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Cozy by Design: Tips for Cottagecore at Home · Seated with Furniture Row

0:01
Hi, and welcome to the Seated podcast with Furniture Row.
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I'm Jessa, creative director and design extraordinaire, and I'm.
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Barb, interior designer and buyer.
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to this cozy little set.
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We've been having so much fun with these interior design
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conversations. Got another good one today
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before we get too into it So good.
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I know it's cozy as we as we get we edge nearer to fall.
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Just let's let's get cozy in our mind.
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But yeah, before we get too into it, I wanna ask you what all of
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these photos have in common. We're looking at the apartment
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from You've Got Mail, The cottage from In the Cotswolds
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from The Holiday, The movie The Holiday, The Shire from Lord of
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the Rings and the house from Studio Gilby's Kiki's Delivery
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Service. These are all places I would
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like to live. That's what's in common here.
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No, it's a cottage. They're all like little
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cottages. Yeah, I think I teased it
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because, I mean, that house from the holiday is Textbook Cottage
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I it's not even a house. You can't call it a house.
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It's a cottage. It's a little cottage, yeah.
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Just want to have your tea and cozy up by the fire?
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Yeah, with a blanket. Yeah, there's so many movies and
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shows where Cottage makes an appearance because it makes
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people feel comfortable and want to spend time there, whether
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you're watching it on screen or you're living in it.
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It's very aspirational. So yeah, if you haven't guessed,
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today we're talking about Cottage Core.
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But what is core? Like?
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Why Core? I you know what?
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Why is core added to everything? It is.
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It's like we add core to every new trend, although I feel like
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cottage is not anything new. Yeah, it's just taking, you
2:14
know, a front and centered approach now all like it's
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really becoming popular again. But yeah, we we had core to
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every design aesthetic out there.
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I feel like it started in the 80s when we're talking about
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hardcore, you know, like punk rock music.
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But then it just like it got added to so many things from
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there, like just all the different trends.
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And now it's describing niche Internet aesthetics, you know,
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like cottage core, goblin core, core core, and a lot of them
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Corcor. Yeah.
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I don't even know what Corcor is.
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Seriously. I don't know.
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It's like, what is Corcor? You go to an orchard, you know,
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like apples, apple core. I feel like Corcor would be
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related to. I don't.
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Know apple core pick, don't you? You're not supposed to eat the
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seeds from the apple. Core, by the way.
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Yeah, yeah. No good.
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Don't just sit there snacking on apple seeds.
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Yeah, well, you mentioned that cottage core has been more
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popular lately. Why do you think so?
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What is it? What's what's special about
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Cottage Core? Just my opinion.
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I think it, it lends or, or gives a sense of calm and safe
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and you know, just a super cozy vibe, you know, 'cause it's,
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it's crazy out in the world. It seems like it's just hustling
3:53
and bustling out there. So it's just a place to come
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home to and just feel so cozy. It's like a sea breath, you
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know? Just makes me relaxed.
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It's it's a reaction to hustle culture, I feel like because
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we're just getting so much information and just like
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there's so many to do's right now.
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And the priority, especially in our culture in the US is very
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just like productivity and getting things done.
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And we're humans and we need to relax, you know, So it's
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romanticizing, especially countrysides of Europe.
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Like you'll hear English cottage or French countryside cottage a
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lot because it just cultures and places that are a little bit
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more relaxed and romanticizing. Growing your own produce and
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flowers and crafting and baking, you know, just all of those
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things just make us feel a little bit more relaxed and
4:52
centered. And I think, you know, that's
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just human nature. We evolved that way to be
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gathering fruits and berries, and we want to do it again.
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Hunters and gatherers. Yeah, we want to gather again,
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We want to hunt again, we want to craft again.
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And drink hot tea. And drink hot tea by the fires,
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even in the summer. Get back to our little roots, I.
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Really have a tea cup today. I should have brought one.
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I just had my little. It's a Hydro Flask.
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You know, tea cups, Hydro Flask, whatever makes you cozy.
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For me, it's my antique tea cups.
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But you know what is a cottage? A cottage is just a small little
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dwelling. Just a cute little small
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dwelling. Yeah, I know you have a little
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definition. Maybe you could read that.
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Yeah, I think it's usually in a rural setting.
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Let me look. But it's usually in a rural
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setting and it's small. Those are the two things I
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remember, Cody. Doesn't have to be right.
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It's typically in a rural setting and used as a vacation
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home. So like, yeah, I, I think it's
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small and somewhere relaxing. I think the other thing about
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cottage is where cottage core is romanticizing small spaces
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because, and maybe that's why it's so popular right now,
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because real estate's so expensive.
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So people are just like excited about the small space and just
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really making it cute and and beautiful things to have.
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But you know what, There are a lot of people that have these
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larger homes, like builders gone wild.
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Yeah, you know, giant homes. And, you know, we can't leave
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them out either because it's like, how do they make their
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home feel like a cottage even though, you know, the square
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footage is larger or the rooms are bigger And there's ways to
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do it. Right.
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Is it like just in the rooms in the interiors or does the
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exterior have to play into it? I mean, for a true cottage, the
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outside would definitely want to feel like a cottage.
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But a lot of people live in builder grade homes or builder
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style homes that do not look like cottage from the outside.
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So there are things you know that they could do to make it
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feel more cottage. You know, because they may not
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have, they may not be in a rural setting and they may not have a
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vacation home that's a cottage. So it's like, how do you help
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them, you know, achieve that look in their own home?
