If you've kept your pulse on the design industry in the last few years, chances are, you've seen the term "cottagecore" sweep the realms of fashion, interiors, and even architecture. Add a global health crisis that forces people to stay indoors (and find their respite in nature) and the desire for a "modern rural fantasy" as BBC described the aesthetic movement, has only continued to flourish in the last year.
"It’s natural to think [cottagecore] became popular because of Covid and the rush to flee the city life, but I think this movement to a cozier and more demure look has been going on for awhile," says Dana Lorenz, founder of Fallon Jewelry and a new Palm Beach lifestyle shop, Town Country Coast. "There has been a progression of people that have gone from wanting to go out to wanting to stay home. I think what goes on in the world totally affects our behavior, and it feels safe to want to go back to what people feel was a simpler time, even if it is just going back to reminiscing about their childhood trips with their moms to Laura Ashley or Pierre Deux." But this so-called trend is actually a return to the lifestyles of Northern and Western Europe from centuries past.
What Is Cottagecore?
Lorenz says she thinks a more appropriate term for "cottagecore" is "Cotswolds-core," as much of the inspiration for the cottagecore aesthetic is coming from the idyllic English countryside destination. She says the term "cottagecore" conjures up thoughts of 19th-century English (and French) antiques à la Bridgerton, stone houses covered in vines, and "well-worn kitchens with copper pots everywhere," all of which Lorenz says embody "flourish, flounce, and fairytale."
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The Cotswolds played a leading role in the wool trade, as it was known throughout Medieval Europe as possessing some of the continent's best. The region is also home to a now-iconic type of limestone named after the area that is rich in fossils and special to this Southern portion of England, serving as the primary material for many of its charming villages and country homes. There's also a deep-seated connection to gardening in England, and The Cotswolds takes that one step farther by celebrating local food and the slow food movement with its vibrant gastronomic scene. Cozy textiles, unique architecture and craftsmanship, along with a fresh-from-the-garden culinary philosophy all influence the concept of "cottagecore," elements of daily life in The Cotswolds that can be traced back hundreds of years.
The cottagecore aesthetic burgeoned in America between 2017-2019 as an antithesis to many of the day's trends: America's biggest cities were experiencing a decade-long growth trend; our Instagram feeds were full of monochromatic, Scandinavian-inspired interiors; gardening had seen a major plunge from being America's favorite pastime; and fashion labels were creating trends for a night out on the town rather than for staying in.
"I don’t think anyone that embraces this look cares if people find it appropriate or not," says Lorenz. "They are taking the look to the limits and I don’t think they are looking back. Girls are wearing head-to-toe Little House on the Prairie looks, and I don’t think it’s because they care what others think of them."
The ideals of "cottagecore" rebel against the big-city lifestyle and materialism that have been the faces of the "American Dream" for decades, opting for a simpler, slower pace of life more focused on what they already had than what they didn't. Adherents also re-imagined what "cool" really means, making staying in the new going out, bucolic florals the new "it" print, and peasant dresses a wardrobe staple once again.
Then, the pandemic hit. Soon, even the chicest city-sleekers were fleeing upstate, to the mountains, or to the suburbs, baking sourdough bread and finding refuge in flower beds. Stilettos were exchanged for slippers and office wear became cozy loungewear sets. Many who once saw the "cottagecore" aesthetic as frumpy and fantastical began leaning into the idealization of country life for fashion and decorating inspiration, especially people stuck at home realized how little their homes served them the way they need them to.
Achieving the Cottagecore Aesthetic in the Home
"If you are truly hardcore, you are getting the porous marble and taking the time your grandmother did to care for it," says Lorenz. "You are restoring rather than remodeling, but maybe still buying the La Cornue stove." This notion aligns with a recent shift from fast furniture to an interest in, awareness of, and desire for craftsman-made pieces and sustainable materials for a more well-collected, mindful home. Cottagecore is also moreso about leaning into the simple, timeless luxuries of life instead of the modern creature comforts we've grown accustomed to in the western world.
Additionally, Instagram feeds are full of posts from users sharing their new embroidery projects and craft skills picked up in quarantine that are now on proud display in the home. A rise in nostalgia-fueled decorating has also beckoned us to turn to our mother's (and grandmother's) favorite ruffles and floral patterns, heirloom furniture and decor, and exciting vintage finds. Instead of perfectly curated profiles of parties attended and chic nights out on the town, photos of the way natural light hits the breakfast nook, an array of farmers market finds or freshley baked goods, and the process of one's garden have become common social media posts. This return to "the simple life" is at the center of the cottagecore lifestyle.
"I have been collecting French tole and glazed chintz for ages, have had an obsession with ditsy florals and ruffled drapery since I can remember," says Lorenz. "This look is about a feeling, and it just feels good. It’s like a warm blanket or a dog on your lap."
Lorenz's new shop, Town Country Coast, launched online earlier this year and as a brick-and-mortar shop in Palm Beach at the beginning of April. She says the shop is inspired by her "ongoing quest" to outfit her homes across the city, country, and coast, a notion many others have experienced as they spent more time in their second homes in the past year than they have in a decade—or made the leap to purchase one while in need of a pandemic refuge. Town Country Coast is a haven for cottagecore aesthetes looking to decorate their homes—regardless of location—with historical, bucolic inspiration, nature-inspired elements, and vintage items.
PAIR OF LAVENDER FLORAL TOLE CANDLEHOLDERS
VERANDA Senior Style & Market Editor Rachael Burrow says some of her favorite cottagecore finds for the home include shopping Mainly Baskets Home for woven chairs and end tables, The Beautiful Bed Company for beautiful handmade beds, Cutter Brooks for English decor, and OKA for pleated and pattern shades for lamp bases. We also love craftsmanship-driven British brands Maker & Son for ultra-comfy seating and TOAST for charming housewares.
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Burrow also loves leaning into woven shades from The Shade Store to create a cozier, more layered space. She suggests looking to textiles for special moments in your home, like skirts instead of cabinetry doors in a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room. Botanicals of all kinds—from framed prints to patterns on fabrics and wallpaper—packs a major punch of cottagecore glamour and some of her favorite brands for sourcing include Blackwell Botanicals, Colefax & Fowler, Alice Sergeant, and Sister Parish.
Lauren Wicks is a Birmingham-based writer covering design trends, must-have products, travel inspiration, and entertaining. She’s obsessed with globally inspired textiles, hosting dinner parties, and French cocktails.
