Cluttercore is a trend that has been sweeping social media. Here, Hayley Baddiley from ceramics brand Denby, shows you how to bring this warm and inviting aesthetic into your own home.
Cluttercore is the latest interiors trend sweeping social media. Building on the earlier craze for cottagecore, cluttercore is an anti-minimalist trend which celebrates the lived-in look, with rooms full of crockery, textiles, books, and quirky trinkets.
In contrast to the minimalist, clean design that has dominated Instagram in the past, cluttercore is all about embracing the chaos. So, how can you incorporate this inviting, yet stylish, aesthetic into your home?
What is cluttercore?
Simply put, cluttercore is a way of designing an interior that is maximalist, but also cosy and comfortable. Think books packed onto a bookcase, houseplants balancing on surfaces and ornaments — anything that conveys that lived-in look rather than constructed elegance.
Part of why cluttercore may be exploding now on social media is that so many of us identify with filling your space with meaningful things rather than the unattainably immaculate homes often presented on social media. So, before your next big clear out and get rid of those old items, consider working them into a new style of décor.
How to use cluttercore into your home
There are lots of ways to start having more cluttercore in your home, and they are all relatively easy. The main thing to keep in mind is that this design trend is about organised chaos — there should be lots of things in your space, but ideally they should all be meaningful and suit the aesthetic you want to create. It's not just a mess!
If you already like a certain colour scheme or furniture style, like Victorian or mid-century modern, you can base your cluttercore aesthetic around this. The great thing about this look is that you can combine it with whatever features you already like about your home. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Combine contrasting time periods
One of the features that is exciting about cluttercore, is that you can place objects from different time periods next to each other. Match family heirlooms with modern pieces, furniture from the 1970s, and modern touches, and arrange it all together. The combination of different design trends creates an exciting eclectic mix, in equal parts interesting and homely.
If you want to try experimenting with the mix and match aesthetic, check out your local charity shops, markets, and antique shops.
Arrange your clutter
The key to keeping the cluttercore aesthetic looking considered is to arrange your homeware in certain places around your home. Open shelves, the tops of bookcases, mantlepieces, tables, or on top of kitchen counters, fridges, and cupboards all offer opportunities to display objects.
By collecting items in certain places, you'll make the overall effect less overwhelming, and keep your house looking like it's been designed, rather than like you're just delaying tidying up!
You can also try hanging lots of small pictures in a group close together, or line up a collection of mugs on top of a kitchen cupboard. Try out different arrangements to find what works for your space.
Allow your interior to evolve
Cluttercore is an aesthetic that creates a lived-in effect in your home, so it's natural to let it evolve and change over time. As you travel, acquire new hobbies and interests, and find new styles that you like, add new acquisitions like ornaments, fridge magnets, fruit bowls, rugs, and blankets to your home.
Letting your personal version of cluttercore develop over time can be a fun project, and as new trends come along, you can incorporate them as well, without redoing your home.
Go for the handmade look
You might already know of the handmade trend from the social media craze that was cottagecore, and it's still important here too. Cluttercore is about being cosy, and there are few things more homely than handmade hangings, pressed flowers, and crochet projects.
You can try taking up a craft hobby, such as knitting or crochet, to make some things for your house. Or, you might choose to buy rugs, throws, and ceramics that are handcrafted rather than mass produced.
Stoneware ceramics are also a great way to incorporate a classic handmade look, as they come in plenty of colours and styles, so can add a personal touch to match your interior.
This is also a great way of having a more sustainable home, as you can reuse objects, support small sustainable businesses, and develop your skills at making things for yourself. Try upcycling as well, giving old objects a new lease of life.