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Yeah, I think whether it's one of those big houses or a tiny
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home even, like it's about bringing the cottage vibe into
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the space by, you know, maybe landscaping with florals, maybe
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warming up the kitchen with some open shelving that includes jars
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of some of the things that you usually have in your pantry.
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Like flour? Yeah, like or or dried beans or
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like. Sugar.
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Brown sugar. Yeah, I or I have garlic that I
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grew displayed on my open shelving.
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You know, like displaying the things that, you know, you use
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to be crafty in the kitchen or that you you made and like a
8:30
mortarin pestle or like a a cake stand.
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Yeah. Or like a cutting board or like,
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I have this big giant wood, I don't even know if it's a
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cutting board, but it's like this vintage piece I found years
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ago and it has like a handle on it.
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And I just have that leaning up against my tile in my kitchen on
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the counter and it kind of feels cottagey.
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Right. So like a tiny home could be a
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cottage or a builder grade house could be a cottage.
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It's all in how you decorate it. It's defining cottage core would
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be embracing imperfections and and and charming clutter and
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creating a whimsical aesthetic that has a cozy, lived in feel.
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So you could really do that in any space.
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Yeah, absolutely. Let's look back at the interior
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of that cottage from the holiday, if we can bring one up.
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Yeah. So there's just so many little
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antique elements and it's just romanticized, whimsical, just
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simple getting back to like a little bit more of a slow
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lifestyle and making things yourself.
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Thrifting items. Yeah, things that have history,
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Yeah, and things that just. You look at it and you know that
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there's a story or it is a tool that you use all the time to
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create, you know, your great dinners or breakfast breakfasts
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or, you know, like my mortar and pestle.
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Pestle, however you pronounce that it's to make pesto, you
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know. Absolutely.
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I love this room. There's so many little details
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that are, you know, that you could take from this and be
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inspired by for your own home. If you do not like clutter or
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creative clutter like this is creatively cluttered to me, then
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you could take elements out of it without, you know, having all
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of those pieces in your kitchen or room that you're designing.
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You can still have a clean look that incorporates the cottage
10:54
core vibe because it's just about bringing cozy elements in.
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So this we're looking at a room right now that has shelves full
11:03
of antique plates and bowls and lamps and lots of layering.
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Terracotta pots. Yeah, and like I really like how
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they brought in the kitchen cart, but it.
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Yeah, but that's like new, but it looks good in.
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There, Yeah, it works with the antiques.
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It's about weaving in all of the antique items and thrifted items
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with newer items and making it work together.
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So like some rooms can be really layered and full of items, but
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you know, another house could have a really simple clean look,
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but then have these focal pieces that are really comforting and.
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Absolutely, yeah. And not everybody's going to
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have a, you know, a fireplace in their kitchen.
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But they may say, you know what, I have all this antique or old
12:02
platters and dishes so, but I don't have shelves.
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Like what could I do to create that feel?
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You could always hang them on the wall, make a collage and
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like layer them on the wall. There's all sorts of hangers
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that you can use for plates and serving wear that would be
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gorgeous on a wall. For sure.
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The other thing I love about this is that little lamp that's
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up there. Yeah.
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So have you seen the bookcase lamps now that no.
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Like Target has them, and it's just like this little lamp that
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you just slide into your bookcase.
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Wow. And plug in there.
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Yeah, it's adorable. So.
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They're little enough to fit between the shelves and it just
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like adds a little layer of lighting and yeah.
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Exactly draws. Attention to itself.
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So you could use that even, you know, on your kitchen countertop
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or, you know, if you don't, if you're like, I don't want cords
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everywhere. This is going to sound
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controversial, but if you have an old lamp that you want to
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use, cut the cord off, use one of those little battery light
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bulbs or remote control light bulbs that you can buy on Amazon
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and there you go. You have a cute little nose on
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your. Scanner.
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'Cause I'm always wondering like what if I want to put a lamp
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somewhere where there's not a light, like an electrical
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socket? Or you don't want that cord.
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I don't want that all over the place.
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Yeah. So that you know, just like an
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LED battery powered light is such a good idea.
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Yeah, my dog got a hold of I had this cute little, well, I still
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have it. It's a little lamp.
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I think it's from Ralph Lauren. It's blue and white, just like
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all that blue and white we saw in the picture, the blue Willow.
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Anyway, my dog chewed the cord off so now I'm just going to use
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a battery powered light bulb and it'll probably go in my kitchen
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somewhere. Well, you know, and that's also
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very in the theme of cottage core in the spirit of cottage
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core, because it's crafty and it's just that, you know, old
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world rich experience, crafty thing.
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It's putting your hands on things and really like things in
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your house are touched and they're.
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Patinaed. Patinaed.
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And is that, is that the right word, Patina?
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And you had an influence on them, or somebody did.
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They're very storied and I like that part.
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So a lot of people are wondering how can they incorporate family
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heirlooms or drifted fines into their cottage core design.
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And I think you touched on it a little with the lamps on the,
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you know, shelves. But just what are other ways
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and. If they have, you know, new
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things in their home, how do they bring that feel into their
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home? Is that what you're asking me?
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Yeah, yeah. Wow, that's a good question.
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It just depends on which room you're thinking of adding
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something in. So, for example, if you
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inherited a lot of old quilts, quilts are beautiful.
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How would you display those? You could use them on the wall.
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You could hang them on a quilt hanger on your wall as a piece
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of art. You could fold them and hang,
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you know, layer them over the back of a sofa at the end of a
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bed. That would be one thing if it's
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say, you know those little old ice box pieces that used to be
15:30
they're way back in the day, but I've seen those used as like an
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end table or an entry piece. That's cool.
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Yeah. So yeah, you can always.
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Add into a modern aesthetic? Absolutely.
