For those who don’t identify as a member of Gen Z, TikTok might seem like an intimidating mishmash of viral challenges, modern lingo, and, for whatever reason, sea shanties. But once you get your head above water, the platform can be a surprising fount of knowledge about what’s trending in culture, cooking, and interior design. And what is more, it’s one that anyone can tap into to learn about the interior design trends that the platform’s youthful demographic are passionate about. Below, we take a closer look at some of TikTok’s booming design hashtags, based on data recently compiled and shared by GoCompare Home. As it turns out, Cottagecore and dried flowers are indeed in the throes of an extended moment. But then again, they’re just two out of eight stylistic elements that are noticeably trending.
#Cottagecore (5.3 billion views)
Cottagecore is less of a design style and more of a broad aesthetic concerned with an idyllic, romanticized (and sometimes fantastical) life in the countryside. You may see the odd elf pop-up when searching this hashtag, but anything with a rural English feel that’s connected to both nature and 19th-century (or earlier) history plays well here.
#Midcenturymodern (70.8 million views)
While TikTok’s typical demographic probably isn’t outfitting their college dorms with Eames chairs, they’re finding ways both big and small to live the midcentury-modern life on the digital platform. From DIY hacks to thrifted dressers that have been converted into knockoff Heywood Wakefields to rooms (and camper vans) that feel like traveling back to the 1960s, TikTokers are chasing America’s postwar design dream.
#Driedflowers (52.6 million views)
This popular hashtag is all about the craftier side of things, with accounts showing off how to both preserve flowers and arrange artful bouquets. Above all, the goal is to try and make something both natural and beautiful last forever, bringing the outside in through DIY.
#Wallpanelling (5.6 million views)
Maybe because we’ve all spent far too much time over the past year staring at the walls of our home, TikTok users seem to love adding this sort of geometric design element to a space. Though the end result often looks like the product of professional handiwork, you’ll find plenty of time-lapses suggesting this home project probably isn’t as daunting as it may seem.
#Greenwall (5.2 million views)
A lot of the (design-related) TikTok #Greenwall content provides a wealth of ideas for those looking to turn their homes into nature preserves. It seems like just about everyone wants to binge Netflix on a TV installed in front of a lush forest wall. Then again, this could very possibly be trending more after a year of many individuals working from home.
#Japandi (1.9 million views)
This fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics prizes functional minimalism. It’s also taking off lately, with TikTok helping to feed the frenzy. Thanks to users like @lille.hoang, you can expect this interior design trend for 2021 to only draw more attention on the platform as 2021 goes on.
#Pinkbathroom (1.8 million views)
Our homes certainly function as sanctuaries these days, and a soothing shade of pink can create for quite the calming space—especially when a nice soak is involved. From modern millennial pink accents to more retro-chic restrooms that really lean into the color, hopefully designers find enough here to help make @Queengogosqueez’s dreams of a pink bathroom revival come true.
#Kitchenpantry (647,000 views)
Another neglected area of the home that’s drawn more attention since 2020: kitchen pantries. The content posted through this hashtag is filled with tips for improving the form and function of food storage as well as design inspiration for pantries themselves. Clearly, even food deserves a good-looking home.