These cottagecore living room decorating ideas will inspire you to create the cottage-style home of your dreams…
We’ve lived in our home for almost two years now. During that time we’ve had to renovate a lot. We still have a running list of things we want to change, but we have finally finished decorating our living room! I’ve compiled a list of living room decorating ideas for anyone trying to incorporate a bit of a modern cottage style into their home.
I pull from traditional, English cottage, and American farmhouse inspirations and have transformed our “normal” living room into something unique and homey.
Our living room is so cozy with a handful of wood tones, lots of different patterns and textures, and pastels that complement one another.
We were lucky that we only had to paint the walls and rip out the carpet to refinish the floors before decorating it. Definitely consider giving it a refresh with new colors and floors for an affordable makeover. Just changing these up can make quite the impact.
But today, I’m going to really detail all the decorating tips for an open space with lots of character. If you’re trying to make over your living room, I recommend starting with some of the ideas I’ve outlined below.
Here are some cottagecore living room decorating ideas for all my country home lovers out there…
Cottagecore Living Room Ideas
Rustic side tables | cottagecore living room
These side tables were just calling my name when I saw them. I just knew I had to have them. The stain meshed well with the other woods in my living room. They’re the perfect size for adding a few pieces of decor to. They also hold drinks and whatever else you wish to put on them.
Rustic tables add a certain ambiance to rooms. Especially if you live in an older home, these will complement the room. They give an old world feel and look classic and put together even though they have a “worn” look to them. They are sturdy and fairly affordable, too. Highly recommend these!
Blanket ladder | cottagecore living room
For some more fun, modern living room decorating ideas you can add in blanket ladders or baskets. I love this blanket ladder from Kirkland’s. My husband bought it for me as a holiday gift and I adore it. I’d been wanting one for a while and it’s the perfect size and color.
They’re practical because they can hold all your stylish throws so you can display them all at once. I usually just disguise the mismatched ones under the ones that coordinate better with the colors of the room. Perfect for storage in your living room without taking up too much space.
Hanging plant holders | cottagecore living room
Hanging plant holders are also a space saver. They hold plants but they’re at least off the ground so we aren’t tripping over them. Plus, they get plenty of sunlight this way.
I especially love this macrame one. It’s got more of a boho style, but it fits in well in our cottage.
The other hanging planter looks like a rustic log. (You can even see all of the rings from the tree on it.) It’s sturdy and gives a rustic feel to our cottage. I picked this one out here.
Cushioned bench | cottagecore living room
I am obsessed with this bench. In fact, it was the very first piece of furniture I got for our living room. I think the item has been discontinued, unfortunately, so I won’t be able to link it. This is a similar bench I found, though.
What I love so much about it is that it opens up for storage. This is going to be great for storing toys when we have kids one day.
It also looks elegant sitting in our bay window–crisp, white cushions and all. It’s also on the small side which is great for smaller living rooms.
It doubles as a footrest or a coffee table for placing in front of a large couch. Sometimes we pull it up during movies and put our feet up and place our snacks on it. Plus it’s sturdy enough to sit on, so it still serves as a bench when we have company.
Mail holder & custom watercolor home portrait | cottagecore living room
A couple more decorating ideas: add a mail holder and custom watercolor home portrait. The custom watercolor can be made from several different Etsy shops. I personally used this Etsy shop.
We can look at this over the years and see how much our home has evolved. It’ll be nice to look back one day and have all the fond memories rush back in.
Additionally, I am obsessed with this faux leather mail holder with hooks. The hooks are practical since keys, hats, or other small items can be hung on it. The slot above holds our mail instead of it ending up all over the dining room table. It’s one of my favorite buys for the living room.
Lace curtains on entertainment center
I recently had the genius idea to disguise our ugly electronics in the entertainment center with a curtain. I bought a small, thin tension rod and then purchased these lace curtains to go on the rod. They are feminine and tone down the masculine, straight lines of the entertainment center and the tv with all its counterparts. Without this curtain it looked way too busy, so now I can still store things here but have them out of view for a more curated look.
Patterned pillows and throws
Add in lots of fun pillows and throws for more of the cottagecore aesthetic. I have acquired pretty much all of mine from Target. The throws we use all year long. Some are larger and thicker, perfect for colder months. While the lighter ones are great for summer naps and lounging.
Here is one I bought recently that is my absolute favorite:
The pillows are all different which is part of the cottage look I’m going for. Mismatching patterns are part of curating a cottage style. I coordinate the pastels, but the patterns are all different. Even though they don’t match they still somehow work as a complete look.
Photo ledges
These photo ledges are very modern, but they’re great for displaying art and photos on them. I purchased them to fill a bare corner in the living room. AJ had an uncle pass away last summer and was given some framed dried florals from the funeral and we decided to place it here.
We also added a hymn my husband loves that we picked up at a local Amish shop. I needed somewhere to put our wedding album I designed last summer, so it found its place just below for friends and family to view.
Large wooden wall clock
Your cottagecore living room wouldn’t be complete without a large clock for the wall. I’d love an antique grandfather clock someday, but for now this one meshes really well with everything else in the living room.
I personally love how the light wood contrasts with the black and how it’s oversized. It’s an attractive focal point above the entertainment center. I bought this one from Target on sale for about $20, and I feel like it’s worth every penny considering its style and practicality. I’m a clock watcher, so I use it often!
Mounted shelf with cottagecore decor
Having one of these is great because it’s one of the first things people see when they walk in the cottage. You can place photographs, artwork, or other decor that fits your style. I place a few books, a plant, a fairy lantern I made here, and other small pieces to pull the look together.
I keep the rest of this wall bare, so it doesn’t end up looking too busy. A gallery wall could easily be arranged around this centerpiece, though, if you like a fuller look.
This mantle makes a simple statement without being too overwhelming. This particular one was already mounted on the wall by the previous owners, so I just gave it a fresh coat of white paint and decorated it afterward.
Unique rugs
I love this half circle rug in our entryway. We decided on this western-style rug with a bear after we eloped in Rocky Mountain National Park. It fits so well in our living room. We also bought a wooden map of the park while we were in a local shop in Estes Park since it holds such a special meaning to us. It was the perfect addition that really goes with this particular rug in the living room.
Now, the large rug in the living room is definitely more traditional. It’s got a beautiful design on it, with the burgundy being one of the colors we used in our color palette for the living room. Get this rug here.
(Our colors are a pastel sage green, burgundy red, a light vintage tea rose pink, white, and a light gray. Of course there are other colors speckled in, but this is the main color palette I had with this creative vision.)
The trick when arranging this rug was to keep it centered in the room and to have it large enough (thankfully it was) to have the front legs of the couches resting on it. Believe me, I spent a lot of time researching rug sizes before selecting this. Ruge sizes can completely change the size of a room, so be careful about this. Do lots of research first before investing in a rug for a room.
Final thoughts | cottagecore living room ideas
My living room decorating ideas have hopefully given you some inspiration or at least a starting point for your living room makeover.
We are so happy with this open, cozy space. Although it is on the smaller side for a living room, it seems to still have so much space in it. We spend so much time here, which is why it was worth the investment. I hope these living room decorating ideas serve you as well as they’ve served me.
More Decorating Inspiration
Simple Hallway Ideas for a Refreshed Look
How To Do Home Renovations on a Budget
3 thoughts on “Cottagecore Living Room Ideas You’ll Love”