What is modern rustic style?
The growing influence of rustic style on interior design can be seen in many places these past few years, as anybody who has walked into the latest independent coffee shop can attest. Exposed bricks and weather-worn beams are the stars of many a modern home and place of business – and in fact, they have been for years.
What we now refer to as a contemporary rustic or a modern rustic style is actually just the latest iteration of what started out as a lifestyle rather than the latest buzzing trend. In a not-so-distant past, and in many places in the world today, people often have had no choice but to build their own homes and furniture using the natural resources around them. Driftwood and stones were predominant features in a home because they were perhaps the only materials available for free or at an affordable cost.
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Today, however, the resurgence of rustic style influences in contemporary design means that you can actually buy items like reclaimed wood and quality furniture made of raw materials from many online furniture stores. The beauty of modern rustic style is that you are free to mix and match elements of traditional, heavy rustic pieces with light, fresh modern design principles. Done successfully, your home can still evoke the homey warmth of a cozy cabin in the woods, without being overly dark and oppressive.
4 Keys to a Modern Rustic Home
Here are four key elements you should consider incorporating into your home design to hit that modern rustic sweet spot.
Be Light!
Large windows are one of the highlights of a modern home. Natural light adds freshness to any interior, and when dealing with rustic influenced furniture and accessories, it’s important to offset the sometimes imposing nature of this style with brighter elements. However, windows aren’t the only thing keeping your home from giving you cabin fever. A nice, open floor plan will also help to balance out the overpowering effect of large wooden or metal pieces featured in rustic-inspired homes.
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Reclaim Some Nature
If you’re renovating your house, don’t be afraid to expose bricks and beams. In fact, you should embrace them. Paneled walls, large natural wooden floorboards and reclaimed wooden beams can go a long way to adding rustic charm to your home. If you don’t want to go all out on the home renovations, buying furniture made of unpainted wood can go a long way to adding the effect without the extra effort.
Many online furniture stores offer driftwood coffee tables and shelving units or bookshelves made of wood that shows every natural whorl and grain. Check out this Maya Night Table made of Rustic Pine or the Teak Strapped Coffee Table from Furniture.ca as examples of smaller pieces that can give your home a rustic feeling without you having to literally tear down the walls. This is also a good way to add rustic flair to smaller homes or apartment units where you can’t actually control things like the size of your windows.
Photo Source: http://www.furniture.ca/
Natural, Neutral Textiles
While the bright, funky colours a la Wes Anderson are something to be admired, when it comes to achieving a well-balanced modern rustic style, you’ll probably want to stick to neutral coloured fabrics and walls. That said, neutral doesn’t have to mean boring! Have fun picking out textiles with texture.
Go ahead and run your hand over a few different fabrics, and be bold when it comes to mixing and matching. Just avoid the over-elaborate, frilly bits and pieces like lace or floral prints. Think more farm-inspired animal furs (faux or not, your pick) like sheepskin, and rougher ‘natural’ textiles or woven fabrics like burlap and canvas. A nice sheepskin throw, a pretty woven basket and other such accessories like this Tortola Burlap Area Rug might be just the right amount of rustic for you.
Claim an Iron Throne
Ok, so you might not be the next king or queen of Westeros, but you can always dream! Good thing iron pieces are a great addition to a modern rustic home. You can buy great quality furniture with metal accents almost anywhere these days. Just try to avoid anything shiny, which is why wrought iron often makes such a great pick.
Photo Source: http://www.livspace.com/
You might not want to buy an actual throne made of iron, but maybe a chair with iron accents will do the trick. Look for good, solid lines in your furniture, though – nothing too fussy if you’re trying to achieve a more contemporary rustic look. That said, don’t be afraid to go big. Big can be good when attempting rustic, and can be a particularly nice feature in a dining table. Lamps and mirrors with metal accents are also a great choice to add a rustic touch if you live in a smaller space, such as this Five-Wire Ball Pendant Lamp or the Maya Mirror in Rustic Pine that you can order online.
Balance in All Things
No matter what elements you decide to add to your home to achieve a fresh, rustic look, just keep in mind that you’ll always want to strike a balance between modern and traditional. Do mix and match without fear, so long as you don’t cross the line between modern rustic and straight up rustic… unless of course that’s the look you’re going for, in which case you’re probably reading the wrong article!