Capturing a cozy and dreamy vibe, the cottagecore aesthetic has become incredibly popular in fashion, beauty and home design. If you’re active on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, you’ve surely but slowly seen this type of content with flowy dresses, flowers, countryside scenes, pastel colors, cakes with fruit and mushroom decor, just to name a few.

The cottagecore aesthetic embraces dreams, vintage looks, coziness and romance. Unlike other home design styles such as boho or brutalist interior design, cottagecore is a maximalist’s dream. It’s all about building a cozy and comfortable space for yourself. Think of a Disney princess movie like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty; they essentially embody this aesthetic.

One of the many trends to hit social media, cottagecore is here to stay. Home decor department stores like Marshalls have full-on embraced cottagecore, featuring items like mushroom decor plates, fake botanicals, large fruit tables and more. Fashion brands and stores like LoveShackFancy and Altar’d State have been leaning into this aesthetic, with influencers showing off their cottagecore fashions in their cottagecore home.

There are over 5.4 million posts under the #cottagecore on Instagram and 1.7 million posts on TikTok. If you type in “CottageCore House” on TikTok, you’ll come across plenty of videos on home design inspo, some with over two million likes. You’ll even find specific hashtags like #cottagecoredecor and #cottagecoreaesthetic under posts. Under these hashtags, you find an array of videos including house tours, sourdough bread baking, vegetable garden planting, vintage fashion, books and tea cups, along with cottagecore video game content on Minecraft, Animal Crossing and The Sims 4: Cottage Living.

Still wondering what exactly cottagecore is? While it’s a great aesthetic for the maximalist, there are still specific design layouts that come with achieving this decor style. Here’s how to achieve the cottagecore aesthetic in your home.

Embrace Colors

Cottagecore spaces include a variety of colors. From nature-like colors like sage green and beige to pastel shades of yellow, pink and blue, cottagecore is all about the color. Use furniture in these shades or consider painting your walls a pastel or sage green color to fully embrace the aesthetic. Some people make the space feel even more like home by painting floral or mushroom designs on their walls.

Bring on the Botanicals

Flowers and plants are a great way to bring the cottagecore aesthetic to your home. Embrace floral bedding, add plants by the windowsill and include flowers on your shelving and tables to turn your space into a mini indoor botanical garden. If you’re not ready to be a plant mom or dad yet, use fake flowers and plants to still give your home that effect. Other decor items like floral peel-and-stick wallpaper, flower-shaped pillows, vases and floral-designed kitchen decor.

Look to Lighting

In a cottagecore aesthetic, lighting is also an element that creates the coziness factor. Soft white lighting works well with this design style as it creates a warm and cozy vibe due to its lower color temperature. Natural lighting also fits the cottagecore design style well. Try to keep curtains open to let in as much sunlight as possible. Your plants will love this too. Decorate the space with string lights for that dreamy effect.

Showcase Your Hobbies

The cottagecore aesthetic is all about hobbies. Whether that’s sewing, crocheting, baking, gardening, reading or whatever fun hobby you have, use your space to showcase that! If you like baking, display vintage tea sets or plates, if you’re into crocheting, hang up your creations, or if you collect toys or trinkets, display them all around your home! If you’re into cottagecore fashion, this is the perfect opportunity to display all of your cottagecore dresses and jewelry pieces on a clothing rack or ceramic display plate.

Use Vintage Decor

Your decor can make or break the cottagecore theme in your house. Utilize vintage decor for this aesthetic, including vintage kitchenware items, mirrors, vases, pottery and more. Other decor items like wall art, glass vases, lamps, wood frames, rugs, candles and more can add to the coziness of your home while following this aesthetic.