Rustic Design Trends: What They are and How to Use Them

If you’ve ever glimpsed an Architectural Digest or a Mountain Living Magazine, you know that rustic decorating is one of the biggest design trends there is. From earthy fabrics to woodsy-inspired accents and decorations, rustic design has come a long way from the “little cabin in the woods” vibe of yesteryear.

Today, it’s evolved into one of the most elegant and in-demand design styles out there, and it’s popping up virtually everywhere you look.

How to Use Rustic Design Trends in Your Home: 3 Tips

Rustic design is all about natural elements that make a home feel unrefined and sophisticated all at once. A well-decorated rustic home should feel lived-in, effortless, and at one with the outdoor world.

If you’re interested in utilizing rustic design trends to beautify your home, follow these tips:

1. Bring the fresh outdoors to your living room

One of the biggest factors in rustic design is natural elements brought in from the outdoors. Things like centerpieces made of birch or willow boughs or a deer antler propped on a coffee table are a great place to start.

2. Look for reclaimed wood furniture

Reclaimed wood is one of the largest design staples in the rustic home. In addition to being beautiful and unique, reclaimed wood was, historically, inexpensive, which made it highly accessible for mountain cabins. Today, reclaimed wood is utilized more for its individuality and appearance, but it’s still a wonderful aspect of rustic design.

To bring reclaimed wood into your home, look for a reclaimed wood coffee table or consider making a place to hang coats and jackets from a reclaimed barn wood board. The possibilities are endless and learning what you like is one of the biggest steps toward a beautifully designed rustic home.

3. Use earthy tones for fabrics and design elements

Rustic design is all about a sense of earthiness. With this in mind, beautify the space with earthy tones in muted shades of brown, green, blues, and pinks.

While these colors should make up the primary color scheme of any rustic home, don’t be afraid to dress them up with your own personal style.

Add a pop of bolder color here and there or bring in an element that reflects a more modern style. While rustic design is all about earthy, unique elements, it’s also all about being surrounded by items you love, and it’s important to allow yourself some freedom to play around with it.

The Case for Rustic Design

While there are dozens of different decorating styles for homes today, rustic design remains one of the largest design trends out there. Perfect for dressing any home up or down, rustic design is the ideal way to create a lived-in, comfortable space where you and your guests can kick back, relax, and unwind both now and in the future.