Elements Of The Cottagecore Bedroom

The Cottage Style bedroom is a thing of beauty. It has a relaxed charm and a cosiness that makes you want to stay and never leave. In the new incarnation as the Cottagecore bedroom, the decorating has become even more personalised. It harkens back to cottage bedrooms in history, eclectic mixes of furniture and collections of treasured items. Are you looking to create a cottage-style bedroom either by updating or starting from scratch? Here are some of the elements that go into creating this gorgeous style.

An Abundance of Books

Oh yes! Books are back. In this decor style, you get to stack them everywhere! Since Cottagecore is about slowing down and taking time for the little things, a love of books and reading is a natural pastime and one I love. To embrace this element truly one would stick to classics that showcase the country and romantic lifestyle. Think Little Women, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, The Bronte Sisters, Anne of Green Gables series, and Jane Austen. (All my favourites *insert heart eyes*) But don’t think you have to read only classics to be truly cottagecore. Any book will do! It’s the art of reading and time taken that’s the important part.

To embrace your new (or renewed) love for reading, you’ll need a cosy lamp on the bedside table of course. It might be whimsical glass or one with a floral shade. If you’re truly hardcore, you could light a candle to read by. Don’t forget to blow it out though. Candles are dangerous things.

Florals and Pattern

Don’t think cottage style is just about floral wallpaper (though I absolutely ADORE it). In this new version of the style, the florals are EVERYWHERE. In the bedroom that can mean, wallpaper, artwork, bedlinen, little china dishes you put your jewellery in, and curtains. This is not the matchy, matchy country style of the Laura Ashley ’90s though. These florals are soft and layered. They might not match in colour and will have a collected and thrown-together feel. It might look as if you went about the house and got everything floral you could find and added it to the bedroom. You can even up the romance level by adding ruffles, scallops and lace to your floral edges.

Too much floral can be overwhelming though, so temper it with muted solid colours dotted around the room.

Bare Floors and Rugs

Timber floors add charm and character to any style of home. But in the cottage style a bare floor is perfection. If you have them hidden under your carpet, rip it up and show them off. A battered floor (and believe me our rugs hide a myriad of problems) takes country and cottage style to a whole new level. You could paint it to hide a few sins if you like, bleach it or stain. Pop a rug down (with a floral motif, of course) and your bedroom is instantly looking more cottage style. If you want to be really cottagecore, stick to a natural rug if you can or even try making your own. I’d love to try a rag rug. I’m not sure they are that dog friendly though!

The Cottage Style Bedroom and Antique Furniture

If you are lucky enough to own an antique bed, you’re halfway to a cottage style room already. In this style, old timber beds and iron classics come into their own. The only problem you might have with an original bed is the size as old beds are very narrow and ofter short for people of today’s height. In this case, you might can lengthen the bed with new rails but you can never add width. So you’ll be sleeping cosy! We like to have room when we sleep as I sleep very lightly, so we have a reproduction iron bed.

Whatever bed you have, to make your room feel cottagey, you’ll need a mix of old furniture. DON’T paint it all white like we did in the shabby chic days. In cottagecore style you’ve collected pieces from around your home. Bamboo might be mixed with iron. Timber is usually left unpainted though it’s varnish or wax may have been redone. You could add porcelain knobs to a more modern chest to give a more cottage look but on the whole second hand, thrifted and hand me down furniture is the way. It sends the message we value our things and care for them. We do not want waste.

Collections & Whimsy in the Cottage Style Bedroom

In the cottage-style bedroom, you are allowed to showcase your collections. It might be a set of porcelain figurines, vintage hats, or even old bottles. Be romantic and add flowers to your bedside. Show your whimsical nature with a collection of birdcages or little timber birds. Step outside your comfort zone and find wallpaper with butterflies in the flowers. All these elements personalise your space, bring nature in and make the room feel cosier and well-loved.

Don’t forget handmade items too.

Cottagecore is about a love of handmade. You might not feel you are creative enough to sketch or make a cross stitch pillow but there are many people on Etsy who do. Garage sales and second hand shops are great places to find old embroidered linens you can use in your new bedroom.

Billowy or Romantic Curtains

One thing that makes a cottage bedroom appear whimsical and romantic is a set of billowy curtains or hopelessly romantic panels. You might go for a small pattern that’s subdued or something bold. Your windows are a wonderful place to introduce lace to the bedroom. Or why not do both?! Layers on layers of pattern and lace scream cottage.