Elf Aesthetic Decor Ideas: How to Transform Your Apartment Into Your Own Little Elfcore Rivendell
This post contains affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
If you're anything like me, whenever you watch the Lord of the Rings movies and you see Rivendell, you think to yourself, "Well, that's my dream home. When can I move in?"
But alas, Rivendell is a fictional place, and I am but a millennial who is destined to live in rental apartments for the rest of my life. Building a palace carved into a majestic cliffside surrounded by waterfalls is just not in the budget for me.
However, regardless of budget constraints, the limitations of apartment living, and the fact that Rivendell is not a real place, we can still capture the spirit of it through our styling choices!
Today I'm going to give you some ideas on how you can style your apartment with an elf aesthetic, focusing mainly on the Rivendell side of elf culture and the stunning paradise they call home.
So if you're like me and you love elfcore and the escape of fantasy aesthetics like fairycore and hobbitcore, and you feel like you've been dealt a great injustice by not being born with elf ears… Stick around as I give you a bunch of decor ideas on how you can turn your apartment into your own little Rivendell!
Would you rather watch than read? Here’s the video! ↓
What Is Elfcore?
Elfcore is an aesthetic that celebrates the folklore, fantasy, and visual legacy of elves - and not just the Tolkien ones. There's an entire pantheon of elf lore throughout the ages, so elfcore has a deep well to draw from. And that well usually involves an ethereal elegance, foresty color palette, high fantasy visual tropes, and a nature-oriented sensibility.
We typically think of elves as magical forest-dwelling beings, so when you’re doing an elf aesthetic, the more greenery the better. And that's one of the things that makes Rivendell from The Lord of the Rings so beautiful. It's an elegant paradise, but it's also wild and overgrown. It’s ornate and opulent, yet grounded in nature.
And when decorating a space, that's a really fun place to play! Balancing organic nature elements with a kind of otherworldly sophistication is the kind of duality that can lead to some very beautiful styling.
Breaking Down the Visuals of Rivendell
To channel this style, let's look at Rivendell and break it down into some of its parts. What exactly makes Rivendell beautiful?
This is something I like to do when I'm analyzing a certain aesthetic and trying to figure out how to translate it into realistic decor; I break it down. So what do we see when we look at Rivendell in the movies? What can we emulate? What real-world things are being referenced?
The key thing I see when I look at Rivendell is a strong nod to Art Nouveau, with all its swirly, organic architectural elements.
And it makes sense, because Art Nouveau is distinctly inspired by nature and all its curves and organic shapes. It's perfect for elves!
I also see some nods to Edwardian architecture, so that can be a source of inspiration as well.
So when shopping for Rivendell-inspired Elfcore, try searching for Art Nouveau and Edwardian antique pieces, or any other real-world visual references you can see, in addition to literal elf things.
Elf Aesthetic Decor Ideas
Now I'll show you exactly what I mean by all this and take you through the specific elfcore decor pieces I found!
1. Archer Wall Art
This first piece of wall art was one of my favorites when I was shopping for elfcore decor. I love her sense of strength with her bow, which is a very Elven weapon of choice. This piece is also very ethereal, dreamy, and definitely has that Art Nouveau look I was talking about. There's a little bit of a Mucha vibe here, but with a little bit more of a darkness, like she's mourning the fact that she has to use her bow - which plays into a major overarching theme of The Lord of the Rings about the horrors of war and how power corrupts.
Both aesthetically and thematically, this would be a perfect addition to an Elfcore room. She's feminine strength, ethereal elegance, and Art Nouveau excellence.
2. Botanical William Morris Wall Hanging
Then there's this wall hanging, which doesn't necessarily have the thematic depth of our archer warrior we just talked about, but not every piece has to pack that kind of narrative punch. Some pieces simply add texture and atmosphere, and that's where something like this comes in.
When you're dealing with a style that hinges so heavily on nature, something like this is a great way to bring that overgrown, viney imagery into a space in one single piece. It has the Art Nouveau look of Rivendell while also standing alone as simply a pretty statement piece.