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For example, my stepmom really wants to be trendy with her,
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like as she they're updating their house, her and my dad and
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they they want to be creating something that has a lasting
15:57
look and feel. But they have a China cabinet
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from her mom that she wants to hold on to if she can.
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So she's trying to work that into her aesthetic that is going
16:08
to be timeless and modern. But it's like how do I?
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What kind of China cabinet Like what does it look like you
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describe? Just brown accents like the
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frame is brown wood older, not like super dark.
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I would say it's a mid tone brown the glass and it has the
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glass and it filled in the frame and is.
16:30
It one of the two pieces like it has a base and then the top part
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is the glass with the China in. There I think that it's just one
16:37
piece and it but it's got really pretty antique legs that are
16:41
wood and it has the China in there from her family, you know,
16:47
family heirloom China. And so she wants to incorporate
16:50
that into not like a modern, but just a dining room design of
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today. Well, if she wants it in the
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dining room, that's one thing. OK, so I don't know what the
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rest of her space looks like, right?
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The other thing I would say is look at the piece as it's a
17:12
cabinet, right? It doesn't necessarily have to
17:14
have China in it. Now, if she wants her China in
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it, that's one thing. But you know, a piece like that,
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if you have the space, it could go into a bathroom, It could go
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at the end of the hallway. If it's in a bathroom, you could
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put towels and apothecary things and you know, just make it into
17:31
more like the spa. Little experience.
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I don't know if anybody has the room for that in their bathroom.
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They might, or in a hallway upstairs at the end of a hallway
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on an open, you know, wall area where you can store other things
17:45
in it. It doesn't just have to be for
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China. So you could mix in modern items
17:52
that you're using today with the China even potentially like, and
17:59
you don't even have to like say it had to stay in the dining
18:04
room. You could do that.
18:05
You can mix in more modern accents with the older China and
18:09
that would modernize the dining room look.
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But you could also take a China cabinet, which would typically
18:16
always be in a dining room and bring it into another room and
18:19
make it give it a whole new life.
18:21
So it's kind of like that contrast and making sure that
18:25
every piece kind of speaks to each other.
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Yeah, and sometimes, too, when you have an old piece, an
18:35
antique piece in a very modern space, just because it's so
18:40
different from everything else, it makes it interesting and it
18:43
somehow seems to work. Yeah, not always, but a lot of
18:47
times it will. That's so true.
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Yeah. Well, and one of my favorite
18:51
spaces that I think does this well is this little coffee shop
18:56
called Devil's Food. I know I love this little place.
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It's always been just my safe space.
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I've got photos of it on our little screen if you're
19:05
watching. But basically it's a coffee shop
19:09
in a modern neighborhood that is just very cozy.
19:14
And I mean, in in the surroundings, there's a lot of
19:19
Craftsman houses. This is 2025.
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But it doesn't mean that everything has to be like clean
19:24
and sleek, like modern doesn't need to be bear, you know, and,
19:30
and, and maybe the better way to describe it is it's, it's got
19:35
contemporary antique charm, but they've brought a lot of
19:39
antiques into the space. And I think it's so popular
19:44
because people walk in and they feel relaxed because there's a
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story there. There's.
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It's very homey. It's very homey.
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I think bringing storied items gives a sense of home to a
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space. So they have, you know, the what
20:03
kind of ceiling tile would you call that?
20:05
That is A10 ceiling tile. And so in this space, they've,
20:10
I'm sure they've added that because, you know, it is more, I
20:14
don't know how old the space is, but I bet they've added that
20:17
along with the trim and the wallpaper.
20:20
But it definitely is a cozy vibe.
20:23
And the other thing that's cool about it, this kind of just
20:26
takes it a little bit differently.
20:27
But I didn't know about devil's food until you told me about it.
20:32
And so of course I had to go. But the coffee, it works with
20:39
the vibe too. There's nothing worse than to go
20:41
in a space like this and then it not, you know, you have a bad
20:45
coffee or a tea or something. Like it was delicious.
20:48
Yeah. So it was just like.
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Everything was on point and it's everything was in like antique
20:55
cups. Sometimes, like if I order tea,
20:58
there's a modern loose leaf tea, steeper, but then it's like the
21:03
plate and the tape that comes with it is antique.
21:05
Yeah. I love it so.
21:06
It keeps you in the vibe and you know, all the cards that you can
21:12
shop for, whether it's a birthday card or, you know,
21:15
welcome baby card or what have you are stored in these little
21:20
file cabinets that are wooden and they have labels on them for
21:23
each like type of card that is in each drawer.
21:27
Mm Hmm. And I like how they turn the
21:30
little handles. Normally it'd go the other way,
21:33
but they're like, hey, why not this way, yeah.
21:34
Why not be unique The they wallpapered each panel of the
21:41
wall with just what it it's checkered, but it what kind of
21:45
checkered would you? Call that just Plaid.
21:47
Simple Plaid. They're red and white.
21:50
Different surfaces that different surfaces or finishes
21:55
on these surfaces in the space with the shiplap to the
21:59
wallpaper to the beadboard. I mean, it's really an
22:04
interesting space for sure. And that's another thing about
22:07
bringing together a cozy space is mixing textures.
22:12
Yeah. So that there's a lot for your
22:16
eye to travel around to and feel comfortable everywhere it lands
22:21
and they bring in, I think part of what is making it modern, as
22:24
well as the incorporation of natural light like the ceiling,
22:29
window. What is that called?
22:31
Sunlight. It's a little skylight.
22:34
Skylight. I always forget the name for
22:36
those. Yeah.
