extra cottagecore vibes) full of freshly picked blooms
- Repurposed wooden crates – ideal for storage and for adding to the rustic theme
- Reclaimed furniture – scour flea markets, online sellers, and try your hand at upcycling
- Minimal technology – of course, you’ll need some technology, but look for retro designs that will blend in with the cottagecore vibe, or keep it as out of sight as possible
- Create your own ‘home sweet home’ art – whether it’s a chalk sign, wall hanging, or cute cross stitch in a frame, every cosy cottage needs its own version of the ultimate welcoming words
4 Cottagecore Wallpaper Trends To Try
Whether you’re looking to paper a whole room or create a feature wall, here are some of our favourite cottagecore wallpaper ideas:
1. Floral Wallpaper
Bring the cottage garden vibe to your home with floral wallpaper – ditsy, delicate florals and illustrated flower patterns can look beautiful in a living area, bedroom, or even kitchen, providing the perfect background for your cottagecore aesthetic.
Some of our favourite floral wallpapers include:
- A.S. Creation Floral Sunflower Navy Blue Wallpaper (£20 per roll), which allows you to bring climbing sunflower vines indoors
- Bring the sunshine and a hint of spring indoors with the lovely yellow delicate floral design of the Arthouse Opera Chinoise Floral Pattern Songbird Flower Motif Wallpaper (£11 per roll)
- Go for a more rustic, neutral-coloured floral design with A.S. Creation’s Metallic Floral Non-Woven Delicate Floral Leaf Trail Wallpaper (£16 per roll)
- Try a vintage-style, whimsical floral design with the Arthouse Sophie Conran Postcards Home Wallpaper (£12 per roll)
Accessorise your floral wallpaper with rustic wooden floorboards and plenty of wildflowers on shelves or the mantelpiece in milk bottles instead of traditional vases.
2. Gingham Wallpaper
Gingham wallpaper can look great with a contrasting tablecloth or curtains in a different colour or check. Play around with different variations on gingham to create your own unique cottagecore look. Gingham wallpaper designs in our collection include:
- A.S. Creation Tartan Country Plaid Check Squares Wallpaper (£18 per roll) – a classic baby pink gingham for a spring-like feeling all year round
- Arthouse Tartan Check Grey Mono Chic Country Cottage Faux Fabric Wallpaper (£11 per roll) – a classic grey and white gingham design that will go with any style of decor
3. Brick Effect Wallpaper
For the ultimate in rustic simplicity, brick wallpaper can look brilliant in a kitchen or cosy living room. Add extra warmth to a room with brick effect wallpaper to prevent it feeling too cold with candles, lamps, and soft furnishings in warm colours. If you’re looking for a brick-patterned wallpaper, try:
- The Grandeco Vintage House Brick Pattern Red Wallpaper (£13 per roll) – a classic red brick design
- Go for a higgledy-piggledy stone brick design with the A.S. Creation Sand Stone Wall Pattern Rustic Brick Beige Wallpaper (£11 per roll)
4. Wood Effect Wallpaper
Wood effect wallpaper is a good way to create rustic cabin-in-the-woods or even treehouse vibes in your bedroom or bathroom. We’ve got several wallpapers that create the illusion of wooden boards, including:
- A.S. Creation’s Wood Beam Panel Pattern Faux Effect Tree Textured Brown Beige Wallpaper (£11 per roll)
- Opt for cosier, darker wooden vibes with the A.S. Creation Wood N Stone Wooden Beam Effect Textured Brown Blue Black Wallpaper (£16 per roll)
Start Living The Cottagecore Lifestyle
Extend the cottagecore trend beyond your home decor and incorporate it into your fashion sense and general lifestyle too. Some cottagecore fans favour vintage or homemade clothes, while gingham or peasant-style pieces are also a key part of this trend. Extra points for a selection of aprons on a hook and wellies by the door.
Wholesome, traditional activities like baking, sewing, and gardening can also be part of cottagecore, while trying your hand at painting or upcycling old furniture can be another way to incorporate the aesthetic into your home and wider lifestyle.
Find the perfect wallpaper to go with your cottagecore aesthetic at I Want Wallpaper, or get in touch with any questions you have about our designs.