And as someone who loves a good statement wall, I think a large hanging like this is a nice way to make a big visual impact on your walls without the labor, money, and possible threat to your damage deposit that paint and wallpaper can involve. So, it's a nice solve for us apartment dwellers!
3. Art Nouveau Mirror
In my mind, this is what the mirrors in Rivendell would look like. Like I said earlier, when you look at Rivendell, it's very much comprised of these swirly Art Nouveau lines, and this mirror would seamlessly blend into that organic line movement.
Imagine hanging this above a console table styled with tons of greenery and vines—which by the way, if you're going to do an elf look, you can go crazy with plants - real or faux. So, on top of the decor ideas I'm sharing in this video, keep in mind that plants definitely play a role together with the decor. And a mirror like this mimics the movement of plants. All these organic visuals can work together in a space to create that overgrown Rivendell look, literal plant or not!
5. Carved wood panels
You can also find ways to mimic the architecture of Rivendell with pieces like these. We may not be able to create actual spires and turrets with ornate Art Nouveau swirls in our apartments, but we can find ways to capture the essence of that kind of architecture.
These carved wood panels are also another example of a way to create a statement wall relatively easily. You know how it can be difficult to figure out what to do with the large piece of wall space above your couch or bed? A set like this is a great solve. It would create instant visual interest, fill up space, while also hearkening to the architecture of Rivendell.
6. Wall Embellishments
Swirly embellishment pieces like these would have a similar effect in term of evoking Rivendell architectural details. Using this stencil to paint flourishes on your walls would be a lovely way to do it. Same with these little corner embellishments.
It’s all about taking our ordinary apartments, which are usually builder-grade empty boxes like mine, and finding ways to create a sense of character, charm, and anti-generic statements - both large and small.
If buildings these days just aren't going to have interesting architecture anymore, then we can at least create our own fantasy versions of interesting architecture!
7. Wallpaper
Now I have a couple peel-and-stick wallpaper options; one that's literally an image of Rivendell, and one that plays off the Art Nouveau influence.
This Rivendell wallpaper is perfect for the true Lord of the Rings fan. And aside from its direct depiction of Rivendell, there's no denying that as a landscape this is stunning. A wall like this would instantly transport your apartment to a magical land!
Then if you want something more subtle, this wallpaper would be so pretty in an Elfcore room. It has the foresty color palette, the plant and flower imagery, and the organic swirly lines that imitate the architecture of Rivendell. I really can't think of a better pattern for someone who wants to get the Rivendell look in their apartment without literally plastering Rivendell on their walls.
Both wallpaper options are beautiful. It would just depend on how hard you want to lean into the Rivendell reference!
8. Lanterns
Lanterns like these would be perfect little additions to an Elfcore room, because once again, I’m directly referencing the architecture of Rivendell. This one and this one have the Art Nouveau lines we’ve been talking about, and then these oil lamps harken to these small details in Rivendell:
Are you starting to see what I mean about how when we're doing a fantasy-driven style, you can find creative ways to bring that style into your space without making it super literal?
Now, that’s not to say that literal references aren’t welcome. If you keep up with my videos, you know I’m all about incorporating the things you geek out about into your space in cute, stylish, and even cheeky ways.
But I do think there’s an art to this. Basically, it’s all about the dance between the two: keeping things stylish but also not taking your decorating—or yourself—too seriously at the same time.
9. Lord of the Rings Throw Pillow
And if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, having a throw pillow like this would be a lovely way to dance that dance. It’s literally an excerpt from The Fellowship of the Ring, but it’s also cute. The typography is simple and stylish, and the subject matter of the text is relevant to any home if you think about it:
"That house was a perfect house. Whether you liked food or sleep or storytelling or singing or just sitting and thinking best or a pleasant mixture of them all, merely to be there was a cure for weariness, fear, and sadness."
I mean, that’s basically the thesis statement of my YouTube channel, and it expresses what we all ultimately want from our homes. The text on this pillow basically puts into words why we decorate, why our homes are important to us. So, while it’s literally a Lord of the Rings pillow, it also transcends that by being relevant to pretty much everyone.
See how you can directly reference the thing you’re a fan of while also doing it in a way that isn’t just like a thumbtacked movie poster?
