To find out more about the Cottage Nature Facebook group, we got in touch with the community's creator, Aline Carvalho. She was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and provide some backstory about how the group began.
"My group started from my page of the same name, Cottage Nature," Aline says. "I started the page in 2020 as a hobby. I used the social network Tumblr a while ago and brought some images from there that I published on the page. Since then, I have always carefully selected images and planned the page's publications, which I now also share in the group. It's always a pleasure to bring images that bring comfort and a feeling of coziness to people, something nostalgic that makes us feel good."
As far as why people are so interested in these images, Aline says, "Life in the countryside is seen as something beautiful and good, and I believe that the work routine and hectic city life distance us from this feeling of calm and tranquility."
"Images of nature itself already helps us to slow down in a certain way," the creator continued. "The Cottagecore style is also trending, which makes new generations seek inspiration from it, and ends up driving this niche within Facebook groups. It's always good to think that your post of a cake or decoration made someone think about doing the same at home."
We also asked Aline if she has any favorite posts that she's ever seen shared in the group. "I'm always surprised by several beautiful posts every day, just as my page has several others with the same purpose of bringing coziness and inspiration."
Finally, the creator added that the group has always aimed to bring together nature, gardening, decoration and country life. "Based on the domestic lifestyle associated with this type of pleasant environment, and that all the images convey comfort," she explained. "Lately, the sheer number of posts using artificial intelligence has been difficult to deal with. Even though the images are beautiful, I try not to accept them in the group, so that we can have authenticity in our posts."
While we know that most people don’t actually reside in quaint, beautiful homes like these, this kind of aesthetic has become increasingly popular in recent years. And online, it’s been dubbed “cottagecore.” According to The Good Trade, cottagecore is “an aesthetic that celebrates simple living, particularly in the countryside.” It’s often characterized by baking sourdough, gardening, sewing your own clothes and embracing a slow, cozy lifestyle.
Women who are the poster children for cottagecore might wear dainty pastel sundresses and spend their afternoons drinking tea and painting in their gardens. They might adorn their homes with cute little mushrooms, plush woodland creatures and plenty of fresh and dried flowers.
One great feature that the cottagecore lifestyle often focuses on is sustainability. Living in the countryside isn’t only about aesthetics, it’s also about connecting with nature and relying less on practices that are polluting our planet. When traveling to the grocery store isn’t as simple as walking a couple of blocks, and you actually have land where you can grow produce, you can significantly reduce your impact on the earth. Plus, being resourceful by sewing or mending your own clothes and building your own furniture makes you fully appreciate everything that you own.
Residing outside of a major city can also make you much more creative. In urban areas, there’s always something going on. If you’re not sure what to do on any given evening, you can see a movie, go to a concert, see a play, go clubbing, go out to dinner, etc. The options are endless! But when those conveniences are removed, what you'll have instead is much more time to take up new hobbies and actually hear yourself think.
Now, if you’re wondering how you can start incorporating these cozy cottagecore aesthetics into your own home, The Spruce has some helpful tips. First, they recommend focusing on rustic furniture and accessories. You’ll want to look for items with natural materials, such as wood, linen, wool and stone. You might also want to embrace your inner grandma and go on the hunt for vintage items like tea cups, lace doilies, embroidered pillows and more.
You can easily give your home a cottagecore makeover on a budget, as second-hand furniture and family heirlooms will perfectly fit the aesthetic. When it comes to colors, most cottagecore homes stick to earthy, neutral tones. But don’t be afraid of pastels and pops of colors in your decorations. And if you have natural elements that you can incorporate, such as dried flowers, herbs or plants, those might just be the icing on the cake of your gorgeous abode.
