7 Tips for Decorating with Rustic Home Furniture
Are you planning on redecorating your home this year? Changing up your home’s aesthetic can be a lot of fun. Once you find a type of decor that truly speaks to you, assembling the pieces and pulling them all together is exciting!
If you’re one of the many people who have been charmed by rustic home furniture and decor, you’re in luck. This fun and comfortable home style is easy to pull together.
We’re here to talk about how you can make your home look rustic, but still neat and put together. Read on to learn more.
1. Opt for Wooden Accents and Primary Pieces
When it comes to rustic decor, wood and metal are the main materials you’re going to be looking for. Wood is going to be the most common one but metal will be here and there to change things up.
When you’re looking for wood pieces, look for pieces that are obviously wood rather than painted wood. “Raw” wood is difficult to find in high-quality pieces, so you may have to add your own extra “raw” pieces when you’re done assembling your furniture (more on that later).
Wooden shelves, wooden tables, and wooden chairs look warm and rustic.
It’s also best to stick with a single wood tone for most of your pieces. You’ll be able to mix and match later on, but when you’re getting your basics (like a dining room set), try to be consistent.
This will allow your space to feel “rustic” while still feeling cohesive. “Rustic” turns into “messy” quickly if you’re not careful.
2. Prioritize Functional Pieces
When when it comes to small decor items, you want to pick functional items.
“Rustic” decor comes from the farmhouse aesthetic. Traditional farmhouse decor items are otherwise functional items, like raw wooden shelves and functional (but simple) tin pieces.
While you’ll definitely be able to have your non-functional tchotchkes, do your best to assemble as many functional decor items as possible.
3. Use Color Contrast to Your Advantage
In true and traditional farmhouse decor, there likely wasn’t a lot of color contrast. Modern farmhouse and rustic styles, however, benefit from contrast. It makes the decor and furniture pieces stand out and creates more visual interest.
Many people like the appearance of stark white walls and decor items against dark wooden furniture. This combines a traditional “rustic” look with more modern decor options.
You can also use warm colors and mix them with the wood. “Rustic” decor lends itself well to a warm and cozy aesthetic, so warm orange walls with warm-toned dark wood will work well together.
4. Look for “Raw” Decor
Modern furniture and decor is anything but “raw,” and for good reason. You want finished furniture because it will stay in good condition for longer. Raw wood can snag, discolor, and wear down faster than finished wood.
When it comes to your decor items, however, raw finishes are okay. These items don’t go through as much wear and tear as your rustic furniture pieces.
You can also opt for pieces that look “distressed.” Distressed pieces have artificial wear. They’re still fresh, new, and in good condition, but they have a rustic and used appearance that will fit perfectly into a farmhouse aesthetic.
Even a few rough pieces of furniture and decor will help you get the rustic look you’ve been going for.
5. Keep it Cozy
As we mentioned before, “rustic” decor works well with a cozy aesthetic. Use your accent pieces to make your home as cozy as possible.
A wood-burning stove is the ultimate piece of cozy rustic furniture. You can decorate with plenty of plush throw blankets and thick pillows. Hang embroidery on the walls.
Think of things that remind you of a warm cabin in the woods in winter and use them in your home.
6. Mix and Match
As we mentioned before, it’s best to stay consistent with your larger pieces if you want a cohesive rustic aesthetic. That said, you can definitely mix and match when it comes to your accent pieces and decor items.
Let’s say you have a dark wood table with matching dark wood chairs in the living room. There’s nothing wrong with having a light wood side table in the attached living room. It adds visual interest and it’s still close enough in appearance to the larger pieces to “go” together.
You can also mix and match metal tones and fabrics.
7. Opt for Chunky Rather Than Sleek
When it comes to rustic decor, sleek minimalism is out and chunky comfort is in. Rustic decor is usually right in the middle of minimalism and maximalism. There are often areas of clutter and layers and you won’t see the same clean and minimal lines that are so obvious in modern minimalist homes.
When it comes to your furniture, you want to avoid thin and sleek plastic and opt for thick and chunky wood. Think of a picnic table at a park and build the aesthetic around an elevated version of that.
If you’re used to sleek minimalism, this will be a tough transition, but once it comes together, it will look great.
How Will You Decorate With Rustic Home Furniture?
Decorating with rustic home furniture is a lot of fun. The rustic aesthetic is pretty flexible, so there are many ways to go about it. At the end of the day, you’re aiming for a raw, cozy, and comfortable appearance.
We want to help you assemble the rustic home of your dreams. Visit our shop for high-quality home furnishings today.