22:37
So I just think they do a really good job of bringing you into a
22:46
cozy environment by referencing history filled pieces and
22:54
antiques, but in a modern within modern times, just giving you a
23:01
little taste of the past without, you know, neglecting
23:07
where we are today and. It is like the perfect little
23:10
spot, Yeah, everybody knows about it.
23:14
So now you're not going to be able to get a seat in there.
23:16
Yeah, well, I just want more places like this to exist.
23:23
Yes, I do too. And to take inspiration from
23:27
this space, though, but I mean, I think one of the other things
23:32
that makes spaces with antiques and storied pieces so cozy is
23:40
the element and this is going to be hard to pronounce of Hooga.
23:45
It's a it really draws on the Scandinavian aspect.
23:52
It's pronounced or it's spelled HYGGE and it means coziness in
23:58
every season or it it's a theory of coziness in every season.
24:03
So really bringing in things into your space that really
24:08
speak individually to you and make you feel comforted based on
24:13
nostalgia or your routine and making your routine easier or
24:18
the things that you love. Bringing that into your space
24:22
and maybe changing things out in different seasons to just make
24:28
every season feel cozy. Cause a lot of times people
24:33
really attribute coziness to the fall and winter.
24:38
But you could do that. You could be cozy in spring and
24:42
summer by leaning into things that relate to those seasons and
24:47
what you remember of those seasons positively from growing
24:51
up. Like, you know, I love daffodils
24:55
in the spring, so making sure those are a part of things.
24:58
I love gardening in the summer, so making sure the things that I
25:01
picked, I have a place to put them that I can appreciate
25:04
everything I picked. Like a bowl full of fruit out on
25:08
your counter or a vase filled with your daffodils.
25:11
Exactly. And fresh flowers are so great
25:15
again, because they can really be very seasonal that way,
25:20
especially if you're shopping. Yeah, at places that have
25:23
seasonal flowers. So what would you say is the
25:28
difference between cottage, corn, farmhouse for example?
25:33
I feel like modern farmhouse is a little more clean and simple.
25:41
This is going to sound controversial so I don't mean it
25:44
to be and I don't mean to offend anyone but I'm sure I will.
25:49
I feel like modern farmhouse is a simple, like easy way to
25:54
decorate and cottage core or cottage style is.
26:02
It's almost like a style that you are.
26:06
Do you know what I mean? Like you're always looking at
26:09
little thrift shops. You're looking for interesting
26:11
things, things with a history, things with a patina.
26:14
Whereas modern farmhouse is. I just feel like it's just so
26:20
it's everywhere and it's an easier way to decorate.
26:23
That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
26:26
It's an aesthetic that is modern but has some personality.
26:31
It was like the first step away from like millennial Grey when
26:36
we were trying to add a little bit more personality into
26:38
things. And cottage core is a way of
26:42
life. You are cottage to your core,
26:44
you know, And I relate to that. I am cottage to my core because
26:49
I'm, you know, out in my backyard with bare feet watering
26:55
my garden every morning and picking whatever's fresh and,
27:00
you know, displaying my dried beans on my open shelving and,
27:06
and picking my garlic and displaying that up there.
27:10
But but farmhouse is more just a way to bring that feeling of
27:15
warmth, of a rural place and some personality into a very
27:23
clean space. Yeah, it's.
27:25
An aesthetic. Also, though, I know there's a
27:28
lot of people that love the cottage look, but they don't,
27:32
you know, know how to get that look and we can help with that.
27:35
But you know, cottage I feel also came from the whole shabby
27:42
chic movement. That was million years ago, but
27:46
that was like, you know, florals and whites and slip covers and,
27:52
you know, but I feel like cottage came from that as well.
27:56
Yeah, Shabby chic was a lot more specific, and I think it was a
28:02
lot more feminine. Very, very girly.
28:06
Whereas cottage core can be exemplified in a lot of
28:12
different ways. And yeah, I, I think you're
28:18
right about that. Like it had to be a lot more
28:20
specific, the shabby chic with the pieces you brought in.
28:25
So what are some of the main furniture pieces or key
28:32
furniture pieces that you'd bring in to achieve the cottage
28:34
core look? Well, there are so many.
28:38
Did we want to show our slide up here?
28:40
Yeah. So as far as you know, things
28:45
you can easily purchase at Furniture Row, this bed I think
28:51
looks very, it can go so many different ways, but I think it
28:54
can definitely go cottage core with the tufted headboard, the
28:58
curves on it. It's kind of like a little
29:01
chair, but it's, you know, made into a bed.
29:06
So definitely a look like this with that bed, the little night
29:10
stand. I love the turn legs.
29:13
They look like little rolling pins.
29:15
The marble top to it goes very cottagey.
29:19
And you know, this lamp is great.
29:21
It's blue. It's like a little pottery
29:23
piece, but it's not. It's not super cottage core, but
29:27
you could definitely use that in a space that's cottage.
29:30
Core the the color scheme is cottage core.
29:33
Yeah, this. Is 1, the nice relaxing blue?
29:37
And what I'm seeing about or in a lot of these bedroom pieces
29:41
that you're showing is like the woods are not super polished.
29:50
They're very raw and you can see the natural texture of the
29:55
woods. And I think you can actually.
29:57
Feel it. Yeah, and the fabrics are very,
30:00
you know, textural and immersive, like a, a, a pillow
30:07
back headboard or button tufted. That's the word I was looking
30:13
for. Button tufting is very visually
30:16
like, you can picture what it feels like.
30:18
And. So things that are tactile and
30:23
true to their real material and not overly finished and also
30:29
like relaxing colours. Yeah.
