Choose Wood Pieces
Achieving a rustic look often starts with natural wood furniture. Choose items that have natural wood or even reclaimed wood pieces. Unfinished, or stained pieces in warm, rich colors will give a great look. Your pieces should show off the natural grain and knots of the wood used in the construction of the furniture. Plank countertops or tables with live edges are quite popular and add to that natural feel. Wood furniture that is bulky and oversized feel like they belong in a forest cottage or log cabin. These items may even have a rough hand-hewed finish, rather than the polished, dainty look of other furniture styles.
Natural Colors and Fibers
The goal of a rustic design is to bring a little of the outdoors into the home. Here are a few tips for achieving that rustic look.
- Pick natural colors – Look for colors that are found in nature. Browns, greens, pale grays, cream colors. Keep the brighter colors to a minimum. If you don’t prefer the darker, richer colors you can go lighter with light oaks, and picking lighter whites, grays, and tans to brighten up the room.
- Find Older and Worn Elements – Look for items that have some age and character to them. This adds some gravity and boldness to the decor. There are plenty of sources like Craigslist, eBay or your local reclaimed construction store that can give you some great vintage items. Even if you are selecting new furnishings, look for things that have been artificially aged or created from reclaimed materials.
- Minimize the paint – Painted items are often avoided when decorating in a rustic style. Natural finishes are preferred and should shine through. The exception to this is when you have an obviously artificial material, sometimes some faux paint can be used to make it fit in better.
- Bring in the outdoors – Look for natural elements you can add to your design. Twigs, flowers, bark, stones, leaves can all be added. A wicker basket of pine cones, or a stone accent wall are a great way to pull nature into a room.
- There are different outdoor themes to choose from – Log cabin themed furniture doesn’t have to have just a single theme. You can have a Western or Cowboy feel, a Southwestern motif, a simple forest or woods approach, a camping or hunting feel, or a theme that evokes thoughts of nature and conservation.
Home furnishings are a great way to make your TruLog home feel more like the outdoor country paradise you desire.
