10 Ways To Make Your Home Feel More Rustic

Everyone is a little bit different when it comes to decorating their home. Some like it super modern, whilst others like the more traditional feel. Rustic isn’t defined just to vintage items and old furniture. It’s more about what you put into the space through color and textures, as well as finding key pieces that really give your home that comforting atmosphere. Here are ten ways to make your home feel more rustic in appearance. 

Try Your Hand At DIY

DIY is something that can really add something special to your space and can certainly be enjoyable to do whether you make something on your own or you do it with a member of your household. There are lots of things that you can make yourself, and with so many resources available online, it can be easy to follow most things. When it comes to creating your own decor, look at what you need for the space, whether you’re making some floating shelves or your own dining table. 

Make sure that you are buying quality materials when making your own furniture because the more you can spend on the main structure, the more able you will be to upcycle your furniture when the soft furnishings get worn, like an armchair or sofa bed for example! Experiment with your creativity and your skill levels when it comes to creating something from scratch, you never know, you might surprise yourself.

Look For Rustic Decor

Rustic decor is all about finding the right pieces to the suit the space, and it’s one that’s going to be different for each room. For example, the living room is going to feature your sofa, television, and coffee table. You might want to find a wooden coffee table or perhaps a vintage style television unit. It’s picking out the small pieces of furniture and showcasing the rustic vibe through that. There are standing lights and lamps that you can make more rustic using certain types of distressed metal or wood. You could incorporate a rustic fireplace or opt for floating shelves that have an industrial feel to them. Textures are definitely important, so look for unique pieces that are going to be the statement pieces. You want items of furniture that are going to draw your eye as you walk into the space.

Upcycle Any Existing Furniture

Upcycling is a process where you’ll take something that’s perhaps worn and looking a little tired and then given a makeover. This might be sanding down anything wooden and repainting or replacing the soft furnishings on the object, whether it be an armchair, dining table, or sofa. There are things worth noting when it comes to upcycling before you go ahead with it. Take your time with whatever you’re upcycling and don’t try to rush the process just to get it done. Make sure you prepare the item for upcycling and that you have all the necessary materials ready in order to do the work. Prime the item and check that it is good quality enough to be upcycled and know where you want it to go in your home so that you can design it accordingly to that space.

Use Earthy Tones

Image Source

Earthy tones are what make a space look rustic, and that’s what you want to aim for when it comes to choosing a color palette. When it comes to rustic decor, think of how you could incorporate it through different areas of the home. From the walls, where you could decorate with wallpaper or paint to Mexican tile flooring where you could incorporate all types of tones and designs. There are lots that you can do to add that rustic feel through color alone. Adding some indoor plants and foliage can also add to the space and make it more earthy. Plants are always a good way of incorporating color into the space and are certainly something that can transform the room that you’re in.

Fit In A Log Fireplace

When it comes to setting a cozy atmosphere, a great contribution to the space can be in the form of a log fireplace. There’s nothing like having the roaring flames of a fire in the middle of winter while you lounge on the couch to watch your favorite film or television series. There are plenty of variations of fireplaces, and if your home doesn’t have a chimney, then you can always install one that looks like the real thing but produces no smoke. It can be something that you have as a feature piece in your living room, or some might prefer to place it elsewhere in the home. You can really go to town on the external area of the fireplace too in order to make it even more rustic. A thick, wooden shelf is a good suggestion to have above the fireplace so that you can dress it up more.

Exposed Brick

Exposed brick is the very definition of rustic when it comes to home decor and design. It’s one design element that needs to be done properly, though to ensure you’re not compromising the insulation of your home and that it’s not going to cause a lot of fallout. Even though it’s exposed brick, it’s important to try and seal it so that it doesn’t make too much mess. With exposed brickwork, it’s a good idea to focus it on just the one wall in order to make it a feature piece. You could have it in the living room, bedroom, or even the bathroom. It’s definitely something worth doing if you want to transform the look of the room without having to bother with painting or using wallpaper, which can often be a bit of a hassle to do.

