Home Style Ideas

Country home decorating combines a sense of history with modern day functionality.  You’ll be able to put pieces of your grandmothers alongside your own wedding china.  A country home is a casual place to raise kids but also decorated enough for friends to visit.  It’s one of the least expensive design styles because you’ll be shopping for pieces that last instead of replacing trendy furniture every few years.  Every room in your home can benefit from country home decorating regardless of what area you live in. Country decor doesn’t have to be about cheesy wallpaper and ceramic roosters.  Instead, think about your family history and how your family lives.

Country home design balances colors.  It’s rare that you’ll find an all warm room or an all cool room.  You may think of barn red walls when you think of country decorating.  These were popular a few years ago but now things are more focused on creating a more livable space that isn’t overwhelming.  The same thing can be said for accessories, they are paired down to showcase favorite items instead of looking like a junk sale.  Focus on items that you genuinely love instead of just picking up one more rusty spur for the collection.  This allows you to put your own personal spin on the country style so it will even work with a more formal corner settee.

A country home interior uses a lot of fabric.  Traditionally you’ll find a fabric sofa.  If you’re afraid of a fabric sofa invest in slipcovers.  You’ll even be able to finally own a cream sofa this way.  Look for a slipcover that is still fitted with separate seat cushions so it doesn’t look like you just threw a sheet over your couch.  You’ll also want to balance patterns in the room.  You can pile several quilts on the bed or use different throw pillows on the sofa.  The pillows can be different patterns but use the same color palette for cohesion.  Country style often pays an ode to nature.  This could be animals, or botanical prints.  Choose one theme per room and balance it with neutral colors, fabrics and flooring.  If you are choosing a bold theme such as cowhide, just use it once in the room.  A black kitchen island stool with a faux cowhide seat cushion will make more of a statement then a cow creamer and cow prints all over the wall.  This is an updated version of country home design.  It’s popular to pick up old signs at flea markets.  Again, use these sparingly and in ways that make sense.  You can use a sign to decorate the top of a message board.

Country home decorations often include baskets.  You can use these items on shelves for storage or turn them into an art piece all their own.  You can group baskets on top of cabinets or even on top of a sturdy pot rack.  You’ll want to put several baskets together to make a statement in the room.  You’ll often get baskets at the fruit market or you can buy them for a few dollars at the thrift store.  Again, go with items you love instead of buying every basket in sight.  You can even pick up a different basket on every vacation for a lasting collection with meaning.

Country home ideas match pieces in unique ways. You can create a country dining room by using mismatched chairs.  You’ll want to keep the rest of the room neutral so that it looks intentional instead of like you just ran out of places to sit.  You can use the same chairs painted in different colors.  This was popular in modern design a few years ago so switch it to a country palette.  Use shades of creams, greens, and taupes on the chair for a nature inspired feeling that still has that country touch.  You can also use different wood tones, you may want to use several of the same chair or make every seat different.  The finishes should be distressed and pick a sturdy style so the furniture still relates to each other.

Country home accents can change an ordinary room into a theme room.  Accent your space with handmade items, even if they aren’t made by you.  Look on craft sites and go to craft fairs to pick up latched hooked rugs and hand carved Christmas figurines.  You can even paint your own folk art on barn wood because it focuses on simple shapes.  If you like a lot of accessories designate a few spaces in the house such as an entry way to really go over the top.  Keep the rest of the house uncluttered so that the theme isn’t overwhelming.  Your visitors will actually see more of your belongings this way.  Country style often hangs a variety of plates on the wall.  Accent an entry table with oversized candlesticks a country quilt on the wall and a dried flower arrangement. (Just make sure to keep it dusted.) You can still use country accessories that might seem stereotypical, such as a rooster, but use them in unexpected ways.  This can be as simple as putting a faux stone garden rooster on the kitchen counter instead of a grouping of ceramic hen salt and pepper shakers.  You may even be able to find iron drawer rooster pulls that will add subtle country charm to cabinets.  People are used to seeing over the top country that looks cluttered so show them the sleek, stylish side that doesn’t look like Grandma’s house.

Country home decorating often focuses on farmhouse elements.  This could be a stairway or a mantle.  Paint the mantle a bold color so it gets noticed instead of leaving it a traditional white color.  This could be accomplished by using black paint or red.  Brick invokes the feel of a country home so leave it exposed and unpainted.  You may want to try staining the brick if you can’t stand the color so the natural variation and texture of the material will still show through.  Orient the room around the fireplace so it’s the heart of the home.

Country home decorating can bridge the gap between new and old, and masculine and feminine.  It has a personal touch to it that allows you show off your hobbies and heritage.  It also has a worn and lived in appearance that will be a place for your family and friends to gather.