The Contemporary Rustic style has come into popularity the last few years because it combines two of people’s favorite things: the simplicity of country living with modern amenities and awesome design ideas. But this style can be challenging to create. It isn’t quite as girly as a country cottage style, but it also isn’t as crafty as the shabby chic style or as masculine as a country ranch style. Well we’re here to give you some of the essential elements needed to put together a gorgeous contemporary rustic style apartment.
Neutral Color Palette
The contemporary rustic style is not known for having bold, punchy colors. Because it takes many cues from old woody cottages and natural in general, the style relies largely on a neutral color palette. The rustic room usually enjoys sporting understated browns, nudes, white, and black. Though there can be the occasional dab of color to add an element of interest to the room, even these “stand out” shades are often subtle. Think of soft blues, quiet greens, and ruddy reds. If it fits, check out some rustic dining tables to add to your place.
Sheepskin Fabric
Unadorned Fabrics
The rustic style strives to create a warm, intimate space that is cozy without being overly kitschy. One essential element that creates this sense of homeyness is fabric. Rustic apartments extensively use organic and unadorned fabrics that look as though they have barely been processed. Leather sofas and chairs and a classic, tipping a ten-gallon hat towards that classic ranch style. Of course, carpets made of cow and ox hide are also recommended. If you’re looking for something a little softer, utilize sheepskin. Sheepskin can be used for blankets, chair throws, carpets, etc. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s also fuzzy and warm. The more raw it looks, the better. Just be careful about eating and drinking around these fabrics, because they absorb liquids easily if you spill on them.
Exposed Architecture
Wood, stone, and brick are some of the most striking characteristics of a rustic style room. It has a sense of rawness about it that takes you back to the time when houses were painstakingly built by hand with stone and wood. Of course, if you’re lucky enough to find a lovely building that comes with these elements, then make the most of it! If you live in a building without these elements, it is possible to incorporate them in your furniture and accessories. Depending on the amount of freedom your landlord permits you to build, you can even simulate exposed beams with some mild construction. Either way, having exposed architecture is certainly not an essential for creating a rustic room – just a luxury.
Hearth as the Centerpiece
When you think of an old cottage or older home, when of the first elements that probably comes to mind is the fireplace. If you have purchased an apartment with a fireplace, then make sure you make it the centerpiece of the room. Everything in the rustic home revolves around the hearth, after all! Brick wood-burning fireplaces are a great element to have at your disposal. If you have a more modern looking fireplace, definitely don’t worry! The contrast between the modern style and the rustic accessories will definitely add interest to the room. If your apartment doesn’t have a fireplace at all, no biggie! You can always create a hearth-like area with a small fake fireplace filled with candles and organic objects, such as antlers or shells.
Old or Contemporary Art?
The type of art you want to put on your walls is entirely dependent on how you want to construct the room. The contemporary rustic style – as the name suggests – is a healthy mixture of both the old and the new. The art on the walls should not only be aesthetically pleasing, but should also help balance out the decor of the room. Is the furniture more modern? Then your accessories should be more rustic, including the art. Consider putting up some old portraits, academic landscapes, naturalist sketches, or pressed flowers. Is the furniture more vintage and rustic in style? Then put up some extremely modern art, perhaps a minimalistic, abstract work to create a high contrast. Experiment. Figure out what kind of art you enjoy looking at the most and what kind compliments the room in the best way possible.
Organic Objects
As we’ve said just about a million times at this point, the contemporary rustic style is largely pulled from nature. It only makes sense that you would incorporate decorations that are pulled from nature. The best part about this is that you can find many accessories on a simple walk or hike. Pine tree dropping cones everywhere this year? Collect them, preserve them, and put them into a brandy sniffer. Come across some antlers? They’ll look perfect in the center of your dining table. Find an animal skull in the woods? Boil it in water and put it on a book shelf. You can even mount a particularly nice looking branch on the wall if you want. Luckily, this is a unique way to decorate without dropping all of the big bucks at an interior design store (of course, if you want to, you can do that too). When it comes to accessorizing the contemporary rustic style, the possibilities are endless!
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Photo Credit: Dishfunctional Designs
