How TikTok influences interior design trends — with 7 aesthetics to try

TikTok has become not only one of the most widely used social media platforms, but also the most influential. Whether its a #BookTok stand in your local bookstore or clothing displays that scream ‘TikTok made me do it’, it’s clear that the dominance of TikTok trends invades every industry.

The world of TikTok aesthetics is a vast and often confusing one. From classic cottagecore to barbiecore and more, these aesthetics are constantly evolving and changing as new trends emerge. They offer an avenue for users to express their personal style and find content that interests them.

Much like other industries, TikTok aesthetics have become incredibly influential in interior design. When users start to create content around a particular aesthetic, it generates massive interest and demand for products that fit that style. This is one of the reasons why things like vintage decor, indoor plants, or bold patterns have become so popular.

As TikTok continues to grow in popularity, its influence on the decor industry is likely to continue as well. We’re going to break down some of the most popular TikTok aesthetics from the past few years and show you how you can recreate the look in your own home.

Cottagecore

Cottagecore romanticizes the simplicity and charm of rural life. It’s characterized by a focus on the natural world, rustic and vintage elements, and a general appreciation for slower-paced living.

In decor, cottagecore favours soft, pastel colors, floral patterns, vintage fabrics, and natural materials like wood and stone. The lifestyle aspect of cottagecore encourages practices like gardening, baking, crafting, and spending time outdoors in nature.

This aesthetic celebrates the idea of finding beauty and joy in simple pleasures, and rejecting the hustle and bustle of modern life in favor of a slower, more peaceful way of living.

Add cottagecore to your interior:

• Keep it natural: Incorporate natural materials like wood, stone, and wicker into your decor through things like wooden furniture, stone or brick accents, and woven baskets.
• Muted tones: Cottagecore interiors often feature soft, muted colors like pastels and earth tones – pale pinks, soft greens, and warm browns.
• Go vintage: Look for antique pieces to add character and a sense of history to your home.
• Floral focus: Look for floral textiles like curtains, bedding, or throw pillows to bring these cottagecore staples indoors. Or, bring the outdoors inside by incorporating natural elements like flowers, plants, and branches by displaying fresh flowers in a vase, hanging a dried flower wreath on the wall, or placing a potted plant on a windowsill.
• Lighting is key: Soft, warm lighting can create a cozy, inviting atmosphere that is key to the cottagecore aesthetic. Use soft, warm lighting like lamps or fairy lights rather than harsh overhead lighting.

Dark Academia

Dark Academia is all about academic pursuits, classical literature, and dark themes. It often involves an appreciation for the classics, a love of learning, and a fascination with history and the past.

The dark academia color palette includes deep shades of brown, green, and burgundy, along with the staples black and white. Incorporating traditional and vintage elements is essential, especially where books are involved. Dark academia interiors typically include things like leather-bound books, antique furnishings, and dark wood finishes.

Art is another essential feature of dark academia – especially art that explores darker or more melancholy themes.

Add dark academia to your interior:

• Neutrals first: Use a color palette of black, white, and shades of brown through wall paint, textiles, and accessories.
• Classic materials: Incorporate natural materials like leather, wood, and stone throughout your home and in specific feature pieces.
• Intellectual pursuits: Add the theme of academia with decor elements like a vintage globe or a stack of classic, thrifted books.
• Add antiques: Antique pieces add character to dark academia-inspired spaces. Think of a vintage typewriter or a brass desk lamp with a long history.
• Moody lighting: Table lamps or floor lamps with warm, low-level lighting create a cozy and inviting atmosphere that fits with the dark academia themes.

Barbiecore

On the opposite end of the color spectrum, barbiecore involves a bright and bold color palette, along with kitsch and retro elements, particularly in the realm of fashion and beauty.

In interior design, barbiecore uses elements of Barbie’s signature pink and purple colors, along with playful decor like neon lights, plush carpets, and vintage toys. This fun and lighthearted aesthetic trend celebrates the whimsy of Barbie dolls and their culture.

Add barbiecore to your interior:

• Be bold (especially using pink): Embrace bold and bright colors, focusing on shades of pink, purple, and pastels. You don’t have to go all out – consider painting an accent wall or adding colorful accessories like throw pillows in playful colors.
• Metalheads: Silver, gold, and rose gold are often used in barbiecore-inspired designs in accessories like lamps, picture frames, and vases.
• Add playful decor: Channel your inner barbie with fun accessories like fluffy rugs, velvet furniture or a retro-inspired coffee table, to add character to your space.
• Collector’s item: Barbie-related merchandise can make great decor pieces in a Barbiecore-inspired interior.

Coastal Grandma

Imagine you’re visiting your classy grandparents at their beachhouse and you’ve got coastal grandma aesthetic. This emerging trend includes a combination of coastal, rustic, and vintage elements, emphasising both style and comfort.

Far from kitsch beach decor, coastal grandma interiors feature natural materials like wood, rattan, and linen, as well as coastal-inspired decor like driftwood. Vintage elements like a claw-foot bathtub, a refurbished dresser, or an old-fashioned reading chair are common visuals.

When it comes to color, the focus is on muted and earthy tones, with accents of seafoam green, pale blue, and sandy beige. Floral and botanical prints can also be incorporated, alluding to the natural beauty and tranquillity of the sea.