Install Wooden Beams

Wooden beams are something that can be very difficult to find naturally placed within the home. You would have to stumble upon a property that had timber frames built into the home, otherwise, you can always install fake ones. There are so many advancements in engineering and technology that you probably would find it difficult to spot between fake wooden beams and those that actually came with the property, to begin with. Wooden beams are a lovely feature to add to your house and certainly one to include if you love rustic interiors. It gives any room a more old-style feel, even if the rest of your home was fairly modern in contrast.

Consider Different Textures

Textures are important to get right when it comes to creating that rustic vibe in your home. There are lots of different ways you can incorporate texture, where it’s through your soft furnishings or with the types of surfaces you pick for your floors or cabinets around the home. If you’re looking to go for a more rustic look, then you can distress some of the objects in your home by sanding them down or trying to create textures with paint. A lot of furniture can already come with that distressed look, but if you’re trying to do something yourself, then a bit of sandpaper should definitely do the trick.

Let In The Light

Photo by Aaron Huber on Unsplash

Lighting is important to incorporate into the space, and it can certainly influence that rustic vibe that you are going for when it comes to your home. Think about whats you can incorporate it more in the spaces you have around your home and what type of styles you would consider to be rustic-looking. There are lots of great chandelier type lights that you can get that are made out of wood rather than glass. There’s also more industrial type lighting that also gives out that same rustic vibe that you might be looking for.

Look For Antiques

Image Source

Antiques are probably the most typical way of creating a more old-style feel to your home. It’s something that you could probably find pretty easily too if you’re a lover of thrift stores or pre-loved sales online. Think about what might look nice around your home when it comes to antiques and incorporate them around your home where you can. They can really help give a lived-in feel for your home whilst also providing a little bit of history. Some homes can often skip on the personal qualities and then it ends up looking a little empty, like a showroom. There are lots of ways that you can add antiques into your home, Helen Storey Antiques has a unique selection of antiques that could be worth a lot of money in the future! 

Making your home feel more rustic is definitely a style that’s become more popular and is often the alternative to having something that might be minimalistic or perhaps too modern. Find ways to incorporate more of this style into your home, whether you make something yourself or buy it from a thrift store. Go big with some wooden beams or incorporate a fireplace to really give your room a cosy feeling that you won’t want to ever leave. There are endless possibilities for making your home more rustic.

Everyone is a little bit different when it comes to decorating their home. Some like it super modern, whilst others like the more traditional feel. Rustic isn’t defined just to vintage items and old furniture. It’s more about what you put into the space through color and textures, as well as finding key pieces that really give your home that comforting atmosphere. Here are ten ways to make your home feel more rustic in appearance. 

Try Your Hand At DIY

DIY is something that can really add something special to your space and can certainly be enjoyable to do whether you make something on your own or you do it with a member of your household. There are lots of things that you can make yourself, and with so many resources available online, it can be easy to follow most things. When it comes to creating your own decor, look at what you need for the space, whether you’re making some floating shelves or your own dining table. 

Make sure that you are buying quality materials when making your own furniture because the more you can spend on the main structure, the more able you will be to upcycle your furniture when the soft furnishings get worn, like an armchair or sofa bed for example! Experiment with your creativity and your skill levels when it comes to creating something from scratch, you never know, you might surprise yourself.

Look For Rustic Decor

Rustic decor is all about finding the right pieces to the suit the space, and it’s one that’s going to be different for each room. For example, the living room is going to feature your sofa, television, and coffee table. You might want to find a wooden coffee table or perhaps a vintage style television unit. It’s picking out the small pieces of furniture and showcasing the rustic vibe through that. There are standing lights and lamps that you can make more rustic using certain types of distressed metal or wood. You could incorporate a rustic fireplace or opt for floating shelves that have an industrial feel to them. Textures are definitely important, so look for unique pieces that are going to be the statement pieces. You want items of furniture that are going to draw your eye as you walk into the space.

See Also
purple petaled flower beside box

Upcycle Any Existing Furniture

Upcycling is a process where you’ll take something that’s perhaps worn and looking a little tired and then given a makeover. This might be sanding down anything wooden and repainting or replacing the soft furnishings on the object, whether it be an armchair, dining table, or sofa. There are things worth noting when it comes to upcycling before you go ahead with it. Take your time with whatever you’re upcycling and don’t try to rush the process just to get it done. Make sure you prepare the item for upcycling and that you have all the necessary materials ready in order to do the work. Prime the item and check that it is good quality enough to be upcycled and know where you want it to go in your home so that you can design it accordingly to that space.

