30 Cottagecore Bedroom Ideas to Romanticize Rural Life

1. Consider a vintage metal bed…

Have a quick browse on Pinterest or Instagram, and we bet this is the type of bedframe you’ll see the most in #cottagecore pictures.

This is because a retro-style metal frame with harmonious lines and decorative elements can really help you emphasize the nostalgic vibes that characterize this aesthetic.

Depending on the rest of your palette, you could consider a painted finish too, like this relaxing white metal bed.

2. … or another decorative option

Even though metal bedframes tend to be the most popular with this style, they’re far from being the only ones you can experiment with.

In general, you want something bold and extremely ornate, whether that’s cabriole legs, an eye-catching hue, or a vintage design that looks as if you’ve scouted for your bed in a quaint market.

Majestic poster beds are another interesting take on cottagecore bedrooms.

3. Invite nature into your bedroom

There are countless ways to homage the natural world in your cottagecore bedroom, but one of the most obvious ones is to reference it directly: for example, by choosing decorative items that imitate natural elements like this overhead light with leaves.

You could also choose floral or animal motifs for your bedsheets, curtains, and other fabrics. And how about some actual flowers or houseplants on your nightstand, desk, or windowsill?

4. Layer up

Cottagecore decor thrives on maximalism and an abundance of details. Textiles are a key element to achieve or add to this delightfully busy feel.

So, don’t limit yourself to some simple bedding: add blankets, throws, and flowy bed skirts, too!

But your bed isn’t the only spot to create charming layers. You could make the most of the top of your bench or add some decorative doilies to your nightstands.

5. Pillows, pillows, pillows

Another trick to add depth and play with different patterns is to fill your bed with decorative cushions.

As well as your main pillows, consider adding another line or two by pairing up cushions that complement your palette in a cohesive way or by creating a noticeable contrast against your bedsheets and bedframe.

6. Introduce different patterns

Normally, the rule of thumb when decorating your home is to avoid too many patterns in the same room. With cottagecore decor, on the other hand, you’re much freer to experiment with them.

Draw inspiration from the natural world whenever you can, and choose busy patterns that create a maximalist but cozy feel.

7. Embrace pastel colors

With this aesthetic drawing inspiration from the rural world, it’s no wonder that you’ll mainly find natural colors in cottagecore bedrooms.

Rather than bright or heavily saturated hues, however, try opting for muted or pastel tones to maintain a balanced vintage feel.

Some popular cottagecore colors are greens, pinks, light browns, light blue, pink, and creamy or warmer whites.

8. Create some contrast

Nobody’s stopping you from sticking to warm or cold palettes if that’s what you personally prefer.

However, it’s not rare to see some bold contrast in cottagecore bedrooms. After all, when you introduce so many items, layers, and patterns, it’s almost inevitable!

Instead of fearing it, embrace it by pairing up hues on the opposite side of the color wheel, like this bedroom with dark green shutters and salmon bedsheets.

9. Experiment with white

If you’re torn between embracing this style’s maximalism and your fear of ending up with an overwhelming vibe, consider starting with white.

This calming color can easily serve as your base, not only for your walls but for furniture and other large items like rugs.

Using white as a primary or secondary color will help your more colorful pieces pop while maintaining a relaxing feel in your cottagecore bedroom.

10. A pretty wallpaper wouldn’t be a bad idea

Can’t get enough of patterns and colors? Then go the opposite direction by embracing another popular trend with cottagecore interiors: vintage wallpaper.

You can really get creative with it, but we especially recommend considering your palette’s main hues and sticking to motifs from the natural world, such as leaves, flowers, mushrooms, farm animals, bees, butterflies, and so on.

11. Fill your walls with decorative items

Much like ivy in the countryside, this style’s maximalism tends to climb up walls, too.

Picture frames, mirrors, artwork… in a cottagecore bedroom, you can really go crazy with wall decor, especially if you have white or light-colored walls

If yours are darker or involve patterned wallpaper, it might be wiser to stick to monochrome items in lighter hues. This will create a pleasant contrast while preventing patterns from clashing.

12. Add artwork or pictures of the countryside

Colors and motifs are far from being the only way to homage the rural world.

From photos to paintings and other types of artworks, you can also hang up pictures that represent idyllic countryside scenes.

A clever spot would obviously be the space above your bedframe, or you could consider the opposite wall and the ones next to it if you’d rather look at these landscapes when lying down.

13. Fill your open storage

Shelves, desk surfaces, clothing racks: open storage and cottagecore decor go hand in hand because the former allows you to showcase the overload of decorative items that characterizes the latter.

Unlike with minimalist interior styles, don’t be scared to fill up your open shelves and even create multiple rows—from clocks to pots of flowers and souvenirs—but try and arrange them in a tidy and conscious way.

14. Decorate your floor, too

A bedroom with a simple, bare floor? Mmh, that doesn’t sound very #cottagecore to us.

Instead, we recommend adding at least one rug. This could be a large one that goes underneath your entire bed to create a separate island, a rectangular model right next to it, or a smaller rug in another spot, like next to your desk.

15. Choose unique and aged furniture pieces

It’s rare to find contemporary furniture pieces with sleek lines in cottagecore bedrooms. After all, this style prioritizes a nostalgic vintage feel!

