Stardew Valley is the quintessential cottage-core game. You’ve packed up and left the city life to restore your grandfather’s farm in Stardew Valley after he passes away.
Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a prosperous home. It won’t be easy. Since Joja Corporation came to town, the old ways have dried up. The community centre, once the town’s most vibrant hub of activity, now lies in shambles. With lots of love and a little dedication, you can put Stardew Valley back on the map.
After three major updates, and over ten million copies sold worldwide, the Stardew Valley community has gone wild with mods to customize the game, including the Cottage-core mod.
If you’re new to cottage-core, it’s a visual aesthetic borne from the internet that focuses on cottages, flowers, home gardening – anything to do with living a humble life whilst looking cute.
Stardew Valley modders have gone to town with this aesthetic, creating a variety of mods that can completely change your farm into the ideal cottage-core fantasy.
Please note, some of the mods listed below will need other support mods to be installed, such as Content Patcher.
Squiver
Wildflower Grass
Stardew Valley is very green, so these grass mods are a must for achieving that cottage-core aesthetic. You’ll first need to install the More Grass mod by Satozaki, and then add the following.
Wildflowers are a must in any cottage-core fantasy, so Realistic Wildflower Grass and Witch’s Garden Flowers by Squiver, and Wildflower Grass Field from DustBeauty will give you luscious, flowery grass. Installing CatCattyCat’s Winter Grass will also ensure your gorgeous grass will grow all year round without dying in the cold.
Grapeponta
World Recolour
Stardew Valley has a vibrant and contrasting art style, but cottage-core is more of a faded photograph look. With DaisyNiko’s Earthly recolour , the trees, grass, foliage and buildings take on a more subdued, earthy tone. If earthly colour is a little too dull, try Grapeponta’s Vibrant Pastoral Recolor.
paradigmnomad and KAYA
Flowers Everywhere
This Flower Valley mod by both paradigmnomad and KAYA fills Pelican Town with flowers. Blossoms not only cover the ground, but every building as well, with vines growing up walls.
If you want some contrast with the recolour, check out Ali’s Flower Grass, Hisame Artwork’s Blooming Trees mod, and Lumisteria Flowers and Crops.
cometkins
Crops & Foraging
Realistic crops and foraging makes Stardew’s crops and veggies look more realistic.
DustBeauty’s Succulents mod not only allows you to display succulents but grow them too! You can place potted succulents anywhere and have a chance of dropping multiple produce.
Gweniaczek
Buildings
If you want to expand your cottage-core beyond your fences, then switch up the style of Pelican Town. Way Back Pelican Town by Gweniaczek transforms all the buildings into an old-fashioned style. If that’s not your cup of tea, try Yellog’s Wood Buildings, Hadi’s Spanish Revival Buildings, and Enchanted Gardens by naeldeus.
IdentityPollution
Animals
Kwillow has made the most adorable animal sprites with more variation. They’ve done cows, sheep, goats, and pigs with different types of patterns and colours. If you want fatter and cuter animals, try Elle’s New Barn Animals, or IdentityPollution’s Cuter, Fatter Cows mod.
Spotteddotted
Furniture
There are so many furniture packs for Stardew Valley and choosing which ones suit your farm style really comes down to personal taste. Hesper’s Industrial Kitchen and Interior combines old-fashioned kitchenware with white furniture. Spotteddotted’s Witch Furniture has lots of leaves and natural room decor, and Yellog’s dark wood and cream furniture is perfect for that chic old granny vibe.
Gweniaczek
Crafting
Do you despise the cartoonish artistry of some of the crafting items in Stardew? With Ankokou’s Primitive Artisan Equipment, those stickers are gone. This mod gives all Stardew’s crafting items a more natural look that blends in better with the farm and garden aesthetic. Gwen’s Medieval Craftables is a lovely alternative as it gives the items vine and flower accents.
