The cottagecore aesthetic is a style popularized by young city-dwelling people that reject their concrete cages and idealize the nature-filled life of medieval Europe.
Living in a small forest cottage where everything is hand-made is the highest objective for a cottagecore enthusiast. Though few of us are willing to actually leave the comfort of our cities in real life, nothing stops you from doing so in Skyrim.
While being a self-sufficient hermit in Skyrim is possible even in the vanilla game, that’s not enough to fulfill the cottagecore fantasy. It lacks some beauty, magic, and many homemade jams and bread.
Luckily modders have been beautifying Skyrim and expanding its gameplay for over a decade, and there are plenty of add-ons that’ll put you one step closer to the cottagecore dream.
What better way to kick off a cottagecore-themed ranking than with an actual cottage?
The Vandfald Cottage by Thay S is the perfect home for anyone looking to move away from the hustle and bustle of the hold’s capital and live on their own terms.
You’ll find this cozy home near Riverwood’s stone bridge.
It sits right beside a cute little stream where you can get water for your morning brew, wash your clothes, etc.
This custom player home features every non-smithing crafting station, enough display space for all of your trinkets, and a kids’ room for up to four adopted children.
Nothing will improve your cottage life and make it more Instagram-able than a loving house cat.
Darkfox127’s adorable mod introduces a wealth of small felines who’ll protect your grain storage from mice and Skeevers while also providing emotional support after a hard day of heroism.
You’ll find these cats all around Skyrim, making everyone’s lives better – and you’ll be able to adopt your own house cat to keep you company at stores in Whiterun and Riften.
This mod also features a variety of cat items and accessories like food bowls, collars, and the like.
They also have realistic needs, so make sure you keep their bowls filled with water and some minced fish.
Most of the cottagecore content on YouTube involves making something from scratch – whether it’s delicious tea, a traditional cake, or some jam made out of freshly picked forest berries.
For a similar experience in Skyrim, I’d recommend Kryptopyr’s Complete Alchemy & Cooking overhaul, which offers a well-balanced and more in-depth experience in both disciplines.
Not only will you be able to make a ton of new and more valuable potions and tonics, but over 100 all-new food items with custom graphics.
There are numerous new perks and all-new ingredients to harvest all around the game world. Have fun sourcing your own ingredients like a true self-sufficient cottage-lover!
You can’t very well live a cottagecore life clad in Daedric Armor. You’ll scare all the animals away!
Plus, why do you need full plate to pick up morels in the forest or tend to your garden?
Apachii Divine Elegance Store is a staple of fancy clothing for Skyrim – but it’s much more than that.
This vast collection includes outfits for any occasion, from a ball at the Jarl’s longhouse to a cozy afternoon sharing war stories with Lydia over some biscuits and herbal tea.
If you really want to look like a cottagecore influencer, you can pair this with the Cloaks of Skyrim mod and the scarves and mufflers of Keeping Warm.
The cottagecore aesthetic is steeped in medieval fantasy tropes.
It equates living a self-sufficient life in nature with living in a fairytale.
You can get the full fairytale living experience with Lele’s White Blossom Cottage.
Located a short walk south of Riverwood, this cottage provides the perfect abode for a nature-loving mage or alchemist. The round shape of the door is reminiscent of The Shire in Lord of the Rings – and there’s nothing more cottagecore than The Shire.
Inside and out, you’ll find multiple beautiful little details like magic lights, herbalist drawings, and ivy growing on the walls.
It blurs the lines between the home and the forest around it.
As previously mentioned, nature is a vital part of the cottagecore aesthetic.
The Skyrim Flora Overhaul by Vurt fully transforms the forests and grasslands of this northern region by introducing 18 new tree types, 180+ new textures for plants, and 65+ fresh grass and flower models.
Other than increased variety, SFO transforms the forests of Skyrim by making the trees look older and much taller.
With SFO installed, you can truly lose yourself among the trees like you’re in Disney’s Into the Woods.
Cottagecore living doesn’t end when you step outside your property.
If you want the authentic cottagecore experience, every time you venture to town for supplies or make a long trip to a far-away capital must be a magical journey of natural discovery.
Verdorsebrom Regions helps make your travels more inspiring and immersive by giving each biome its own style. The tundra, the coast, and the forests all get unique flora inspired by their real-life counterparts – all in remarkably high quality.
If you’re the kind of gamer that goes out of their way to make the game look as realistic and visually striking as possible, you can’t go wrong with Mari’s Flora.
This HD texture pack overhauls the plant life in Skyrim so your screenshots give National Geographic photography a run for its money.
With it, you get lifelike detail on the leaves and petals of every plant.
You’ll be amazed at how realistic the frost looks on the leaves and berries of trees and shrubs in snowy regions, and overall, you’ll feel a lot more immersed in your cottage life.
We’ll wrap up the ranking the same way we started it – with a fabulous cottage.
The Pinewood Cottage sits beside the Riverwood waterfalls, downstream from the town, and offers its owner an unbeatable view of the lands below – including the city of Whiterun.
Besides looking absolutely breathtaking, this self-sufficient abode features a hot bath, crafting stations for alchemists and enchanters, plenty of cooking space, and a functional windmill.
The number of flowers and other plants growing around this home is perfect for the cottagecore enthusiast – and the inside is almost offensively cozy.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