When it comes to furniture, this translates into retro pieces that look as if they were one of a kind. For example, you could scout for natural wood finishes, pastel paints, weathered feels, and ornate elements like decorative drawer handles, wood carvings, or cabriole legs.

16. Go crazy with wood

If what you love the most about the cottagecore aesthetic is its rustic appeal, then wood will be your most trusted sidekick when decorating your bedroom.

Obviously, you can start with wooden furniture pieces, especially those in natural and lighter finishes, but you don’t need to stop there.

This is the cozy cabin-style feel that you can achieve when you incorporate wooden walls and floors, too.

17. Make it whimsical with some fairy lights

To add to the fairytale-esque charm of an anachronistic return to nature, you can’t go wrong with some fairy lights. They’re yet another chance to create a bedroom that feels special to you personally, too.

Could do with some inspiration? Hang fairy lights above your bed, wrap them around your bedframe, place them around a mirror or in between other wall decor items, or follow the outline of your shelves.

18. Showcase your exposed beams

If your bedroom has some exposed wooden beams, those are some extra cottagecore points that you’ll get for free without any kind of effort (or you can always emphasize them even more by adding some fairy lights and decorative items).

If you love the way they look but haven’t got them in your bedroom, don’t worry: you can experiment with faux beams, too.

19. Include ornate lighting fixtures

In cottagecore bedrooms, lighting shouldn’t be a purely functional element: your fixtures can actively add to your room’s maximalism and reinforce your nostalgic vibes.

We especially recommend opting for vintage fixtures like this ornate chandelier or for some rustic designs, perhaps including wooden elements or nature-inspired shapes.

20. Add some flames if you can

Flickering flames that you can enjoy while cozying up under the blankets with a warm drink: isn’t that one of the most cottagecore scenes you can picture?

Depending on your bedroom layout, it might not be too hard to turn it into a reality.

Fireplaces are obviously the most romantic option, but you could consider a stove too. Need a less permanent and more versatile solution? Go with electric models.

21. Add a farmhouse twist with a barn door

While they’re mainly used in farmhouse homes, barn doors are guaranteed to reinforce the rustic vibes of your cottagecore bedroom, too.

Not only that: they’re a game-changing solution in fairly small rooms where a traditional door would end up leaving you with even less floor space whenever you open it.

22. It’s all about gingham

As we’ve already seen, cottagecore bedrooms are big on patterns, especially a variety of different ones involving natural themes.

If we had to pick the most cottagecore of all time, then, well… it would have to be gingham. Traditionally associated with picnic blankets, it’ll instantly inspire that coveted rural feel.

Some clever spots to make the most of it are your bedsheets, curtains, and other blankets.

23. Make it bookish

You might have seen the most charming cottagecore bedrooms through some #bookstagram accounts too, and that’s not a coincidence: unlike DVD cases and other contemporary techy items, books immediately take us back to a nostalgic time.

So, consider making them part of your cottagecore bedroom decor, too.

If you have or are planning on getting some old editions with pretty hardback covers, be sure to put them right on display.

24. It’s time to make a statement with a large clock

Large wall clocks aren’t just functional: they are one of the most attention-grabbing decorative items you can find.

To match the rustic and nostalgic vibes of cottagecore rooms, we recommend sticking to Roman numerals or vintage fonts and designs, much like the aged style of this clock.

25. Place a bench at the bottom of your bed

In cottagecore bedrooms, benches are an extremely strategic piece.

Of course, they’re functional, providing you with an additional surface and, if you want, some hidden storage space.

However, they can also help you add yet another colorful item or pattern and increase the depth of your bed, contributing to your bustling maximalist feel.

26. Embrace the view from your windows

If you don’t live in the countryside, artwork and pictures will help you create a similar feel.

Do you happen to have some trees or natural elements right outside your bedroom window? Instead of hiding them behind thick curtains, leave them open, or consider sheer options, shutters, or valances.

Wanna know a secret? By placing a mirror on the wall next to your window, you’ll amplify this view even further.

27. Create a special, cozy nook

Bed aside, large cottagecore rooms will probably have enough space for another cozy area where you can head whenever you wish to read, relax, or switch off from the outside world.

For example, you could add a bench next to your fireplace, an armchair by your book collection, or a boho hanging chair, which also tends to be a popular option in cottagecore bedrooms (perhaps with some fairy lights, too).

28. Choose dark wood for a more nostalgic vibe

Painted or lighter wood finishes are more popular in cottagecore decor, but there’s no reason to give up on darker options if that’s what you personally enjoy.

In fact, dark wood furniture and elements can even help you reinforce the nostalgic rural feel of old farms and mansions in the countryside.

29. Add a vintage mirror frame

‘Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the most cottagecore of them all?’ Think extremely decorative metal frames with harmonious shapes and a vintage feel!

Alternatively, pastel-colored options are ideal, too. And don’t think that you have to limit yourself to a single mirror: it’s not rare to find cottagecore bedrooms with a wall mirror, a large freestanding option, and some smaller ones used as decorative items.

30. Introduce your kids to the magic of cottagecore

If you’re trying to create a cottagecore home rather than limit this beautiful style to your bedroom, why not do the same in your kids’ room, too?

After all, the pastel colors that characterize this aesthetic are perfect to achieve a balanced but playful feel. We bet your kids are going to love other popular #cottagecore items such as dreamy poster beds, cozy layers, and animal themes.