Add coastal grandma to your interior:

• Paint choices: Choose paint accents with beachy colors like blue and beige and opt for nautical-inspired patterns.
• Furniture first: Look for furniture with materials like rattan, wicker, and bamboo that add a beachy feel – a wicker rocking chair or a bamboo coffee table are staples.
• Beach vibes: For accessories, use beachy details like seashells or a vintage surfboard – without overdoing it.
• Keep it cosy: Use soft throws or a plush area rug to create the cosy spaces the coastal grandma aesthetic is known for.
• Coastal theme: Art is a great way to evoke a coastal grandma aesthetic, with images of beach scenes and serene sunsets.
• Natural light: Allow natural light to flow into the space through large windows and glass doors. Use warm table or floor lamps to evoke the same sunny feeling in the evenings.

Fairycore

Dreamy, ethereal, and whimsical are all words that encapsulate the aesthetic trend of fairycore. Drawing from fantasy themes, this trend is associated with dreamy nature, magical creatures, and a desire to create a space that feels like a fairy tale come to life.

Natural colors found in forests and gardens, like earthy greens and browns, dominate the space, with accents of soft pastel colors, such as blush pink, mint green, and baby blue. Metallic accents like gold and silver are also often incorporated.

Much like cottagecore, common materials include wood, stone, and woven fibers, complemented by flowers, plants, crystals, and twinkling lights to create a whimsical and enchanted atmosphere. Furniture pieces may have ornate details, with curved lines and unique shapes.

Add fairycore to your interior:

• Bring the outdoors in: Focus on natural materials like wood, stone, and plants when choosing feature pieces.
• Embrace whimsy: Use fantasy-inspired decor like a vintage birdcage, a crystal chandelier, or lace curtains to make your home feel like a fairytale cottage.
• Antiques again: Thrift antique pieces with intricate details, especially in old wooden furniture, to bring the fairycore charm.
• Fairy lights are essential: Small string lights instantly add a magical feel to the space. Consider draping them around a bookshelf or hanging them from the ceiling.
• Use fairytales: When looking for art or decor pieces, pick fairytale-inspired elements like framed prints, figurines, or a floral tapestry.

Y2K

Y2K stands for the year 2000, encapsulating the trends of the turn of the millennium. The time was influenced by the rise of technology and the internet, characterized by a futuristic and technology-inspired look. Y2K uses bold colors, sleek metallics, and digital-inspired graphics.

Space is a common theme in the Y2K aesthetic, including stars, planets, and geometric shapes. The world of fashion dove into unconventional silhouettes made from shiny and synthetic fabrics that can provide inspiration for interiors too.

Although most homeowners were alive during this time period and will vividly remember the bold colors and interesting textures, this aesthetic is most popular among younger generations drawn to the retro-futuristic style.

Add Y2k to your interior:

• Be bold: Embrace bold and bright colors, particularly primaries and shades of pink, blue, green, and purple. Although pops of color work, true Y2K interiors use these bold colors in big ways, such as accent walls or furniture pieces.
• All that glitters: Metallics – especially silver and gold – are a staple of Y2K. Decor accessories like lamps or vases are great places to add a metallic touch.
• Go retro: Kitschy and retro elements of the decades before 2000 all feature prominently in this aesthetic. Choose Y2K-inspired furniture, like a velvet couch or retro coffee table.
• Tech as decor: Tech-inspired decor like a retro computer or old cd player brings back the Y2K feeling. Plus, you probably still have one in the back of your storage cupboard.
• Playful patterns: Prints like polka dots, stripes, and checkerboard patterns are bold and very Y2K, elevated with the use of bright colors.

Royalcore

If you’ve seen Birdgerton on Netflix, you’ll have some idea of what inspired the royalcore trend. Royalcore draws inspiration from royal and aristocratic design, creating a grand and opulent atmosphere that exudes luxury, elegance, and sophistication.

In terms of color, royal purple is a must, complemented by other rich colors such as deep reds and blues with metallic accents like gold, brass, and silver. Lavish and ornate is the goal, using attention to detail and high-quality materials.

Furniture and decor in royalcore-inspired interiors often feature intricate details, ornate carvings, and luxurious fabrics like velvet or silk. Furniture pieces may include wingback chairs, chaise lounges, four-poster beds, and ornate dining tables and chairs.

Also look for crystal chandeliers, oil paintings, ornate mirrors, and gilded picture frames. Accessories like fresh flowers, candles, and decorative vases can also add to the overall opulence of the space.

Add royalcore to your interior:

• Rich color: Choose deep reds, purples, and blues as your central colors. These can be added through paint, furniture or soft furnishings.
• Invest in luxury: To achieve the opulent feel of royalcore, invest in high-quality materials for upholstered furniture.
• Ornate everything: Include pieces with intricate carvings, gilded frames, and detailed moldings, either in your furniture or in the architecture itself.
• Elegant lighting: Lighting is a great place to start adding royalcore elements. Look for chandeliers, wall sconces, and table lamps that feature intricate details and luxurious finishes.
• Accessorize: Fresh flowers, decorative vases, and candles are all great additions to royalcore interiors.

Written by Madison Moulton. 

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Feature Image: Getty