Rural countryside, intricate lace, delicate china cups with wafting steam, and fresh floral designs – These are all elements of the latest aesthetic trend dubbed “Cottagecore.” If you’ve ever closed your eyes and wondered what life would be like living in a quiet cottage, you’re not alone. With the stresses of the city becoming more prominent than ever – Noise pollution, covid protests, crowding, continued construction, it’s no surprise that many others are feeling the same way.
And while many are leaving the city and seeking premium cottage real estate, like these cottages for sale on Lake of Bays, others are creating the vibes within their houses and apartments. But what exactly is cottagecore, and how did it start?
What is Cottagecore?
Cottagecore describes an aesthetic style that showcases a more laid-back, simpler lifestyle, like gardening in your backyard, baking your bread, and making simple crafts.
Cottage core, at its heart, is a reaction against the way we live in modern times. It fights back against our life of being glued to a screen – be it a computer, phone, or television, and against the “machine” of the work-life grind. Advanced technology has no place in the cottagecore aesthetic – No pings from an apple watch every two minutes, no work pages, no stresses of the city or doom-scrolling through phones before bed.
The pandemic has helped in driving this aesthetic to an all-time high. Quarantine has kept us feeling trapped in a box, relying on our technology more than ever. Despite their simplicity, video games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley all reached the tops of the sales charts, as they allowed players to experience the quiet life. Meanwhile, the hashtag #cottagecore has over 7 billion views on TikTok alone.
Bringing Cottagecore to your home
While it’s a lovely idea to run away to the English countryside and begin a new life, it may not be a realistic venture for everyone. This is why bringing cottagecore aesthetics into our existing lives is so popular.
1. Paint
As cottagecore is all about simplicity, neutral colour palettes are key in the cottagecore aesthetic. Whites, creams, and the use of warm wood tones all will help set the mood of a calm country cottage.
2. Nature
To evoke the feeling of being in nature, you need, well, nature. Flower wreaths, lavender bouquets, and loads of houseplants will all help to bring your ideal country aesthetic to life. These don’t need to be live plants either; natural patterns like floral print tea cups, leaf pattern pillows, artificial vine walls, framed dried leaves will all contribute to this aesthetic. Having furniture accents using reclaimed wood help warm up the vibe of your home.
3. Homemade Aesthetic
A big part of the desire for cottagecore is envisioning the ability to do self-made activities to occupy our time or even start a small business. You don’t need a rustic country kitchen to partake in these activities either. Taking up a hobby such as homemade baking bread, scones, or muffins, can help soothe your mind as well as your stomach.
Likewise, you don’t need large plots of land to garden. Small herb gardens can easily be grown on balconies, and indoor gardens like the Aerogarden can be purchased and used to help grow plants on your very own countertops.
Craftwork such as embroidery, knitting, sewing, and scrapbooking can allow you to take time from your busy schedule and centre yourself in a relaxing hobby – all without needing an ounce of cottage space outside your living room.
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