From cottagecore to coastal grandma, five interior design styles you may not have heard of explained

We’ve all heard of the mid-century, Hamptons, and bohemian interior design styles, but so many more have emerged in recent years.

These interior looks cover everything from chic to quirky, and can even be a bit dark and moody. But despite the growing popularity of these trending styles, there are probably plenty that you’ve probably never heard of.

READ MORE: Coastal hues have been voted Australia’s favorite interior style, here’s how to get the look

To help you get to grips with these looks and differentiate cottagecore from coastal grandma, here’s a guide to the latest interior design styles you should know.

coastal grandma

It’s both an interior and a fashion trend that references Diane Keaton’s character in something must give as a source of inspiration. It’s also a look you’d probably associate with home and lifestyle queen Martha Stewart.

The Coastal Grandma has elements of the coastal look we’ve seen before, with natural wood and shades of white and blue. However, it’s more relaxed and incorporates warm elements like florals and pastels, with a balance of vintage and modern pieces.

“I see the coastal grandma as ‘less, but better.’ handmade ceramic.” designer Erin Gates told Lifestyle Asia.

Cottagecore

If you dream of gazing out the window of an English cottage at a field of wildflowers, cottagecore might be for you.

This style has a country house, farmhouse living aesthetic with lots of floral patterns, dried flowers, vintage furniture, and warm decor. Other features include wooden furniture, wallpaper, open shelving, pastels, and warm tones.

“It’s an aesthetic very much inspired by a sense of nostalgia for rural life in the countryside,” cottagecore influence Jesca Her told Insider. “In a cottage – that’s where we get the term cottagecore – in the middle of the woods or in a forest. Everything about the outdoors and the comforts of nature.”

Cottagecore emphasizes slow living, comfort and simplicity, but it’s more than interior and fashion style. It is also a way of life, it means cooking, gardening and sewing.

Royalcore

Want to live like royalty? Well, with royalcore you can at least decorate your house like a palace.

This interior design trend grew out of the popularity of television shows and movies about royalty and nobility.

Bridgerton is the newest influence on the style with floral wallpaper, gold accents, chandeliers, and vintage furniture with ornate details like a whimsical headboard.

And if you really like the rooms featured in the steamy series, you can get even more niche by following the regencycore style, which is more specific to the time period the show is set in.

Royalcore is not era specific, so the decor and furnishings you choose may be larger and fit for a king or queen.

Dark University

This style of design conjures up images of Hogwarts or an archaeologist’s office in an ancient museum.

It’s moody and a bit gothic, with dark colors, heavy wooden furniture, and shelves filled with antiques and treasures reminiscent of a bygone era.

And it’s the kind of style where the more the merrier.

“Maximalism is key to the dark academia! It’s an aesthetic that really benefits from embellishment,” Michael Rolland, Managing Director of The Paint Shed said spruce.

“[Think] large Persian-style rugs and heavy extra-long velvet curtains [hung] above the top of the window to give the illusion of a higher ceiling. Leathers are also a key part of this trend: Chesterfield sofas and high-back armchairs.”

READ MORE: The best decoration and interior trends to refresh your home during the cooler months

Cluttercore

This style of interior design sounds like good news to anyone with heaps of clutter around the house, but it’s not that simple.

Cluttercore is lots of colors, prints and patterns with lots of furniture and decorations. But this “more is more” trend is always organized in a stylish way.

The great thing about Cluttercore is that you can strain to mismatch and throw away the rulebook.

Cluttercore is believed to have gained popularity after two tough years of living through a pandemic and other global issues.

“People are taking this self-swaddling approach, especially now. We want to feel safe, we want to feel comfortable, we want to feel protected and supported – things can act like a real cocoon. “, Jennifer Howard, author of Clutter: A Messy History, says BBC.com.

“There’s a real sense of abundance that’s appealing right now, given how constricted our lives have become.”