Cold weather and shorter days naturally make you want to step into your hibernation era, and the burrowcore design aesthetic gives full permission to do exactly that. Not quite cottagecore, this aesthetic focuses more on cocooning à la your favourite childhood storybook animals that somehow always had the cosiest, most enveloping spaces.
‘To me, burrowcore is all about creating a sense of refuge at home. They’re spaces that feel enveloping, intimate and deeply comforting,’ explains Shweta Pathak, interior designer and founder of House of Suris. She adds, ‘Strategic use of colour, texture, pattern and layered materials create a perfect space to retreat.’
Ahead, we’re sharing designer pro tips on embracing this aesthetic in your own home.
Add soft pools of light
Lighting is everything, and the burrowcore design aesthetic heavily relies on it. ‘Think of a fire in the middle of the night, the way it lights a small circle and leaves everything else in shadow. That is the feeling to recreate,’ says Vanessa Larsson, an interior designer at Planner 5D.
She recommends scattering little lamps and candles around the room in different sizes and at different heights so the light pools rather than floods. ‘Keep it warm, and never use the overhead light,’ she adds. ‘A den should have dark corners, so don’t be afraid to leave some parts without lighting.’
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Create a sense of enclosure
You can capture that snug feeling in a few different ways. ‘Painting the walls and ceiling in a deeper enveloping colour, making use of existing architectural elements can instantly make the room feel intimate and cocoon-like,’ Shweta says.
You can also try heavy curtains in rich, earthy tones or incorporate additional architectural details such as crown moulding.
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Layer warmth
Layering materials that bring in warmth through texture, tone and softness can make the room feel collected over time – almost like an animal den. Vanessa says to be generous here with full, heavy curtains, throws, cushions and a bed filled with pillows and covers.
‘Carve out at least one spot made purely for curling up, [such as] a reading nook or a low cushioned seating area on the floor,’ Vanessa says. ‘Anything that lets the room reel you in and feels like a magical little respite.’
Infuse some whimsy
From little handmade trinkets to paintings and ceramics with a slightly wobbly rim, imperfect whimsy is a highlight of the burrowcore design aesthetic. This, of course, is inspired directly from the Earth. ‘Nature is full of organic shapes, irregularity and unpredictability,’ Vanessa says. ‘Bring that in and the room stops feeling styled and starts feeling warm and cosy, as if it grew around you over the years.’