17 Enchanting Cottagecore Spring DIY Decor Ideas
Spring has always been my favorite season. There’s something magical about watching the world wake up after winter’s long slumber. The tender green shoots pushing through the soil, birds returning to build their nests, and that distinct earthy scent that fills the air after a gentle spring rain. It’s a time of renewal and fresh beginnings.
This year, I’ve been completely captivated by the cottagecore aesthetic. If you’re not familiar with cottagecore, it’s a lifestyle that celebrates simplicity, sustainability, and connection with nature. Think wildflower meadows, freshly baked bread, handcrafted items, and cozy cottages surrounded by garden plots.
I’ve spent countless hours gathering ideas and testing different DIY projects to bring that enchanting cottagecore vibe into my home this spring. Today, I’m excited to share my 17 favorite cottagecore spring decor ideas that anyone can create, regardless of your crafting experience. These projects use simple, often upcycled materials and bring a touch of whimsical countryside charm to any space.
1. Pressed Flower Frame Gallery
One of the simplest ways to bring spring indoors is by preserving its most beautiful offerings. I started collecting and pressing flowers last year, and I’m amazed at how they’ve retained their delicate colors and shapes.
To create your own pressed flower frames, gather blooms from your garden or local wildflower patches (always get permission and never pick protected species). Place them between the pages of a heavy book with parchment paper on either side. After two weeks, carefully arrange the dried flowers in simple frames with clean glass. I’ve created a gallery wall of these frames in my entryway, and they make me smile every time I come home.
The beauty of this project is its simplicity and the personal connection to the flowers you’ve collected. Each frame tells a story of springtime walks and garden moments.
2. Mason Jar Herb Garden
Nothing says cottagecore quite like growing your own herbs. I’ve transformed my kitchen windowsill with a charming row of mason jar herb planters. They’re practical, beautiful, and fill my kitchen with the most wonderful scents.
I started by collecting mason jars in various sizes. Some were old preserving jars from my grandmother, while others I found at thrift stores. I filled the bottom of each jar with a layer of small stones for drainage, then added potting soil and herb seedlings. I planted basil, mint, thyme, and rosemary – all herbs I use regularly in cooking.
To add a cottagecore touch, I tied twine bows around the necks of the jars and added small wooden plant markers painted with each herb name. The result is a functional garden that doubles as kitchen decor. When I’m cooking, I simply snip what I need. It’s fresh, convenient, and incredibly satisfying.
3. Vintage Teacup Candles
I’ve always had a weakness for vintage teacups. Their delicate patterns and shapes speak of afternoon teas and simpler times. This project transforms orphaned teacups into charming candles that fill your home with soft light and lovely scents.
I found most of my teacups at secondhand shops for less than a dollar each. To make the candles, I purchased soy wax flakes, wicks, and essential oils in spring scents like lavender, rose, and lemon verbena. The process is straightforward – melt the wax, add a few drops of essential oil, place the wick in your clean teacup, and carefully pour in the wax.
These teacup candles now adorn my coffee table and bathroom shelf. They’re perfect for creating a peaceful atmosphere in the evening, and when they’re not lit, they still add visual charm to my space.
4. Embroidery Hoop Dried Flower Display
This might be one of my favorite projects because it combines two cottagecore elements – embroidery hoops and dried flowers. The result is a three-dimensional art piece that adds texture and interest to any wall.
I collected wooden embroidery hoops in different sizes from my local craft store. Instead of fabric, I stretched delicate lace or loosely woven burlap across the hoops. Then, I arranged dried lavender, baby’s breath, and wheat stalks in small bundles and attached them to the fabric with thin gauge wire or strong thread.
Hanging these hoops at different heights creates a dynamic wall display that captures the essence of spring fields. The dried elements catch the light beautifully and sometimes release a faint natural fragrance when the breeze comes through open windows.
5. Botanical Print Pillow Covers
I wanted to update my living room for spring without buying all new pillows, so I decided to make simple slipcovers with botanical prints. This project is perfect for beginners with basic sewing skills.
I found cotton fabric with delicate fern, wildflower, and mushroom prints. Using my existing pillows as templates, I cut and sewed simple envelope-style covers that slip on and off easily for washing. I added small wooden buttons as decorative closures on some and left others with a simple overlapping back.
