Rustic Decor Ideas: How to Get a Look You’ll Love
Bring the outdoors in.
Rustic style is known to be a little rough around the edges while still having a welcoming and relaxed feel. It’s about bringing nature-inspired textures and colors into your home. Think distressed wood, neutral colors (like beige, browns, and grays), heavy stone, and jute and burlap textiles. Here are a few ways to recreate it in your own home.
1. Display Botanical Art
Bring the outdoors in by decorating your walls with botanical prints, mountain vistas, landscapes, and animal motifs. Stick to warm earthy colors in yellows, browns, and greens. Bonus points if you find artwork that is printed onto raw wood for an extra rustic touch.
Add animal accents to the room to give it an outdoor, woodland feel. Place a faux animal hide area rug on the floor for a chic vibe that makes a statement. For a more subtle look, place smaller decorative objects like antlers, wood sculptures, and other rustic decor on a bookshelf or wooden wall shelf instead.
Area rugs offer another way to bring cozy, rustic appeal to your home. Not only do rugs introduce color and texture, but they are also the best way to bring a room together – helping you complete the lodge-like aesthetic you’re after. Choose a warm-toned Southwestern-inspired area rug to complement a supple leather sofa, or opt for a woven jute rug for a neutral base with natural texture.
Adding throw pillows is an easy way to introduce rustic style to your seating areas. Top your sofa with plaid patterns for a cozy cabin-like look, or pick leather and suede pillows for some natural texture. Just make sure you stick with neutral or nature-inspired hues like deep blue, moss green, or burnt orange.
Plaid is the perfect pattern to soften the more rugged elements of rustic design. The clean-lined print adds coziness across all textiles, allowing you to add plaid to any space. Pair a blue plaid chair with a faux fur throw to create a cozy combination (like the one above), or fold a buffalo check throw blanket over the back of a leather armchair for extra warmth.
The rustic lifestyle is focused on simplicity and natural beauty, so choose practical objects to display the style. A beautifully grained wood fruit bowl and a terracotta vase create a warm brown-and-red display that matches the down-to-earth feel of the kitchen above. Don’t forget to fill the vase with trimmed branches or fresh-cut florals to bring a bit of nature indoors.
Nothing quite says rustic like woven textures. Whether you’re using them to stash logs near the fireplace or keep clutter out of sight, rattan baskets can complement other natural textures like distressed wood, aged metal, or unpolished stone. The woven design adds a natural element that blends in effortlessly to create that lodge-like feeling.
Fill your bedroom with natural textiles to snuggle up with. Opt for soft, cozy faux fur blankets and wool throw pillows to give off a rustic look. Keep the colors neutral to ensure the materials remain the focus of the room and maintain a cohesive color palette.
Incorporating aged metal details is an easy way to bring extra depth to your space. Whether you opt for a hammered metal finish to add texture or pick a piece with a patina for a timeworn feel, metal accents create an inviting contrast with other natural materials like reclaimed wood or rugged stone. Pair a distressed iron key holder with a weathered copper mail box (like the ones pictured above) for a mixed metal approach.
Lighting offers the perfect opportunity to lean into antiqued metal finishes, distressed wood, or a combination of the two. Go for a wood-and-metal wagon wheel chandelier as a nod to rustic design’s roots in history, or choose an industrial metal floor lamp to add a retro feel to a cabin-inspired living room. Look for fixtures with vintage-style Edison bulbs to give off a nostalgic ambient glow.
Distressed wood evokes an unfinished feel that is perfect for rustic decor. For a timeworn look, opt for a distressed console or coffee table. Give surrounding decor small hints of the same shade of wood to tie the room together. Try this out with a wooden picture frame or lantern candle holders.
Tip!
Love the look of natural wood? Opt for birch bark candles to recreate an outdoor effect. They will give off a woodsy scent and romantic lighting while adding to the rustic decor.
Complement your earthy color palette and rustic furniture by adding an array of greenery. Tuck leafy houseplants into textured terracotta or glazed ceramic planters to really enhance the country feel. And if you’re not quite a green-thumbed gardener, you can always opt for faux plants or fill a vase with your greenery of choice for a no-fuss centerpiece.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I incorporate botanical art into rustic decor?
Use botanical prints with warm earthy colors like yellows, browns, and greens, preferably on raw wood.
What type of area rugs suit a rustic theme?
Choose warm-toned Southwestern-inspired rugs or woven jute rugs to enhance rustic appeal.
How can I add warmth using plaid in rustic decor?
Use plaid on textiles like chairs and blankets to soften rugged elements and add coziness.