Use Earthy Tones

Earthy tones are what make a space look rustic, and that’s what you want to aim for when it comes to choosing a color palette. When it comes to rustic decor, think of how you could incorporate it through different areas of the home. From the walls, where you could decorate with wallpaper or paint to Mexican tile flooring where you could incorporate all types of tones and designs. There are lots that you can do to add that rustic feel through color alone. Adding some indoor plants and foliage can also add to the space and make it more earthy. Plants are always a good way of incorporating color into the space and are certainly something that can transform the room that you’re in.

Fit In A Log Fireplace

When it comes to setting a cozy atmosphere, a great contribution to the space can be in the form of a log fireplace. There’s nothing like having the roaring flames of a fire in the middle of winter while you lounge on the couch to watch your favorite film or television series. There are plenty of variations of fireplaces, and if your home doesn’t have a chimney, then you can always install one that looks like the real thing but produces no smoke. It can be something that you have as a feature piece in your living room, or some might prefer to place it elsewhere in the home. You can really go to town on the external area of the fireplace too in order to make it even more rustic. A thick, wooden shelf is a good suggestion to have above the fireplace so that you can dress it up more.

Exposed Brick

Exposed brick is the very definition of rustic when it comes to home decor and design. It’s one design element that needs to be done properly, though to ensure you’re not compromising the insulation of your home and that it’s not going to cause a lot of fallout. Even though it’s exposed brick, it’s important to try and seal it so that it doesn’t make too much mess. With exposed brickwork, it’s a good idea to focus it on just the one wall in order to make it a feature piece. You could have it in the living room, bedroom, or even the bathroom. It’s definitely something worth doing if you want to transform the look of the room without having to bother with painting or using wallpaper, which can often be a bit of a hassle to do.

Install Wooden Beams

Wooden beams are something that can be very difficult to find naturally placed within the home. You would have to stumble upon a property that had timber frames built into the home, otherwise, you can always install fake ones. There are so many advancements in engineering and technology that you probably would find it difficult to spot between fake wooden beams and those that actually came with the property, to begin with. Wooden beams are a lovely feature to add to your house and certainly one to include if you love rustic interiors. It gives any room a more old-style feel, even if the rest of your home was fairly modern in contrast.

Consider Different Textures

Textures are important to get right when it comes to creating that rustic vibe in your home. There are lots of different ways you can incorporate texture, where it’s through your soft furnishings or with the types of surfaces you pick for your floors or cabinets around the home. If you’re looking to go for a more rustic look, then you can distress some of the objects in your home by sanding them down or trying to create textures with paint. A lot of furniture can already come with that distressed look, but if you’re trying to do something yourself, then a bit of sandpaper should definitely do the trick.

Let In The Light

Lighting is important to incorporate into the space, and it can certainly influence that rustic vibe that you are going for when it comes to your home. Think about whats you can incorporate it more in the spaces you have around your home and what type of styles you would consider to be rustic-looking. There are lots of great chandelier type lights that you can get that are made out of wood rather than glass. There’s also more industrial type lighting that also gives out that same rustic vibe that you might be looking for.

Look For Antiques

Antiques are probably the most typical way of creating a more old-style feel to your home. It’s something that you could probably find pretty easily too if you’re a lover of thrift stores or pre-loved sales online. Think about what might look nice around your home when it comes to antiques and incorporate them around your home where you can. They can really help give a lived-in feel for your home whilst also providing a little bit of history. Some homes can often skip on the personal qualities and then it ends up looking a little empty, like a showroom. There are lots of ways that you can add antiques into your home, and who knows, they might be worth a bit of money in the future!

Making your home feel more rustic is definitely a style that’s become more popular and is often the alternative to having something that might be minimalistic or perhaps too modern. Find ways to incorporate more of this style into your home, whether you make something yourself or buy it from a thrift store. Go big with some wooden beams or incorporate a fireplace to really give your room a cosy feeling that you won’t want to ever leave. There are endless possibilities for making your home more rustic.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Scroll To Top

Discover more from Literally, Darling

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading