Cuddle up for Winter with these Cozy Cottage Core Room Ideas

“What is a cottage core room?” (I’m so glad you asked!)

A cottage core room is a space with decor that has been inspired by nature. It often has decor items reminiscent of simpler times and quaint, cottage living. Think of Grandma’s house mixed with an English country cottage and you get an idea of what the cottagecore asthetic is.

Winter seems like the perfect time for a cozy home feel, so I decided to add some of this “trendy” style to my own living and dining room.

cottagecore coffee table arrangement of a vintage stoneware plate and plant sitting on top of a vintage doily.
The cottage style of a cottagecore space has little touches of vintage decor reminiscent of the simple life.

When did the cottagecore trend start?

The research I’ve done shows that cottagecore began in 2017. However, thanks to social media, it became wildly popular in 2020.

While people were spending more time at home, the idea of the “simple life” became more appealing.

The cottagecore lifestyle trend is an appreciation of the simple things – like making sourdough starter bread or having chickens in your backyard. (Not that chickens are exactly “simple” to look after!) The decor and look of it is the cozy feel that one might imagine if they lived in a cottage in the countryside.

There are many facets of cottagecore asthetic, but one common theme is natural elements like floral patterns and natural materials. Other names for this trend are grandmacore, prairiecore, farmcore, fairycore, and more.

A cottagecore style dining room with cottagecore shelves.
There are plenty of plants in cottagecore decor! This dining room with DIY shelves is styled with vintage linens, china, and gardening pots.

What decor is used in a cottage core room?

As I studied images and researched the cottagecore style, I was so excited at what I found. Many of the elements of the farmhouse and rustic style that I already love are used in cottagecore style.

Given the fact that I’m already super sentimental and have many of my Grandma’s actual things, I was thrilled to go through my boxes and bins and pull out elements that are now apparently “trendy”. What fun it was! (I start humming, “Haul out the doilies!” – tee hee)

A cottagecore style wall art arrangement of vintage art hung above a dresser with a wooden tray and a plant on it.
  • Vintage linens – Use an old dresser scarf or crocheted table runner as the base for a table centerpiece. Stack up vintage napkins and tableclothes and set them on a shelf. Hang a vintage dishtowel or apron on a hook in the wall.
  • Plants – Plants are very popular in a cottagecore room. Set one in the center of the table and arrange them around the room.
  • Vintage china & stoneware dishes -Bring the china tea sets out and display them on shelves. Stack up the teacups or hang them on hooks.
  • Art with floral motifs – Vintage art is perfect in cottagecore decor. Vintage botanical prints, paintings in pastel colors, and scenery depicting gardens and countrysides help make the room feel cozy.
  • Hand embroidered or cross-stitched items– Remember the days of counted cross-stitch? I still had a design that was given to us on our wedding day nearly 32 years ago. It fits in perfectly with this cottagecore style.

A Cottagecore Living Room

Since our living room and dining room are one big room, I wanted to carry the cozy cottagecore feel into the entire space.

I started the cottagecore transformation in our Billy Bookcase wall unit.

Filling the shelves with vintage books, wooden boxes, stoneware dishes, faux plants, vintage art, and vintage wool blankets help the space feel so cozy and welcoming. Rustic touches – like a vintage galvenized metal gas can also fit in perfectly for the cottagecore look.

An Ikea Billy Bookcase decorated with the cottagecore aesthetic - vintage books, stoneware, plants, and rustic items.

Adding my Grandma’s doilies and vintage cutwork linen to the coffee table and end tables were the perfect base for arrangements that I could add candles to.

A cottagecore living room and dining room decorated with vintage items.

15 Ways to add Cottagecore decor for a Cottagecore Makeover in a Room

  1. Vintage doilies & linens can be used on the side table or coffee table.
  2. Vintage books can be stacked on a table or in a bookshelf.
  3. Arrange real and faux plants around the room
  4. Wooden boxes, trays, and cutting boards can give a nice rustic farmhouse style.
  5. Stoneware plates, bowls, pitchers, and other vintage pieces can be scattered throughout arrangements.
  6. Old vases filled with natural elements – like branches or flowers- look pretty on a coffee table or bookcase.
  7. Throw pillows with floral motifs don’t have to match perfectly. Mix it up for a fun look!
  8. Use wicker baskets for practical uses – like a place to store tv remotes or extra blankets.
  9. Vintage art hung above the couch can set the tone for the whole space.
  10. Fill glass jars with vintage items – like spools of thread or garden shovels.
  11. Hang floral wallpaper and add a vintage mirror on the wall for a charming cottagecore look.
  12. Use a piece of antique furniture.
  13. Set a floor lamp against a wall and hang an arrangement of straw hats beside it.
  14. Look for art or textiles with botanical motifs or a flower print – even wildflowers. Mix and match them throughout the room.
  15. Mix rustic touches – like farmhouse decor – with vintage pieces that remind you of the great outdoors. Mushroom figurines are wildy popular cottagecore decor items.
A great way to add style to a cottage core room is to add vintage items to a bookcase - like vintage books, stoneware and fairy lights.
Old books, vintage art prints, stoneware, wooden boxes, and a jar full of vintage sewing supplies help create a cottagecore style bookshelf. Fairy lights are an extra addition!

Where can I find cottagecore decor?

The best places to find cottagecore decor are at a vintage store, antique stores, thrift stores or flea markets -unless you’re like me and you already have a collection of items from your Grandma!;) In that case, your closet is a great place to start looking.

I have a whole bunch of free vintage botanical art in my free printables library that would be perfect for this style of decorating. Sign up here to get access to them all! You can also find over 100+ free vintage botanical printables here.

A dishtowel calendar with roosters from 1971 with the colors orange, mustard yellow and sage green. It's perfectly at home in a cottage core room!
One of my favorite discoveries when searching for cottagecore decor was this vintage 1971 dishtowel calendar!

What are the rules of cottagecore decor?

I’m very passionate about the philosophy that there are NO RULES for your home decor. I think it’s important that you create rooms and spaces that feel comfortable and cozy to you.

And, if that means hanging up an orange and yellow dishtowel calendar from 1971, you just go ahead and do it!

You also don’t have to go all in with the cottagecore home asthetic. Here’s some great tips on how to add a little of it for a cottagecore home.

Above all else, have fun creating your own cozy home – whatever that means to you!

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A Cottage Core Room - Dining room arranged with cottagecore style of vintage and rustic items with plants.

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3 Comments

  1. As a cross-stitcher, I noticed your cross-stitch from the Book of Ruth right away. What a lovely, lasting wedding gift. Has withstood the test of time well. Glad it fits in with your changes.

  2. Love this post! It is filled with practical, easy to follow ideas! What a find that vintage hanging cloth calendar was! As soon as I saw it I was transported back to my childhood ❤️

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