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Rustic interior decorating evokes a lifestyle close to nature, where things are done by hand...
... and nothing goes faster than a horse at full gallop.
Less is more in rustic interior decorating, and with a few carefully chosen pieces you can create a pared-down, genuine interior rustic style for your home.
Below you’ll find some key elements of rustic country style decor - mix & match a few of them for a time-honored look.
Wall Clocks
There’s something about having a clock ticking away in the peaceful atmosphere of a country home.
If you're going to have a wall clock as part of your rustic country style decor, see if you can get one with a mechanical clockwork. Sure, you'll have to keep winding it, but then you can actually hear it tick. Maybe even chime the hour. I'm not sure why, but I find there's something very real about that.
If you prefer a battery-driven clock, look for a vintage one (or one with a ‘vintagey’ feel). It'll be a lovely piece of (wall) jewellery in the interior rustic style of your home.
Lighting
Obviously, just because you’re creating a rustic interior doesn’t mean you have to go without electric lighting.
On the other hand, candlelight always has a magical effect on a room, particularly when it illuminates a dinner table. No dimmer switch can match the gentle, warm light of a live flame.
Here are some lighting options you could use with your rustic country style decor:
- Chandeliers (with real candles)
- Wall sconces (candle- or petroleum-lit)
- Candelabras for the table, and
- Real petroleum lamps, hanging from the wall/ceiling, or standing on the windowsill.
Wooden Surfaces
Wood is the most important material in rustic country style decor. For an authentic look and feel, it's best to keep the furniture simple and the wood grain visible.
A substantial, sanded table is perfect for a meal with family and friends.
Wooden chairs with colorful cushions, a dresser or cabinet that shows off the beauty of natural wood are also great assets in rustic interior decorating.If you’re just starting out or don’t want to invest large amounts of money into your rustic country style decor, you could go for smaller items:
- Wooden bowls - resist any temptation to fill them with pretty, unusable items (unless these items are utterly, utterly gorgeous). Rustic wooden bowls will look more credible when you fill them with fruit, kitchen utensils, salads, and other useful things.
- Wooden kitchen accessories, like trays, draining board, pestle & mortar, salad servers or cooking utensils.
- Wooden containers, like boxes or small chests.
- Rustic wooden wall shelves or plate racks to display your country style crockery (or any crockery really, as long as it’s not very sleek and modern looking).
Texture
Textured surfaces are essential in rustic interior decorating. In a handmade environment, they show off the beauty of natural materials.
Willow baskets make excellent rustic country style decor; they are relatively inexpensive, very useful and look good in almost any room.Earthenware jugs, bowls and plates in less-than-perfect condition add charm and a ‘practical’ feel to a rustic home as well.
Keep your collection simple; mix slightly different glazes or shades of a color, and keep them in use as much as you can.
(A friend of mine has a beautiful, large ceramic plate hanging above the kitchen door. Whenever she makes her famous leek pie – it feeds four – the plate comes down from the wall. After the meal, it goes back on display.)
Fabrics
Fabrics are a wonderful (and simple) way of adding rustic country style decor. Any of the following will work well in rustic interior decorating:
- Quilts. Many of them are really works of art. Go for muted, faded, subtle color combinations that suggest long use and age. Or make one yourself if you have the time ;-).
- Blankets in soft, natural-dye colors.
- Heavy quality linen, as good as you can possibly afford. It crumples so beautifully, there’s nothing like it in rustic country style decor.
- Embroidered textiles – cushion covers, tablecloths, and maybe an old sampler on the wall.
For more information about country decorating, have a look at the following pages:
Country Style Decorating - How to Get the Look - particularly if you're living in the middle of the city and there's not one exposed beam in sight.
Country Style Home Decor on a Shoestring: An article on how not to spend your entire pocket money on country decorating.
Country Style Living Room Furniture: Creating a room that really 'works' - for relaxation, warmth, and informal living.
Which Type of Country Style Sofa should you go for, when there are just too many types to choose from?
Country Style Bedroom Furniture - or, A bedroom's the place to be really creative!
Interior Rustic Pictures and a story of times and people long gone.
Return from Rustic Country Style Decor to Country Decorating.
Return from Rustic Country Style Decor to Dream Home Decorating Homepage.