These pillow covers instantly transformed my couch into a spring-ready cottagecore dream. The best part is that they’re removable, so I can change them with the seasons or wash them when needed.
6. Repurposed Vintage Drawer Planters
When I spotted an old wooden dresser with damaged drawers at a yard sale last fall, I immediately envisioned it as a unique planting container. The weathered wood and vintage hardware were perfect for the cottagecore aesthetic.
I removed the drawers, drilled drainage holes in the bottoms, and lined them with landscape fabric. Some drawers I filled entirely with soil for deeper-rooted plants, while others I used as display containers for potted plants that I can rotate.
Placed on my porch steps, these drawer planters add character and charm while showcasing spring flowers like primroses, violets, and early pansies. The contrast between the old wood and fresh blooms creates exactly the lived-in, harmonious-with-nature feel that cottagecore embodies.
7. Hand-Dipped Beeswax Taper Candles
There’s something deeply satisfying about making items that were once daily necessities. Candle-making connects me to generations of homemakers who created light and warmth by hand.
For this project, I ordered beeswax pellets and cotton wicking from a local beekeeper. The process is meditative – repeatedly dipping the wick into melted beeswax, allowing each layer to cool and harden before the next dip. I spent a peaceful afternoon by my kitchen window, watching birds visit my feeder as I slowly built up each candle’s thickness.
The finished tapers have a natural honey scent and a warm golden glow when lit. I display them in simple ceramic or wooden candleholders on my dining table. They burn cleanly and slowly, perfect for lingering spring evening meals.
8. Foraged Branch Curtain Tiebacks
This no-cost project brings the outdoors in while serving a practical purpose. After a spring storm, I collected fallen branches from my yard, selecting ones with interesting shapes and a diameter of about one inch.
After cleaning and drying the branches, I cut them to approximately 10-inch lengths. I attached natural twine to each end, creating a loop to hold back my curtains. For extra cottagecore charm, I added small clusters of dried flowers and herbs secured with thin wire.
These rustic tiebacks frame my windows beautifully and highlight the view of my garden. They’re a simple touch that reinforces the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces that’s so central to cottagecore style.
9. Vintage Book Page Garland
Old books with yellowed pages create the perfect material for this charming garland that adds texture and visual interest to any room. I found damaged vintage books (ones that couldn’t be read or donated) at library sales for just a few cents.
I carefully removed pages, cut them into simple heart and flower shapes, and stitched them together with my sewing machine, leaving a bit of space between each shape. The garland drapes beautifully across mantels, shelves, or window frames.
The aged paper carries stories and history, embodying the appreciation for heritage that cottagecore celebrates. I’ve added small dried flower accents between some paper shapes for an extra touch of spring.
10. Botanical Sun Catchers
These delicate window decorations create magical light patterns and showcase pressed flowers and leaves. They’re simple to make but look incredibly special hanging in a sunny window.
I started with clear contact paper cut into circles. I arranged pressed ferns, flower petals, and small leaves on the sticky side, then covered them with another piece of contact paper. After trimming the edges and punching a hole at the top, I added natural twine for hanging.
When the spring sunlight shines through these botanical sun catchers, it casts the most beautiful patterns across my walls and floors. They celebrate the season’s growth while creating ever-changing art from natural light.
11. Jam Jar Votive Holders with Twine and Lace
This might be the simplest project on my list, but the results are charming. I saved clean glass jam jars and removed their labels. I wrapped the jars with alternating bands of rustic twine and vintage lace, securing them with a dab of craft glue.
When lit from within by a small tealight candle, these votives cast intricate shadows from the lace patterns while the twine adds rustic texture. I’ve grouped several together on my coffee table and patio for evening gatherings. They create just the right amount of warm, flickering light for conversations that stretch into the night.
12. Wildflower Seed Bombs as Decor and Gifts
This project serves a dual purpose – creating decorative items that eventually transform into garden additions. Seed bombs are balls of clay, compost, and wildflower seeds that can be planted directly into the soil.
I made several dozen using a mixture of clay soil, compost, and local wildflower seeds. While still damp, I shaped them into small balls and let them dry completely. Some I arranged in a shallow vintage bowl as a coffee table centerpiece. Others I wrapped in small squares of burlap tied with twine and hand-written tags to give as spring gifts.