30:32
Well this OK. So there's different types of
30:35
cottage styles and it could be that you want to go all maximal
30:39
like the picture from, you know, the kitchen.
30:43
That's one way of doing cottage. You can also do a little bit
30:46
simpler way. It doesn't have to be creative
30:50
clutter. It could be something more
30:52
simple like this with. Serenity.
30:54
Yeah, So it just it just depends on what how far you want to take
30:59
cottage in your house. Do you want to go all the way
31:01
like the kitchen showed or do you want to just keep things a
31:04
little bit more simple? You can do bright and airy or
31:07
you can do rich warm darker colors too.
31:11
These samples are more bright and airy.
31:14
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So those are great examples for,
31:22
well, really any room. But right now you're showing a
31:24
bedroom. What would you do in a living
31:26
room? Well, and the reason I was
31:28
showing this bedroom is I this bed is so awesome in person when
31:32
you see it, it's just stunning, but you know, we were talking
31:36
cozy, so it'd be nice to have like this cozy bed that you can.
31:42
You can see yourself sinking into and like leaning up against
31:46
the headboard and being really comfortable.
31:47
Yeah. So the next slide think are
31:53
these little benches. So I would say buy a bench.
31:58
If you're going to do anything cottage core in your house,
32:01
please buy a bench because this is a great way to have a little
32:06
extra place to sit or a welcoming area in your home.
32:09
It just depends on where you're going to put it.
32:10
Is it going in a kitchen? Is it going in a dining room, an
32:13
entrance, a mud room at the end of a bed?
32:16
But a little bench. Nothing says cottage like a cute
32:19
little bench. Well, again, it's a piece to
32:21
accent what you need in your everyday life.
32:24
Yeah, you know, it's make you comfortable with your your
32:27
routine. So giving you that space to sit
32:30
down and put on your shoes. So you're not like trying to sit
32:33
on your coffee table, which I mean, you can, but it's like a
32:37
welcoming space to actually support your routine.
32:40
Exactly. And I love the ones that little
32:44
Seward bench with the basket. Well, there's two of them, but
32:46
the single seat with the large basket, I just think that is
32:51
too. Well, Wicker is one of the most
32:55
common materials that can make you really feel cottagey or
33:00
cozy. It's very rural.
33:02
It's warm and it's textural and. Yeah, and it's, and it's like a
33:06
like a basket that you would use to collect produce from your
33:10
yard. You know, that's what it makes
33:11
me think of. And then the, you know, some of
33:15
the benches you've included here are very nostalgic of other
33:20
spaces like that Seward entry bench that you were just
33:25
showing. It could be like a choir bench
33:28
or, you know, like a like a Pew. It could be the other thing I
33:34
like about, and I'll just keep talking about this little sewer
33:36
bench is, you know, if you have a little nook somewhere that
33:40
could also be a great spot for that with a little table so you
33:43
could sit and drink your tea at your little sewer bench like.
33:47
If you don't want to build in a window seat into your house, but
33:51
you want a window seat. Well, imagine like, say you have
33:55
a little space in your house. It's a little alcove.
33:57
You could even do two of those facing each other with a little
34:00
table in the middle. It could.
34:01
Be a conversation. Spot so it doesn't have to just
34:03
be for the entryway, but it could be you.
34:06
Could have a coffee shop corner in your kitchen.
34:08
Exactly. And people are doing that.
34:11
They're recreating these little cottage or coffee experiences,
34:14
like devil's food. Yeah, they're doing that in
34:17
their home. So yeah, these little pieces
34:19
would be great for. Yeah, one of the reasons I like
34:22
coffee shops so much as they give me design inspiration.
34:25
They make me feel cozy with the yummy drinks and sometimes the
34:30
baked goods, but they also have these.
34:32
It's a smaller space that can really just wow you with design.
34:38
Absolutely. Yeah.
34:40
The that little Willow Way bench, the blue one.
34:43
Yeah. I love this little bench too,
34:46
because it could be for an entrance again, but you could
34:50
also put it with your dining set or just anywhere where you want
34:54
an extra little space in your living room in front of a, you
34:57
know, across from a fireplace. That would be great with little
35:00
pillows on it. So.
35:02
Yeah. Well, in a lot of the bases I'm
35:06
seeing in the furniture that you're selecting for main
35:09
cottage pieces are they have a lot of design elements in the
35:15
woods. So like they're turned legs and.
35:17
Or the rubbed finish on the paint.
35:19
Or distressing and it, it really goes back to, you know, how
35:25
people are always talking about houses aren't built like this
35:28
anymore because they have these extra little design finishes
35:32
that modern day builders just don't include because it's like.
35:36
Eating. It's too expensive, it's eating
35:37
into their margins, it's not practical, but it's, you know,
35:43
what those little extra design finishes do is add to your
35:47
experience in the space that you live and so.
35:49
It really adds a little bit of warmth and yeah, and nostalgia
35:53
and old. Right and so bringing in
35:56
furniture pieces that have some of the turn leg elements if you
36:00
don't have a lot of, you know building features in your home
36:06
that are finding. The piece of furniture.
36:11
You can find the piece in a furniture.
36:13
Yeah, and some people, you know, do not want to buy and
36:18
repurposed or used furniture. Some people just don't.
36:21
I love it. You know, if I like the piece, I
36:23
don't care where it comes from, right?
36:25
But some people are like, Nope, I want it to be brand new.
36:28
So this is a way to buy something new that looks old for
36:32
your home. Yeah.
36:33
And I really agree with that. I think that there are some
36:37
situations that I like buying thrifted pieces like my guide
36:41
would say, or like if I were to make a thrifting guide, I would
36:44
say, you know, anything made of wood is great, or metal or any,
36:51
you know, like chairs, dining tables, side tables.
