Top upholstery fabric choices for a dreamy cottagecore home

How about embracing a slower pace of life? One that celebrates cosy spaces with gentle florals, soft pastels, and an inviting, rustic charm? Sounds good, right? That’s why we’re exploring the Cottagecore trend and how you can use FibreGuard’s performance upholstery to create comforting spaces designed to enrich and cocoon.

Tying in with our KNOW-STALGIA trend, a playful take on ‘slow living’, Cottagecore is all about rural romanticism and embracing a simple approach to life.

Creating a cottagecore living room: design and upholstery tips

So what is the cottagecore trend?

First emerging during the pandemic, the Cottagecore aesthetic is a back-to-basics approach that salutes a slower pace of life with gentle colours, vintage finds, and natural materials.

“Like so many movements, cottagecore gained popularity through social media, but in reality it exists far from technology, amongst sprawling meadows and wild gardens. Born of a desire to return to a slower way of living, it is a movement that revels in the romance of rural life and celebrates a pastoral fantasy: think of soft, sun-faded aprons and the scent of freshly baked bread and you’re halfway there.” – Daisy Oakley, author of ‘Cottagecore: Inspirational Ideas, Crafts and Recipes for Wholesome Country Living’

Cottagecore encompasses a simple, wholesome vibe while making a nod to an old-fashioned, English country cottage aesthetic. Think nature-inspired colours, rustic linens, and whimsical touches such as pretty florals and handcrafted pieces.

What colour palette is associated with cottagecore?

Because Cottagecore is so intrinsically linked to nature, the colours related to this trend are gentle and take their inspiration from the natural world. We’re talking sage green, dusty pink and beige, with some stronger tones such as plum and muddy brown thrown in for good measure.

This connection with nature allows us to feel cocooned and comforted by our surroundings, which is exactly what many of us wanted when the term ‘Cottagecore’ was first coined during the pandemic.

Fabrics, texture and Cottagecore vibes

Fabrics plays a key role in the Cottagecore aesthetic. Layers of tactile textures are a great way to create an authentic, homely feel, with pretty florals and vintage botanical prints coming to the fore. There’s also a biophilic aspect to the Cottagecore fabric trend, so ‘bringing the outside in’ via nature-inspired colours and natural materials works well.

Cottagecore fabric trends for 2024

When it comes to the latest incarnation of Cottagecore, the fabrics are all about creating a romantic and nostalgic atmosphere. This translates into inviting textures such as FibreGuard’s easy clean upholstery in deep pile velvets, jacquards and brushed cottons.

The colours are either muddy toned or soft pastels, and floral patterned fabrics for Cottagecore furniture such as blousy blooms are spot on for the romantic nature of this rustic trend.

Some of the trending colours for 2024 – as predicted by Pinterest – are on target for Cottagecore upholstery fabrics. ‘moss green’, for example, is a leafy green shade inspired by ‘Aquatecture’, the trend for intricate aquarium designs. And ‘mocha brown’ is related to the rise in at-home coffee stations and the ‘Western Gothic’ trend which embraces vintage Americana.

Related read: find out more about our know-stalgia trend

So how can you adopt the cottagecore aesthetic in your interior? To sum up, the top fabric patterns and styles that are perfect for your cottagecore home are soft to the touch and inspired by the natural world. And while trends can be a useful guide, it’s also important to experiment with the kinds of delicate florals and luxurious velvets that best fit your individual style.

Looking for more design and textiles inspiration? Explore some of the hottest home themes for 2024/2025 by visiting our trends website.