These humble seed bombs represent the cottagecore values of sustainability, future beauty, and sharing with others. When planted, they’ll create patches of wildflower meadow that support local pollinators.
13. Hand-Painted Terra Cotta Pots
Plain terra cotta pots are inexpensive and have a natural charm, but with a little paint, they become unique cottagecore decorative pieces. I collected pots in various sizes and experimented with different painting techniques.
On some pots, I painted simple botanical motifs like ferns, mushrooms, and wildflowers. On others, I created a whitewashed effect by diluting white paint and applying it unevenly to let the natural clay color show through. I left the rims unpainted for a rustic contrast.
Grouped on a windowsill or porch, these personalized pots bring color and pattern to spring plantings. They’re perfect containers for the herbs and flowers that are essential to the cottagecore aesthetic.
14. Vintage Handkerchief Bunting
Old handkerchiefs with their delicate embroidery and soft, washed fabrics make perfect material for spring bunting. I inherited some from my grandmother and found others at estate sales and antique shops.
Creating the bunting was as simple as folding each handkerchief into a triangle and attaching it to a length of twine or ribbon. I spaced them evenly, allowing the corners to flutter in the breeze from open windows.
Hanging across my dining room or on my porch, this bunting adds soft movement and vintage charm. The handkerchiefs’ faded colors and hand-stitched details connect my space to the craftsmanship of earlier times – a core value in cottagecore decor.
15. Spring Botanical Printable Art
For spaces where I wanted to add cottagecore charm without crafting, I created my own botanical printable art. I took close-up photos of spring blooms and interesting plants from my garden, edited them for clarity and color, and printed them on textured paper.
Framed in simple, natural wood frames, these personal botanical prints add an authentic touch to my walls. They document the actual plants from my own little piece of the world, making them far more meaningful than generic store-bought art.
The prints concentrate on the detailed beauty of individual blooms – a single unfurling fern frond, the delicate structure of a primrose, or the intricate pattern of lichen on a garden stone. They celebrate the close observation of nature that cottagecore encourages.
16. Woven Twig Basket
This project required more patience than skill and connected me to traditional crafting methods. Using flexible twigs from pruned shrubs, I wove a simple round basket by creating a base of crossed twigs and weaving more around and up to form the sides.
The finished basket isn’t perfect – and that’s the point. Its handmade quality and natural materials embody cottagecore values. I use it to collect eggs from my neighbor’s chickens and to gather herbs from my garden. When not in use, it sits on my kitchen counter holding fresh fruit or bread.
The basket will weather and darken over time, developing character like all natural materials do. This aging process is something to be celebrated in cottagecore decor, where perfection is less important than authenticity.
7. Patchwork Lavender Sachets
For my final spring cottagecore project, I created small lavender sachets from fabric scraps. I had accumulated bits of cotton prints, old linens, and even a worn-out embroidered tablecloth that couldn’t be repaired.
I cut these fabrics into small squares and rectangles, piecing them together patchwork-style to create little pouches. After sewing three sides, I filled each with dried lavender from last summer’s garden and stitched them closed. Some I finished with vintage buttons or small embroidered details.
These sachets now scent my drawers and closets with the calming fragrance of lavender. I’ve also hung some from doorknobs and bedposts. Their handmade quality and use of reclaimed materials perfectly represent the cottagecore philosophy of finding beauty in simplicity and giving new life to old things.
Embracing the Cottagecore Spring Spirit
What I love most about these 17 cottagecore spring decor projects is how they’ve changed my relationship with my home. Instead of rushing out to buy mass-produced seasonal decorations, I’ve slowed down and created meaningful items that tell a story. Many of these projects used materials I already had or could find in nature, making them sustainable choices as well.
The cottagecore aesthetic isn’t about perfection or following rigid design rules. It’s about creating a home that feels authentic, connected to nature, and filled with evidence of the human hand. These spring projects have helped me transform my space into a haven that celebrates the season’s renewal and the simple joys of handmade beauty.
I hope these ideas inspire you to try your own cottagecore creations this spring. Remember, the beauty is in the process as much as the finished project. Take time to notice the details of the natural world, incorporate elements that have meaning to you, and enjoy the satisfaction that comes from making something with your own hands.
Happy crafting, and may your spring be filled with cottagecore charm!
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