36:56
I'm great with all that stuff. We'll pick it up on the corner
36:59
of a curb or from the local thrift store or antique store,
37:04
but anything fabric, I'm buying it new.
37:08
You know, and I used to think that too with fabric.
37:11
So I understand what you're saying, but here's what I would
37:14
say is if you, I saw a piece in Boulder the other day, I don't
37:19
even remember what it was, but it was in Boulder and it was
37:21
like the sofa with wood trim on it.
37:24
It was so beautiful. But of course, I did not have
37:28
anything to take it away with. But I would say if you love the
37:32
piece, take it to an upholster. They can strip all the old
37:37
fabric, all the stuffing, all of that away and redo the whole
37:41
thing. Now it'll cost you a lot of
37:42
money, but if the piece is interesting enough, it can be
37:47
redone. Yeah, and that'll last forever
37:49
because it's built well. Yeah, but I would, I'm with you
37:52
as far as like I wouldn't just buy a piece of furniture like a
37:56
sofa and not recover it. Like I wouldn't bring that in to
37:59
my home. I'm.
38:00
More like the woods, yeah, Yeah. So I would strip my.
38:03
Biggest fear you could get any sort of yeah infestation now.
38:07
But then I've bought old rugs. But you've.
38:10
Cleaned them, yeah. I did.
38:12
Yeah, yeah. On on my driveway.
38:13
Yeah, as long. Yeah.
38:15
With your shovel and your shovel.
38:17
Yeah. Yeah.
38:18
I think as long as things can be cleaned.
38:22
I remember when we were at the thrift shop and I bought that
38:24
necklace that was like beads together with fabric.
38:28
And I was like, clean it, that's gonna be gross.
38:30
And you're like, oh, you could just soak that in alcohol and
38:33
water mixture. And I was just.
38:34
Done detergent. So I did that and now I wear it
38:37
all the time. Yeah.
38:38
Yeah. So exactly fabrics can be used.
38:40
What would you say for like a dining room, cottage corps?
38:43
What would be the biggest elements if we were to look at?
38:47
Can we bring up that visual? Oh yeah, so this one is just a
38:52
small space dining room. I love a round table because
38:56
it's so cozy and it I think it it just promotes like
39:01
conversation because no ones like looking down a rectangle
39:05
table or a square table. It's like.
39:07
Hi, Jim. Sorry we didn't get to sit next
39:10
to each other. But you know, so I pulled this
39:14
one. I really love the base on it,
39:15
the little metal base. Again, it feels old.
39:19
It feels like you found it somewhere, but it's actually
39:22
brand new. And then those little chairs are
39:25
like this green paint color that's just really.
39:29
Pretty the Meadow lakes and there is is that a spindle back?
39:34
Well, the the ones on the end look a little spindle, but the
39:37
other ones look like a just a slap back, slap back.
39:40
Yeah, but the legs, Yeah, I guess the legs look a little
39:43
spindly, huh? But it's so pretty, just there's
39:46
so many little design features added into the to the wood, like
39:52
a woodworker would have had to make that you know, for.
39:55
Sure, or whittled the legs. It's whittled again.
39:58
You know me and whittled things. I love them.
40:00
Yeah. But again, this is taking the
40:03
feel of cottage and you know, it's light and airy.
40:09
It's not the darker side or the darker color tones of cottage,
40:13
but the rug is and it's it has all of these colors in that rug.
40:18
It's a deep color that grounds the space.
40:21
It really does. Prodigy.
40:22
It's so pretty. It does look antique and it
40:26
actually has a little fringe at the end.
40:27
So it gives off that appearance of it being old and then the
40:31
little rustic shores. It's not little.
40:34
It's a six door cabinet that is, you know, this distress painted
40:40
wood cabinet that you could put anything in.
40:42
It doesn't even have to go in a dining room.
40:44
It could go anywhere. It could go in a living.
40:46
Dressing, yeah, is what makes it cottagey.
40:50
And it has the glass fronts where you could really see the
40:55
things that you're displaying in there.
40:57
So back to the China cabinet example, you could put your
41:01
family's China in this and the space that it's in makes it look
41:07
more modern. And so you're you're wrapping
41:11
storied pieces into a timeless space still.
41:14
The other thing you could do with this cabinet?
41:17
Well, first of all, did you see the little closing?
41:22
I don't know what those are called.
41:23
I should know. Yeah, Yes, I think so.
41:26
They're just like these little wood things that keeps.
41:28
The door wood latches at the top of the door that keep them shut,
41:33
so it's just visually interesting.
41:36
But the other thing you could do with that cabinet, if you wanted
41:39
it to feel even more cottagey, and if you are the type that
41:43
wants more layered into your cottage look, is you could put
41:48
fabric on the inside of the glass and like have it sheared
41:54
so it looks like you know these fabrics.
41:56
So it's like cabinets? Inside the cabinet, yeah.
41:59
Like behind the glass. Behind the glass, yeah.
42:02
You're so creative. That's.
42:03
Such it'd be so cute. So you could, you know, find
42:06
your favorite little print and put in there.
42:08
Or the other thing you could do is you could put wallpaper on
42:12
the backing and the. Cabinet.
42:15
And then that would just be such a fun backdrop.
42:18
It would be and it'd be. Crafty and you could be like I
42:22
made that, which is also part of coziness is like having things
42:26
that you made and you brought into your space.
42:29
And usually the other note I want to say with cottage core is
42:33
it does take a while to build. It's not something that you can
42:37
just like, you know, create right away.
