Texture is emphasized in rustic decor. Here the wood-paneled walls and the stone fireplace create a cozy environment.
A rustic and warm dining room provides a welcoming setting for family meals and entertaining. Rustic styles take their inspiration from nature. A rustic dining room may bring back memories of that cabin in the woods or a weekend at a country inn. Relaxed and casual, rustic decor is not fussy or pretentious. The rustic look can follow several different styles.
Country
A wreath made of grapevines or small twigs adds a sense of country charm.
A country can be a charming and relaxing retreat. Bring nature inside with grapevine wreaths decorated with berries or gingham ribbons. You don't even have to hang your wreaths on the walls; smaller wreaths laid on a flat surface with a candle placed in the middle are an easy-to-create country accessory. Mason jars tied with raffia bows can double as candleholders. Create an interesting tablescape using mason jars of different sizes and heights.
Bring your country quilts out of the bedroom and into the dining room where they can be used as wall hangings. A large quilt hung up in a dining room demands attention and creates an instant focal point. Use the colors in the quilt as inspiration for decorating the rest of the room.
Quilts and antiques go together. A country-style dining room offers a good opportunity to display treasured family heirlooms. Whether it's a well-worn coffee grinder displayed on a buffet or Grandma's old dishes showcased in the china cabinet, the sense of history lends a truly special feeling to the room.
Primitive
The imperfect, worn finish on this small cabinet contributes to a rustic primitive look.
Primitive decorating recalls a simpler, less stressful time. Rustic primitive decor is part shabby chic and part early American. Use stencils, which were a favorite way to add decoration to walls during the Colonial era. Stencils are easy to apply. Look for a rustic, nature-inspired motif such as pine cones and pine boughs or vines and berries.
The paint doesn't have to just remain on the walls. Furniture with distressed, painted finishes create ideal backdrops for displaying your primitive collections and accessories. You can either seek out authentic timeworn pieces at antique stores and estate sales, or take a newer piece of furniture and give it an aged finish. Check out thrift stores or unfinished furniture stores for possible refinishing projects.
Don't overlook small utilitarian objects for accents. A jar full of buttons or marbles can be quite charming displayed on a shelf. A grouping of old wooden spools can add visual interest to a small table.
Western
A horseshoe hung above the door is a classic element of western decorating. Hang it so the ends are facing up to ensure that the luck doesn't fall out.
Western dining room decorating can recall the wild days of a bygone era. A wagon wheel chandelier can provide a focal point and conversation piece above the dining room table. Although authentic wagon wheel fixtures can be expensive, cheaper (and lighter) resin reproductions are available.
Leather is a must-have for a western-themed room. Leather brings to mind old cowboy boots, saddles and other fixtures of the wild west. Leather-wrapped picture frames or faux-leather place mats can add to the western look. Distressed leather is better than shiny new leather.
One common decorating element that is especially common these days is the barn star. The barn star is typically made of metal. A grouping of stars on a dining room wall can be especially striking. Shelves, wainscoting or picture frames made of silvery-gray barn wood also go well with this theme.
Use bandanna-print fabric or denim for window treatments and accessories. Vibrant reds and blues combined with black and beige can set the tone for a western-themed room. Horseshoes, spurs and other small elements of the west can add to the theme.
Tags: dining room, dining room, barn star, focal point, picture frames