5 Ideas Bring Cottagecore into your Life

“The night was clear and frosty, all ebony of shadow and silver of snowy slope; big stars were shining over the silent fields; here and there the dark pointed first stood up with snow powdering their branches and the wind whistling through them.”

Anne of Green Gables

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This is Cottagecore, the aspirational aesthetic that praises pastoral lifestyle through picturesque photos. Compare your cramped flat or little house in suburbia to the idea of living in open fields, surrounded by lush forests, and babbling brooks, it’s easy to see the appeal of country life. Especially over the past year when so many of us lived in lockdown for extended periods. But the Cottagecore aesthetic is not only about the visual. It’s about the pace of life, inside your home and outside. It’s an appreciation of nature and natural things. Below are some ways you can bring Cottagecore into your life if you don’t want to put floral patterns everywhere.

Hang Some Floral Wallpaper

Cottagecore celebrates botanicals and the outdoors by bringing them into the home. With the rise in popularity of peel and stick wallpaper, it’s easier than ever to bring some Cottagecore into your life. The cost is less than it used to be and the appeal of simply peeling the wallpaper off the wall when you tire of it is huge. Temple and Webster have a lovely new range of Australian style Peel and Stick wallpaper like the one in the picture. It would be an afternoon of work to add some floral wallpaper to a wall.

If you’re feeling very bold, this one from Amazon has true cottage vibes.

Try Sprouting

Cottagecore is also about simple and handmade. While baking is a staple of the aesthetic, you can bring Cottagecore into your life by growing your own vegetables and flowers either in a small garden in your yard or in planters on your balcony.

One idea I’m longing to try is sprouting my own greens. If you have a mason jar on hand it’s an easy process. If not you could invest in a mason jar kit and have fresh sprouts for your lunch in a few days. I love the idea that this sprouting kit can sit on my kitchen bench and be functional yet pretty.

Last year I gifted our son a Microgreens kit from Biome. It came in the form of a modern windowsill-sized planter. This idea can easily be adapted with a wooden planter on your window sill. This will give you that cosy cottage look plus you have fresh herbs or even lettuce at your fingertips. That’s truly cottage style!

Bring Cottagecore into Your Life by Taking Up a Craft

A long time ago I spent a lot of time crafting with my grandmother. We used to sew, do cross-stitch, crochet and make tablecloths decorated with fabric paint. One of the Cottagecore staples I love is the idea of handmade. I recently bought an embroidery kit with the idea of getting back into this traditional craft. Embroidery doesn’t have to be complicated or dowdy. There are so many modern ideas to choose from and if you incorporate a floral theme and hang it simply on your wall in the hoop, it’s very cottagey.

If you like the idea of displaying embroidery but not the idea of doing it yourself, there are many Etsy sellers who sell readymade pieces. What a perfect way to bring cottagecore into your life.

Take Up Drinking Herbal Tea and Bring Cottagecore into your Life

I’ve recently started drinking strawberry tea in the evening. It gives me the sweetness I love without the sugar. If you want to bring Cottagecore into your life and you like tea, try mixing it up. Don’t just have a mug and a teabag. Add some real chamomile or lavender to your cup. Edible flowers will send your cup of tea to Cottagecore heaven. Dried edible flowers are easily accessible online if you don’t have them at your home. (Or you could grow some in your new balcony garden!) While you are at it, brew your tea in a pot the proper way. It just tastes better when it’s done without the teabag!

Put Down the Ebook and Indulge in Real Books Again

This is a REALLY hard one for me. I’ve been an ebook reader since 2010. In fact, I had not bought a physical book for around ten years until I started looking at home decor books again. To embrace the idea of simple traditional living I’ve begun to invest in pretty books again. I don’t buy novels I read in bed, just coffee table-type books I can sit and mull over with a cuppa. I’ve invested in new copies of my favourite classics that have lovely covers I can display around the farmhouse.

If you want to bring cottagecore ideals into your home below is one book I can recommend.