42:41
I think bringing in pieces of furniture that our cottage core
42:46
is the easiest way to get that feeling right away.
42:49
But then collecting the storied pieces and layering in the
42:54
storied pieces, it does take time usually.
42:56
And so you do it little by little.
42:58
And I think you just rearrange as you go and then your space
43:02
kind of just transforms over time.
43:04
And it will always look good, you know, but it might start a
43:07
little bit more simplistic than it ends, which is also fine.
43:13
And I really like the florals in there.
43:17
You included some paper whites that are faux florals.
43:22
But these for those that don't have a green thumb.
43:24
Right, They look real. And so if you don't have time to
43:27
go in your backyard and you know, grow paper whites and or
43:33
pick, you know, cut flowers, you can still have them in your
43:37
space and you can still have that aesthetic and the vibe.
43:41
It's all about the vibe. There's a wasp in here and
43:44
that's not very cottage. It's not making me feel very
43:47
comfortable. That's kind of scary.
43:50
I mean, I guess it's an element of nature and.
43:54
It'd be better if it were a bee. Yeah, it would be better if it
43:57
were a bee because. That means there's little
43:59
flowers outside, yeah. There's not so.
44:04
Kevin's gonna try to kill this. Suppressed.
44:06
He's gonna kill the wasp. Or Preston, I'm sorry.
44:11
Yeah, OK. All right.
44:13
Well, just know in the background we're wasp hunting so
44:17
that this is full on. We're living cottage.
44:21
We're living a. Rural lifestyle, There's there's
44:24
a wildlife in here. As long as there's no snakes.
44:30
So on the table they I have these little metal and wood tray
44:37
stands that you could put little, you know, you could put
44:40
your fruit on them. Put charcuterie.
44:43
Yeah, put muffins. You could put a cake.
44:45
Yeah, all your big things like you could take your old China
44:50
like a China plate and put on top of that and then put your
44:53
things in it. OK.
44:55
Yeah. Or on it, Yeah, because.
44:56
Then the China plate would be featured.
45:00
Exactly. And just kind of like how you
45:03
put this little tray in our set that's like an antique silver
45:07
tray, but we have, you know, antique China, the teapot and
45:15
teacup, Yes, and Creamer. And Sugar Bowl.
45:18
Bowls. I think that's a Sugar Bowl,
45:20
yeah. It was just for my grandma's
45:22
China cabinet actually, but it's working into modern day
45:25
aesthetic. So you could even do that on top
45:29
of one of those little tray stands, you could put your
45:31
teapot there. That's so true.
45:33
Yeah, so true. So are there any specific colors
45:37
and patterns I should look for to bring Cottage Charm into my
45:41
space? Well, you can go with the
45:45
lighter, brighter colors, or you can do the more Moody, saturated
45:50
colors, greens and Marigold and burgundies and you know, darker,
45:56
richer colors. Or you can go this color palette
46:00
that's the Blues and the greens and the lighter shades of the
46:04
Blues and greens. So it's really just like what
46:07
you mix it with and, and how you speak to the colors you bring in
46:12
the room. So if you have like a moodier
46:14
pillow collection, let's say, or, or moodier rug, you're going
46:19
to maybe speak to that in some other, you know, accessory that
46:23
you put in your China cabinet. Sure.
46:26
And and some people like more Moody colors, the richer darker
46:30
colors, some people like the lighter colors.
46:33
So I think both can can have the cottage core feel.
46:37
It just depends on which color palette you want to go with.
46:40
If you want to go light and bright or darker and moodier
46:43
colors, these colors, I pulled this bedding to go with that.
46:49
The bed that we originally had up there, and this is the the
46:52
lighter color palette, but we're mixing in patterns and then the
46:58
scale of the patterns are all different.
47:01
And then a new take on Plaid with that little lumbar pillow
47:06
and then the little sheep kidney pillow I just thought was so
47:10
cute. Well, it's rural, you know, It
47:13
says farm a little bit. I know.
47:16
And so if you can't have a real sheep in your yard because you
47:19
live in an HOA, yeah, I could have a little sheep.
47:23
HOA wouldn't be happy with you pet sheep.
47:25
I would love to have like 2 baby doll sheets.
47:28
Have you seen them? So cute.
47:29
I know real ones that. Would be adorable.
47:32
That would be very cottage. I know that would be a vibe for
47:35
sure, but it would be these patterns.
47:39
Like what specific patterns would you say lend themselves
47:42
most to cottage? Core definitely Plaid, but I
47:47
love for cottage core. I love to mix patterns and
47:51
cottage core is all about like pattern mix scales of patterns
47:57
and then you know your color palette palette so.
48:00
Florals, things that bring in nature a little bit too and and
48:05
Plaid could really ground the the cottage core aesthetic, but
48:11
mixing and matching patterns of any type.
48:14
But not really florals. It doesn't have to be all
48:16
florals. I mean, here it's florals mixed
48:18
with Plaid mixed with, you know, kind of a Paisley pattern with a
48:23
little bit of an E cap is just maybe that's a little bit of an
48:27
E cap pattern. I'm not sure.
48:29
But you know, it's all about a pattern mix too.
48:32
Yeah. So when you're mixing patterns,
48:37
you just have to consider the scale of each pattern.
48:41
So if you have like a small polka dot pattern that's like
48:46
everything's really tight together, mix that with a Plaid,
48:49
Yeah. Yeah, I don't know that I'd put
48:51
polka dot. Maybe I would if it were like a
48:53
small tiny polka dot and cottage but never thought about.