10. Floral Throw Pillow
Then on the other hand, we have this pillow, which is another example of what the wall hanging I talked about earlier would bring to an Elfcore room—texture, pattern, and atmosphere.
Does this pillow specifically have anything to do with elves? No. But would it bring another layer of floral nature-oriented texture to an Elfcore room? Yes.
It also makes me think of the warm, ethereal glow of how Rivendell is portrayed in the movies. The warm, almost sepia color grading paired with the autumnal colors of some of the plants and trees… This pillow reminded me of that atmosphere.
Atmospheric decor choices for Elfcore - as well as for any fantasy aesthetic - are just as valid as literal references!
11. Arwen & Aragorn Wooden Box
This wooden Arwen and Aragorn box would be perfect for a Lord of the Rings fan while also simply being an aesthetically pleasing decorative detail.E ven if you’re not a LOTR fan, this box is simply pretty!
Picture it as part of your coffee table or shelf styling, placed among other pretty little details. It would be a nice object to layer with other things, you know? And if you live with a significant other, it could be a place to leave cute little love notes for each other, because the box itself depicts the romance of Arwen and Aragorn. It’s an inherently romantic object and it could be fun to treat it as such!
Or it could just—as my dad would say—be a great place to hide your weed. 🙃
12. Switch Plates
Another thing to consider when decorating your apartment in any style is to switch out your switch plates. It’s an easy renter-friendly thing to do, and I found a couple that would be perfect for Elfcore.
We have, of course, this blatantly Art Nouveau option that would blend seamlessly into the nature-driven look of Elfcore. And then these gold ones lean more into the ornate embellishments of Rivendell.
These are just a couple tiny additions that would add so much character to a room, even though they’re such a small detail.
The devil really is in the details - but so is the magic. I mean, a little guy was the one who took the ring to Mordor and saved the world when no one else could. So don’t underestimate the small things. Have we not learned anything from Frodo?
13. Greenery
One of the most fundamental visuals for Elfcore - and specifically Rivendell - is the use of vines and overgrown greenery.
And like I said earlier, this can be real or faux. It just depends on what your relationship to plant death is. But either way, a key part of this look is having tons of greenery everywhere.
For example, I found a couple options on Etsy - this and this. These look really pretty, but honestly, just do an Etsy search and you’ll find all kinds of options. There’s really no one way I can recommend you do this because it’s supposed to be wild. Collect them over time. You don’t have to go crazy all at once - unless you want to. Or take a trip to the nursery and buy some plants that aren’t immortal.
Actually, if you think about it, faux plants are more elf-like because of the immortality thing… but I digress.
Either way, creating a green oasis of any kind is definitely a good thing for this style.
14. Chandeliers
15. Flower Table Lamp
16. Vintage Style Floor Lamp
17. Green Sectional Sofa
18. Art Nouveau Live Edge Wood Coffee Table
19. Console Table
20. Rug
Elfcore Living Room Design
So, those were the decor pieces I found. Now, let’s see how some of them could come together in an Elfcore living room design I created!
It really does look like an Elven paradise in here, and for anyone who wants to feel transported to another world in their apartment, this would be a way to do it!
All in all, it may not be actual Rivendell, but do you see how the spirit is captured through this design? Especially when you see this more realistic rendering of it:
No matter how much we love fantasy, the reality is that the average apartment is not made up of ornate spires and turrets surrounded by waterfalls and trees or carved into a majestic mountain.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t put up a little bit of a fight against reality.
We can use interior styling to translate the fantasy in our spaces—bend it and shape it into our own within the confines of reality. The important thing is to achieve what was written on this pillow:
“That house was a perfect house. Whether you liked food or sleep or storytelling or singing or just sitting and thinking best or a pleasant mixture of them all, merely to be there was a cure for weariness, fear, and sadness.”
Whether you want to do the Rivendell look in your apartment or not, you can’t deny that Tolkien was spot-on in terms of his sense of home.
So, that was my take on Elfcore! If you want more fantasy aesthetic inspiration, then definitely watch this YouTube playlist of mine next!
