Design Trend: Rustic
The rustic furniture style creates a feeling of warmth and comfort.
Rustic is a term applied to a lot of things, and when it comes to an interior design style, the exact definition can be a bit hard to nail down. At its heart, the rustic style highlights natural beauty, showcasing organic, aged and often “rough” materials and pieces. It’s a casual look, and it should feel approachable and comfortable. Maybe this focus on approachability and coziness is why it’s so popular in some of today’s most popular design styles.
The rustic design style includes a lot of variations. There’s traditional rustic styles and modern rustic styles. Today it’s perhaps most associated with farmhouse design. However, there are a range of other styles that incorporate rustic elements, including Tuscan, coastal, and lodge looks.
While the rustic range is broad, there are some common characteristics that you’ll find in a lot of these looks. Some hallmarks of the rustic style, include:
- Reclaimed wood furniture
- Rugged, imperfect silhouettes
- Rich leather sofas and seating
- Heavy and rough textures found in area rugs and accent pieces
- Animal hides, fur accessories and accent pieces
- Wrought iron or rusted metal accents
- Exposed ceiling beams
- Neutral color palettes
How to bring rustic style into your home.
We’ve put together a Rustic Design Trend Board to help define this look and give you design inspiration. Read on to learn more about this comforting aesthetic and get ideas for bringing this beloved look into your own home.
Color Palette
One of the first things you should consider when bringing a new style into your home is the color palette. You won’t find a lot of bold, bright colors in the rustic style. Instead, rustic designs are typically based on natural, neutral colors, letting the materials and textures themselves take center stage. Our rustic living room design is made up of Urbane Bronze SW7048, Smokehouse SW7040 and Accessible Beige SW7036, which create a nice mix of cool and warm neutrals for our space.
What is rustic furniture?
Rustic furniture should add to the feeling of warmth and comfort in your room. For instance, reclaimed wood furniture, from bedroom sets to dining room sets, brings character and one-of-a-kind beauty into your space. Likewise, wood furniture featuring distressed finishes can augment the welcoming rustic aesthetic. Rich, dark leather furniture such as sofas and chairs are full of charm and can even look more attractive as the wear and age.
The star of our rustic living room design is the rich caramel leather sofa and matching chair. The streamlined style with sleek track arms and plush cushions upholstered in a soft leather beautifully combines chic style with luxurious comfort. Accent stitching gives the frame a bold profile that brings interest to the piece and enhances the space.
The seating pairs perfectly with the distressed wood of the nesting coffee tables. This grouping is in neutral shades of browns and creams for a relaxing and cozy atmosphere. Plus, the practical design suits the inviting rustic style. You can place all three tables out as needed, or tuck the smaller two in to create more space. A neutral area rug featuring a series of graphic, transitional designs helps give the seating area a finished look and adds an inviting texture to the room.
Rustic accent pieces and décor
Most of the accent pieces in our design stay in the neutral color palette, but range greatly in materials and texture.
- Deep, earthy throw pillows feature subtle patterns and add to the comfort of the seating.
- Canvas art features an earthy landscape, while a wall art featuring metal tree trunks ties into the natural theme and rustic vibe.
- A simple table lamp features an antique black and silver finished metal base with a modified drum shade.
Looking to create your own rustic design style?
It’s easy to bring a natural and neutral rustic style into your living space. Start out with a rich leather or fabric for your base. An area rug should feature neutral colors, but you can play with textures from soft wool to rough jute to plush animal hides. Black rod iron accent pieces suit the style and can help fill out your space. Then add layers of pillows and soft blankets to curl up in. Don’t forget to bring in some greenery for pops of color, additional texture, and a fresh feel that goes a long way in any design style—but fit particularly well with this earthy rustic design.
Get more rustic-based design inspiration in our blog post: What is Rustic Vogue Design?
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