TikTok’s top home interior trends for 2021 - and how to bring them into your home

TikTok’s biggest interior trends have been revealed, and it looks like 2021 is the year of flower power.  

• See: 15+ interior design trends for 2021 you need to know about

According to a study by GoCompare Home, Cottagecore is the most popular craze emerging from the influential video-sharing app, with 5,300,000,000 TikTok hashtags and over 60,000 searches per year, according to Google volumes.

Shortly behind Cottagecore is ‘Mid Century Modern’ decor, with 70,600,000 hashtags, and an impressive search volume of 817,490, while ‘Dried Flowers’ takes third place.

Other trends included in the top ten are ‘Wall Paneling,’ ‘Pink Bathrooms,’ ‘Japandi’, and ‘Green Walls,’ and we can get behind all of the above if we’re honest. 

You don’t need to be a TikTok addict to see the appeal behind Cottagecore- the nostalgic interior trend that will turn any home into a sweet English countryside retreat. Think china vases filled with lavender, gingham furnishings, and an antique dining table filled with Victoria Sponge cake and enough tea to sink a ship. It’s the charm of a nineteenth-century world without having to give up modern amenities, such as TikTok, naturally. 

Considering Cottagecore’s allure, it is unsurprising to see 'dried flowers' among the top three trends of the year, as pressing flowers, everybody’s favorite lockdown activity, offers the same rustic aesthetic. How else can we bring elements of this trend into our homes? 

• See: Obsessed with cottagecore? Check out these adorable UK holiday properties

These interior designers are on hand to show you how: 

Do it yourself

‘CottageCore is the most recent version of a “back-to-the-land” movement. Gen Xers are disenchanted with corporate culture and capitalist consumption and are looking for more self-sufficiency and community; hence the fascination with growing your own food, maker culture, and a recycle/reuse philosophy,’ shared Elizabeth Vallino of Elizabeth Vallino Interiors. 

‘The way to transform this into a design philosophy is to focus on antique, vintage or upcycled furnishings, mending and fixing things rather than buying new, making our own art, basically not buying anything that you can make yourself. These are largely aesthetic considerations, but are also consistent with a desire to live in harmony with nature and concern for the environment.’

Mix in modern elements

Similarly, Emily Henderson of Emily Henderson Design shared her beliefs as to why the trend is growing amid the pandemic whilst offering her tips for bringing cottagecore into your home.

‘The reason why it continues to have such power throughout the year [is] due to the fact that people want to feel safe and be cozy during a really scary time… and what’s cozier than your grandma’s house? If you want to bring that style into your home, think delicate, muted toned florals, wicker, vintage art, soft textiles, and a colorful but defined color palette. I would just say to make sure to mix in some modern elements.’

‘You still want to have that visual and layered interest. Have fun, it’s your home, Emilyadded.