Cottagecore
Everything old is new again. See this saying in action in the trend known as Cottagecore.
I like this definition from architect and YouTuber Stewart Hicks:
“Cottagecore is a movement harkening back to agricultural life, skills, and crafts. As a concept, it embraces a simpler, more sustainable existence that is harmonious with nature. Aesthetically it’s a nod to the traditional English countryside. Key aesthetic components are bringing natural elements indoors as decorative elements like flowers (either fresh or dried) and house plants, along with a natural color palette like neutrals and warm tones and woods. Add in a healthy dose of inspiration from old-time farming and some of grandma’s vintage dishware and you’re on your way to a cottagecore appreciation.”
Let’s look at some inspirational examples.
![A homey kitchen with wood countertops filled with fruits and cakestands. Open shelving has slats for plates and bowls, with glassware above. A sprig of purple flowers from the garden complement the green view outside the window. A striped towel is scrunched in the foreground, as if someone just walked away.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Cottagecore-kitchen-via-homesourcetx.jpg)
You can almost smell the freshly-baked pies coming from this kitchen. Love the plate and bowl open storage.
![A white enameled claw-foot tub with an old-fashioned "telephone-style" faucet and spray nozzle sits underneath a series of neatly framed birds and landscapes on a soft green painted wall. Light streams in the open window dressed with floral curtains.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Desigh_Blog-Cottagcore-Bathroom-via-thefoxandshe.jpg)
This bathroom demands reading a book in the tub. The neatly hung art reminds me of a Victorian curiosities library.
![Painted white tiling has some of the paint rubbed off on the raise pattern, exposing the tin color beneath. A brass "victorian" style faucet with a single white ceramic handle completes the space.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Cottagcore-Tiling-via-monmagasingeneral.jpg)
The textural element of this painted tiling combined with the brass, exposed-plumbing-style faucet with a single white ceramic handle really captures the feeling of cottagecore.
![Moss green blankets and white sheets are rumpled on the bed in the foreground. On the moss green walls, paintings and photographs are neatly framed. A white door counterpoints the green. Fresh flowers on the nightstand completes the look.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Cottagecore-Gallery-via-Posterstore-580x629.jpg)
Neatly-framed photos and artwork balance the softly messy bed linens, inviting a nap. The moss-green wall color is so hip right now, and yet timeless, when combined with a white door. Fresh flowers complete the look in this cottagecore-inspired bedroom.
Kimball Starr designs romantic homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or socially-distant in-person consultation.