What is Rustic Home Decor

We can help you understand what rustic decor is. Discover our styling tips for different kinds of rustic interiors!

Rustic home decor

There are so many different ways that you can decorate your home. So, what is it about the rustic style that has grabbed the attention of everyone and anyone who wants to do up their home? The term rustic is quite broad. It can encompass a variety of designs, styles and items that are specific to a particular region or culture. This is precisely the reason that makes it so popular. The rustic style’s variety makes many people gravitate toward it.

Decorate your home’s interiors in the rustic style with the help of our suggestions. We will also help you understand what is rustic home decor to make styling your home easier for you.

What is rustic home decor?

A rustic style does not just refer to that log cabin feel. You don’t have to be living in a wooden house surrounded by nature, although that doesn’t sound so bad. The idea behind rustic interiors is that everything is natural, aged and a little rough around the edges. Natural, neutral colours and earth tones are what make up this style. It is a popular interior design choice because of the use of natural materials. Natural materials and colours have a tendency of being soothing to the eyes and mind, hence this style doesn’t just end up looking good but also feels good.

Some Common Elements of the Rustic Design

common elements of rustic design

As mentioned before, there are many elements within the rustic design. You can go for different looks depending on the kind of furniture and decoration you go for within this style. However, there are certain elements that define the rustic style.

Among materials for furniture wood, metal and stone are the most common ones. Natural materials don’t just give off a rustic vibe to any room but also make the space look a lot bigger and open. There is something about these earth tones that open up the space and makes it look bigger than it actually is.

Colour and fabrics are great ways to add that rustic feel to a room as well. Warm hues and rough fabrics look amazing and give the room a very organic feel. Big cozy blankets, checked rugs and knitted throws are common elements of the rustic style as well.

How to Decorate Rustic Style?

Now that you have the basic idea of what rustic style is and what common elements need to be included in your decoration process, we can start with specifics. First and foremost, you need to be sure of what type of look you’re going for Tuscan-style, farmhouse, the log cabin look, modern-rustic or something else. Once this decision has been made you can go ahead and purchase your furniture and decorations accordingly.

If you have a big house and want to decorate different rooms in different rustic styles, you’re more than welcome to do that.

Farmhouse Rustic

farmhouse rustic

The farmhouse aesthetic is very reminiscent of feudal farmhouses with rich and rough interiors. Unpolished yet sturdy furniture is the way to go. This look makes the best use of wooden furniture. Rustic sideboards, wall shelves supported by metal pipes, a heavy dining table with mismatched chairs and curtains coloured in hues of greens and browns are what make this look so appealing.

Natural light is always a necessary requirement for rustic especially farmhouse style decor. If you have large windows that flood the room with natural light then the elements mentioned above would shine even brighter.

Lazy Jute and Rattan Vibes

Jute and rattan

Along with wooden furniture, it is always a good idea to incorporate jute and rattan. However, this look calls for a more laid-back feel. Wooden day beds, light-coloured rugs and rattan chairs make up the perfect living room setting. For the dining room, you can use a solid reclaimed wood table with metal legs and deck the room with a few plants.

Additionally, we recommend making use of materials such as jute and rattan in any other way possible. Rattan lamp shades, jute rugs and table mats can really amplify the look of the room. When it comes to fabrics, make use of fabrics such as raw cotton. Knitted throws or cushion covers made of raw cotton can add some texture to the room.

The Mismatched Heaven

mismatched furniture

For people living in small apartments, this look is a great way to make your apartment look untidy yet neat. Whether you have a collection of books, plants or figurines of your favourite comics, you can use them as excellent decoration pieces. Cozy couches, accent chairs, earth-toned rugs and a lot of wooden furniture are required for this look.

You can use up an entire wall by stacking a few shelves and using the entire wall as a display area for your things. If there is a window somewhere in the middle, add a cushioned seat in the area and turn it into a little cozy seat next to the window. Solid wood TV units, side tables and footstools in different tones of brown will make all the difference. Pair the light-coloured walls with different tones and colours of furniture. Paint your shelves white or leave them in their natural colour. The goal is to have all these different colour tones come together to form a complete look.

The Mountain Aesthetic

mountain rustic

You have two options when it comes to mountain aesthetics. Either go for warm tones that give the room the feeling of a cozy chalet or opt for metal furniture and cool tones to bring out the chilly weather of the mountains. If you are doing up your living room, add a couch or two and a few lounge chairs to fill up the space. A soft rug, a solid coffee table and multiple lamps in the area will really give the room a warm feel. For the living or dining area, we recommend going for pendant lights or a chandelier with a metal frame.

The bedrooms can be turned into cozy places with fluffy pillows, and all-season quilts covered in beautiful hues of reds or blues. Add a few wooden shelves and cabinets in the room and you can use furniture and even wooden walls of the same type of wood. This will make the room look a lot warmer and more coherent.

Bring Nature to a Room

Plants

Whether it is the dining area, living room, lounge room or the bathroom, you can go for an all-natural look. Warm-toned wooden walls paired with similar coloured shelves, tables and chairs go perfectly with vibrant green plants. Make sure that the room gets plenty of natural light as it will brighten up the look of the wood and the plants. Pair these earth tones with white fabrics for the perfect look. For bathrooms, you can use white towels, white couches for the living room and white cushions and curtains for the dining area.

This look can also be replicated in the bedroom. You just need to be careful of where you place the plants. We would recommend using metal plant stands in a corner of the room that gets some natural light as well. Use light-coloured bed linens and contrast them with a dark-coloured quilt, pillow covers or throws.

A Blooming Masterpiece

flowers

There are many ways you can use colour for a rustic look for the house. You don’t always have to go for earth tones. Instead, opt for wooden or metal furniture that is painted in different colours. We would recommend going for black or white since they serve as a great background for other colours. Add a pop of colour to the room through cushions, a few decorative pieces on the wall or shelves and the help of flowers.

If you have the luxury of having a flower garden then you can adorn your coffee, dining or side tables with a fresh set of flowers every day. The more practical option would be to go for artificial flowers or potpourri. If the walls and the furniture are of the same colour then colourful cushions and flowers will add a very welcoming and colourful feel to the room.

How to Mix Modern and Rustic Decor?

modern rustic design

The modern interior design style refers to a specific time period from the early to the mid-20th century. However, the modern rustic style is a combination of the elements of both these interior design styles. Modern interiors are all about clean-cut furniture that is neatly organised along with the use of neutral and light colours. Combining this with the roughness of the rustic style can result in a unique-looking home.

Using natural wood is a very important part of the rustic style. But you can place rough wooden side tables with clean wooden panels installed on the walls for a neat finish. Pair all of that with furniture and decor in light colours and earth tones, you’ll have yourself a modern rustic style interior. Match the neutral colours of the minimalistic modern design with the natural colour tones of rustic style. Whether it is the rugs, curtains or cushions, you can incorporate colours anywhere in the house.

Include contemporary furniture that has a rustic flair to it. Plant stands with metal and wooden panels, a coffee table with a glass top and wooden legs, and a modern sideboard with plants placed on top can all make up this style. Try to put opposites together. So, a really modern dining table can have rustic dining chairs.

More Reading

Post navigation

Choosing a Rug For Your Dining Room: A Styling Guide

How to Decorate & Design Your Bathroom Like a Spa

How to Create a Good Study Space at Home

What is French Provincial Style and How to Master It