48:58
That, but I think again, you could have things leaning
49:03
cottage with a pattern mix. If you have like a traditional
49:09
cottage pattern like Plaid in the mix of patterns that you're
49:15
mixing. Sure, that was a lot of mixing.
49:18
Yeah, a lot of mixing, a lot of mixing, but I think the scale of
49:21
pattern is important. Like how you mix the scales
49:25
together, you know, the scale of the pattern, that's important as
49:28
well. Yeah, totally.
49:31
But not everybody likes a lot of pattern mix.
49:34
So if you're like, well, maybe a little bit of pattern, that's
49:39
OK, you could do that and make it feel cottagey.
49:43
You don't have to have a million different patterns, but, you
49:46
know, do what's comfortable for you, but maybe add a little
49:50
plat. Yeah, all the time.
49:52
Yeah, yeah. So wrapping it all back
49:57
together, let's tie it up in a bow.
50:00
What would you say? Like let's just define cottage
50:03
core. Comfortable, cozy.
50:11
What you think home should be is.
50:14
Which is unique to everybody. It is unique to everyone, but
50:17
but it's a place of, you know, your little safe, safe zone,
50:22
your little nest. That's how I would describe.
50:26
Romanticizing a little bit of a rural atmosphere, bringing in
50:32
family heirlooms. Lots of romantic whimsical items
50:40
and and just romanticizing a smaller space or romanticizing
50:44
really any space with nostalgia. Bringing in mixing old.
50:50
You can mix new. If you only want new, look for
50:53
pieces that feel old, that look old, that have a patina to them.
50:59
That are crafted that are hand that have like more of a
51:03
handmade look because then they have a story.
51:07
So Storied Pieces is with varieties of textures and
51:12
patterns that make you feel cozy in your space.
51:18
Make it super cozy. Yeah, Yep.
51:21
So what do you think the next core is going to be?
51:25
Oh goodness. Well, I think the next core
51:29
should be drop the word core. Just call it a design, you know,
51:34
and I don't know, I we'll see. Yeah, we'll see what it is For
51:40
me, I think it's going to be something playing off of how
51:47
people are so dynamic now. So they're working a
51:54
professional job and they have to go into an office, but then
51:59
their their home self as well. Like they have their home life
52:03
where they have all their crafts or their, you know, social
52:07
relationships and just, it's going to be about wrapping in,
52:15
you know, just you're a whole person.
52:18
So if it's going to be, you know, like there's weekend
52:22
warriors, for example, that word is thrown around a lot.
52:28
Somebody who like goes and travels a lot on the weekend,
52:32
but then during the week they're like a professional.
52:34
I think like Baker corps or, or, or or like Craftsman corps or
52:43
something where you're like this office professional person, but
52:50
then you're also a Baker. So like a like a office Baker?
53:03
Oh my goodness. Wow, that went.
53:06
Yeah, I just, I really this, I what is the next core for me?
53:11
It's just like, it's a really big question and I think I went
53:14
really deep with it. But there's it's got legs.
53:17
You're gonna see us in some, in some, or.
53:20
Have a little sourdough bakery, something you know, who knows?
53:25
Sourdough Core. I think it depends to like
53:29
there's so many different styles out there and not, you know,
53:33
cottage core isn't for everyone. Not everybody likes that feel.
53:36
There's some people that like more of a traditional, which
53:39
cottage core has, you know, nods to traditional too.
53:42
So I think it just, it just depends on what people like,
53:49
where they are in their life, where they are in the world, you
53:52
know, So you'll see a lot of new trends that speak to different
53:57
types of individuals. But you know what?
53:59
I think everybody needs a purpose that is creative in
54:04
their own way. So when I say creative, I don't
54:07
mean painter. I mean, just that allows you to
54:11
think creatively, whether that's cooking or coding or.
54:18
Working on a car. Working on a car, building
54:21
things. I just think being a Craftsman,
54:27
I mean, we saw that with with, oh, what are they called
54:32
hipsters? I feel like people that are.
54:35
Boys. Are Craftsman in a modern day
54:39
age? Are they really Craftsman?
54:41
Then are they look like Craftsman persons?
54:44
Yeah, they look like craftspersons.
54:47
Goodness. So I it's a new iteration of
54:52
hipster that incorporates your work self into your home self
54:59
into into your craft self. OK, is the next core we could
55:06
just go? Off.
55:06
We could just make up. Yeah.
55:08
I mean, it sounds like we're doing that.
55:10
Yeah, yeah. I, I don't know, return to work,
55:15
Baker Core. Return to work.
55:20
I'm just my brain has exploded. Maybe you're a what?
55:25
Carpenter, Richard Carpenter, Code core Carpenter.
55:34
Keyboard man lady. I have no idea, I'm completely
55:40
lost now, but. Yeah, yeah.
55:43
Anyway, thanks for listening. Thanks to all of this nonsense
55:50
and also helpful information though.
55:53
Make sure you're subscribed to Seated wherever you listen to
55:56
podcasts, and comment on this video wherever you're listening
56:02
if you have any. Questions.
56:04
About Cottage Core, if you have any dilemmas and then you know
56:08
you have a chance to be featured because we'll answer your
56:11
questions. Yeah.
56:13
And especially like we'll have at the end of this links to
56:17
quite a bit of cottage core styles.
56:20
So cottage core. Furniture, some of the furniture
56:24
that we mentioned today. Will be on there with a lot
56:28
more, yeah. You're going to have so much
56:31
information about Cottage Core, everything that you need.
56:34
Yeah, and if you like the look, start incorporating a little bit
56:37
of it now in your home because it is such a cozy vibe.
56:41
Yeah. Yeah.
56:42
All right. Well, see you later.