Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought and built their seaside home, Osbourne House, on the Isle of Wight in 1845 to fulfill the queen’s desire for a ‘place of one’s own – quiet and retired.' The cozy, eclectic, and romantically opulent interiors reflect this imperative; they are full of everyday joy.
Victoria and Albert's maximalist bedroom is upholstered in ruffles and tassels, bathed in pastels and florals. It is deeply decorative, with gilt frames and crown moulding lining the walls. The carpets are pink and yellow, endowing the space with an inviting, distinctly feminine feel.
The romantic aesthetic from places like Osbourne House during this period was so striking that it has come to define Victorian interior design. This style favors rich color palettes, bold patterns and textures, ornamentation, and ornately carved furnishings.
Modern versions of the look are still popular with decorators today, and the visual impulses of the Victorian period continue to be deeply felt across the world.
For instance, trend experts have identified a parallel movement to Victoria and Albert's search for escape through turning one's home into a sanctuary, taking place in 2025. Recent studies show that Americans are spending more time than ever at home, leading to increased interest in nesting at our abodes.
These shifts have also led to changes in how we decorate our homes, with homeowners turning towards more cocooning, comforting spaces, a far cry from the sharp lines of the 2010s. Experts have coined this interior design trend with a name as sweet as its aesthetic: cutecore.
Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy's Trends Expert, explains: 'Cutecore signifies a wider cultural shift towards a safer and sweeter way of life. While we can’t control the world around us, we can create better ways to cope. This movement is all about embracing our inner child through all areas of our lives, particularly our homes.'
Shop the Cutecore Look
Stoffer Home is one of my favorite Wayfair destinations, thanks to their beautiful hand-upholstered furniture pieces like this block-print ottoman. The silhouette is contemporary yet finished with a ruffle to nail the skirted furniture trend.
Intertwined with berries and little daisy flowers, this nostalgic pleated throw pillow is such a great Amazon find. I'll be adding it to my bed with some pretty linens inspired by the scalloped decor trend.
This ruffled throw pillow is the perfect accent piece for style-forward shoppers. I love the combo of green and pink, and it's delicate, ditsy floral that was designed in-house at The Six Bells and then crafted in India.
She continues: 'We see it everywhere, from the love for pastel interiors to people returning to cozy hobbies like reading. Taking centre stage within the interior space, reading is more than a hobby; it’s inviting us to create cozy and inviting spaces within our homes. Our homes are our sanctuaries, so it is no wonder we want to make them feel cozy and safe.'
As you may have noticed from the mention of pastels, many of the visual characteristics of 'cute core' echo motifs from the Victorian period, as seen in the bedroom at Osbourne House.
Dayna explains: 'For many, this is a way of embracing nostalgia and remembering perhaps a simpler time. From adding splashes of colour to our homes, to welcoming plush and fuzzy textures through our soft furnishings, there are plenty of small touches we can make.'
This is easier to recreate than you might think. Dayna advises: 'From incorporating cute bow cushions to adding ruffled bedding, cutecore is all about embracing things that bring you joy. On Etsy, sales for ruffled items, including curtains, blankets, and throw pillows, have doubled, while coquette bows are up 500%. This year, cutecore is also reflected in the trending colors, leaning towards pinks and purples, or pastel palettes.'
Almost everything new stems from something older, and the dawn of cutecore is no different. By looking to the past, you can source out-of-the-box inspiration that transforms your home uniquely.
