The Whimsical Decor Trend That's Giving Bedrooms A Playful Shift

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Step aside minimalism, there's a new decor trend in town, and it's dressed in a big pink bow. While in recent years, interior design trends like "quiet luxury" and cottagecore have taken the world by storm, a new style, affectionately named "cutecore," is all the rage in 2025. At its center, cutecore is all about embracing femininity, nostalgia, and the essence of girlhood. Think of soft pinks, fairy lights, and collectible plushies. The trend takes playful elements from childhood and gives them an eye-catching, modern refresh. 

Cutecore has grown in popularity thanks to social media platforms like TikTok, where you can find thousands of videos of creators sharing frilly outfits of the day and touring pastel-drenched rooms. Celebrities like Rihanna, Olivia Rodrigo, and Ice Spice are also fans of the cutecore trend, which could have a hand in the aesthetic becoming more vogue. But, cutecore is seeing a particular spike in popularity in interior home design, especially with Gen Z consumers who favor colorful decor with personality over minimalist styles. 

However, cutecore home design is not limited to just Gen Z. If you appreciate girlish pops of color, playful accents, and nostalgic memorabilia, the trend may be exactly what your home is missing. Luckily, cutecore rooms share a lot of the same design elements and can easily be replicated in your home. Here is how to decorate your room to match the cutecore aesthetic and ways you can incorporate your favorite childhood memories to give your space a personal touch. 

The best way to transform your room into a cutecore haven is to envision the childhood bedroom of your dreams, but all grown up. This can look like various shades of pastel pink paint, dreamy, flowy curtains, and twinkling soft lighting. You can find beautiful ways to add trendy, whimsical accents to your home, like with heart-shaped throw pillows or airy mesh canopies.  Cutecore can also incorporate elements from past trends, like the famous dainty pink coquette bows.

Cutecore's feel-good aesthetic also emphasizes comfort, with plush and inviting beds serving as the centerpiece of rooms. Plushies are a common theme in cutecore decor and are often thoughtfully arranged on cozy bedspreads or placed on dedicated shelves for display. These pink and white floating shelves from Amazon would fit right at home in a cutecore room, as would this strawberry print duvet cover. Squishmallows, an ultra-soft brand of plushie with a cult-like following, are also used a lot in cutecore decor, alongside plushies of popular Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty and My Melody. 

Desk areas can also be a focal point of cutecore rooms. Colorful ambient lights, comfy desk chairs, and pastel computer accessories can turn your desk area into a relaxing place to work, study, or play video games. You can add cutesy desk accessories like character figurines or kawaii-inspired mousepads to bring the space to life. Complete the look with an affordable pink desk, like this Pamray L-shaped computer desk from Amazon. 

The best way to personalize your cutecore room and make it your very own is to reminisce about your favorite childhood characters. You can include elements from beloved movies, television shows, or even toy brands into your room's design to give it personality and charm. What's most important is that when you step inside your cutecore room, you're hit with a wave of uplifting nostalgia. 

For example, if you enjoyed building elaborate Lego sets growing up, you can decorate with a pink DIY Lego storage shelf. If you have a favorite animal or a Sanrio character that sparks joy, you can choose plushies that reflect that. Some social media users, inspired by the Barbie resurgence, created their own dolled-up version of cutecore rooms, fit for a Barbie dreamhouse. A lot of cutecore decor is also heavily inspired by Japanese anime and manga, so you can give your room a more personal touch by adding posters and art from your favorite stories. 

While the cutecore trend is popular with certain demographics, this trend is definitely not for everybody. It takes a very specific person to agree to drench their room head to toe in pastel colors and Hello Kitty memorabilia, and if that person isn't you, that's okay! Some people may find cutecore-inspired rooms to be too fussy, too childish, or just plain overkill. For people who prefer more mature, refined interior designs, cutecore decor may seem too youthful. If you consider yourself a minimalist or prefer a more understated interior design, then piles of plushies could feel too cluttered and an all-pink room too distracting. 

If you like some elements of cutecore design but aren't ready to fully commit, you can also try a more dialed-back version of the trend that features more subtle accents. A singular Sanrio plush or baby pink curtains can give a room that nostalgic, childlike feel without completely committing to the look. Simple, scattered accents like themed wall art or a cutesy bedspread can also incorporate elements of cutecore without going overboard. 

Cutecore also might not be a suitable style for every room in the house, especially if you share the space with others. If your family or roommates don't share the same interests, they might not appreciate a Hello Kitty-themed living room from head to toe. This decor works best in bedrooms or hobby rooms, where the space is entirely your own, and you have the freedom to fully express yourself.