You don’t need to be Snow White with a cottage in the woods to get your cottagecore fix. No sprawling meadow? No problem. Even if your “garden” is basically three struggling herbs on your kitchen windowsill and your background noise is more honking horns than chirping robins, you can still chase that dreamy, vintage vibe.
Here’s how to bring the cottagecore aesthetic into your urban lifestyle, one cozy detail at a time.
🪞 1. Turn Your Apartment into a Tiny Cottage Sanctuary
Even the tiniest apartment can burst with a little everyday magic, trust me. Wanna sprinkle some cottagecore charm? Try this:
Use floral fabrics, soft knits, and those old-school linens that look like they’ve got a story or two.
Swap out those plain blinds for lace curtains that let in the sun just right, turning your windows into pages from a storybook.
String up fairy lights or stash a few warm lamps around so your space glows like it’s always sunset.
Show off your favorite trinkets, teacups, dried flowers, and stacks of books. Let it look a little cluttered, but in a way that says, “Yeah, I meant to do that.”
🌿 Affiliate-friendly idea: Link to cottagecore home finds like throw pillows, curtains, and tea sets.
🫖 2. Create Everyday Rituals That Feel Like Magic
Look, city life? Pure chaos, like someone hit fast-forward and lost the remote. But here’s the secret: you don’t have to play along. You can be the person who slows down just to mess with the whole system.
Start with your coffee or tea. Don’t just slam it back while scrolling through emails. Nah, make it a whole vibe. Haul out that dramatic teapot—maybe it’s got a chip in it, maybe it’s from a thrift shop, doesn’t matter. Pick your favorite mug, the one with the weird handle or the faded print. Park yourself by the window, even if the view is just fire escapes and pigeons. Sip slow. Pretend you’re in a moody French film. Bonus points for dramatic staring into the distance.
Light a candle and pull out your journal, even if it’s for five minutes. Trust me, it doesn’t have to be deep. Doodle, jot down your grocery list, write a weird dream you had, or just complain about your neighbor’s loud music. Candlelight makes everything feel more magical, even your half-awake ramblings.
Take your time in the kitchen. Make a meal from scratch, even if it’s just once a week. There’s something grounding about chopping veggies or kneading dough. If you’ve got fresh herbs, toss ‘em in—suddenly you’re a chef on some cooking show, minus the cameras and dramatic lighting. If you bake, bonus points. The smell alone is worth the effort.
Set the table with intention. Dig out those cloth napkins hiding in the back of a drawer, stack up mismatched plates (who cares if they don’t match? It’s called “eclectic”), and throw some flowers in a jar.
✨ It’s not about escaping reality, it’s about making it a little more magical one weird little habit at a time.
🌱 3. Grow a Tiny Garden (Yes, You Can!)
You honestly don’t need a mansion-sized yard to play gardener—heck, most of us are lucky if we’ve got a balcony, a rickety old fire escape, or just a sunny patch on a bookshelf. That’s more than enough. Nature doesn’t care about your square footage.
Try growing:
Basil, mint, rosemary, or thyme in small pots
Edible flowers or microgreens on a kitchen counter
A small potted lavender or rose for scent and beauty
Ivy or trailing vines to soften walls and windows
🌸 Tip: Press the flowers you grow and keep them in a journal. You’re literally turning bits of your life into a fairy tale—like, actual proof your world is blossoming. How cool is that?
🚶♀️ 4. Find Nature in Unlikely Places
City life, huh? Concrete everywhere, but honestly, you’d be surprised where green sneaks in if you actually look.
In the city:
Visit local parks, community gardens, or quiet corners with benches
Take yourself on “wonder walks” and notice wildflowers pushing through cracks
Collect leaves, twigs, or feathers for your desk
Watch the light shift on old buildings or listen to the wind between high-rises
You’re not really escaping from the city at all—you’re just uncovering these little bits of calm and wonder hiding right there in plain sight.
👗 5. Dress Like You’re Wandering Through a Storybook
Even if you’re walking past buses and brick buildings, your outfit can whisper storybook magic.
Go for:
Flowy skirts, vintage blouses, and dainty dresses
Embroidered cardigans or soft knit shawls
Natural fabrics like cotton, linen, and lace
Ribbon-tied hair, wicker bags, and dainty gold jewelry
🌿 Don’t be afraid to overdress. It’s not “too much” if it brings you joy.
🧺Check out some of my favorite cottagecore finds.
🕯 6. Fill Your Days with Gentle Passions
Cottagecore’s all about just soaking up the little joys, you know? It’s not about getting stuff done for the sake of being productive or ticking off boxes. It’s more like—why not do things just because they make you smile or help you breathe easier for a minute?
Try:
Journaling, sketching, or writing letters
Embroidery, knitting, or making flower crowns
Reading classic novels or poetry by candlelight
Baking on slow weekends or hosting quiet picnics in the park
Foraging (or gathering pretty leaves and petals) in your neighborhood
Honestly, even with the world buzzing and notifications pinging nonstop, there’s something magical about hobbies that let you slow down. You get to create your own little pocket of calm, soft and gentle, right in the middle of all that chaos. And that’s pretty awesome.
🍃 The City Can Be Your Cottagecore Canvas
Cottagecore’s not really about packing your bags and moving to some fairytale farmhouse—let’s be real, most of us don’t have a spare barn lying around. It’s more about slowing down and paying attention to the little stuff that makes life kinda awesome.
Let your apartment be your cozy cottage. Let your window box be your wild garden. Let your day feel like a poem — even if it’s read between subway rides.
Because you don’t have to escape the city to find enchantment.
You just have to choose it.