Upcycle Aesthetic: Cottagecore

The aesthetic I will emulate in my upcycling project is cottagecore. Elements of this aesthetic already encompass the way that I fill my space, so I plan on creating a static piece of hanging furniture that serves as decor for my apartment. The piece will be a three-tiered combination of a wooden shelf storage display, a hanging plant holder, and a visual art statement. Cottagecore is all about blending earthy, bright, and floral elements into a mosaic that resembles the flow of nature, and this three-tiered decor will do so. I plan on using old fabric from my clothing and friends’ clothing to sew together a patchwork fabric hanging pot. The following image of clothing made by Natural Life (1) displays the patchwork style. 

The image to the right above is my initial sketch for the hanging pot. The fabric sketches are only a representation at this project stage, and the actual pieces I patch together will be different.

Through its storage capabilities, my piece of furniture will also capture the ‘self-creation’ lifestyle aspect of cottagecore. The top tier will be the wooden-shelf, made from old wooden planks easily sourced from The Home Depot (2). The wood is extremely affordable, and I have been lucky enough to acquire it for free due to leftover pieces of wood set aside at this establishment. These planks no longer met others’ needs. The image to the right is my initial shelf sketch.

The final tier of this piece will be an artistic statement that emulates cottagecore. I have ziplock bags full of dried flowers and plant leaves, so I plan to weave and glue these together with strips of my upcycled fabric. Sticks that I find outdoors will cross in an X formation, and, using old string that I own, I will tie the strands of weaved flowers and fabric to the sticks. The following image from LuminousLivingLLC (3) is my inspiration for this artistic element of the project: 

To attach each tier together and hang it from the ceiling, I plan on using twine rope that I will either find or purchase for 59 cents at McGuckin Hardware (4). I already own multiple leftover hooks to hang this piece. Below is my vision for the final product, but of course colors and textures will appear more natural and blended when not sketched on an iPad!

Its floral fabrics, storage capabilities, dried flowers, plants, and bright colors all merged into one piece will successfully represent the cottagecore aesthetic and be a wonderful addition to my home!

Sources:

(Source number 5 provided my post’s cover image)

1. Natural Life, 2024, https://www.naturallife.com/products/zoe-wide-leg-jumpsuit-mandala-patchwork?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NLE_US_pMAX_2302_Sleeveless_Jumpsuits_Feed_Only&utm_id=Cj0KCQiAn-2tBhDVARIsAGmStVnV3Sp3rOPEd4MxglXyHl9fhuvURed-qfp8RLqK7RiQeIAFmvAgWpYaAqltEALw_wcB&utm_term=&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn-2tBhDVARIsAGmStVnV3Sp3rOPEd4MxglXyHl9fhuvURed-qfp8RLqK7RiQeIAFmvAgWpYaAqltEALw_wcB
2. The Home Depot, 2000-2024, https://www.homedepot.com/
3. Etsy, LuminousLivingLLC, https://www.etsy.com/listing/1229007909/herb-drying-rack-kitchen-herb-hanger?click_key=18ea4fe91c16832f6d6b75a84056c9b747d3f277%3A1229007909&click_sum=72fb7e8d&external=1&rec_type=cs&ref=pla_similar_listing_top-5&frs=1&sts=1
4. McGuckin Hardware, 2024, https://www.mcguckin.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn-2tBhDVARIsAGmStVlupuoNHFQvavE7soD5nm6iW3HN-guGeOZzsZC6TaBnsjkHc1xEVTYaAlmuEALw_wcB
5. Cottage Core Style Aesthetic – How to Create it, Loving Grace Home, 2021, https://lovinggraceblog.com/how-to-create-a-cottagecore-style-aesthetic/