Rustic style is a design with an emphasis on rugged, natural beauty. It embraces nature-inspired textures, simple and earthy colors, and ultimately an unpretentious, organic warmth. Rustic interiors might come across as heavy and dark in their most traditional sense, but today, many rustic styles have emerged that feel both fresh, light, and grounded.

Rustic décor is all about a no-fuss aesthetic that showcases the beauty of subdued hues, natural materials, like wood beams or touches of stone, and comfortable furniture. This versatile design style works in just about any interior, from the bathroom to the living room.

If you're looking for ways to incorporate rustic style into your interior, here are 10 ideas to get you inspired!

1. Color 

Neutral tones complement rustic wall décor. Add color and vibrancy as beginning with a neutral color palette will allow you to make the features of your room stand out. Whitewashed walls look great paired with natural wood features; the white allows the wood to speak for itself and become a focal point of the room. When applying neutral shades around wooden elements, ensure they aren't too close in color to avoid them blending in together and get lost. Ensure they contrast enough against one another.

Don't worry about rustic wall décor being too dull. Color will come in with rustic home furnishings, from upholstered furnishings to furniture and accessories to bring a room together. Jewel tones work particularly well in a rustic-inspired house. They add a bold and bright touch of unexpected color, as well as a feel of luxury. 

2. Wood Beams

Embrace wood as one of the main natural materials in any rustic space. Traditional ceiling beams are actually wooden joists left exposed across the ceiling rather than boxed in or hidden above a ceiling. You can add decorative non-structural ceiling beams that can be made of wood, plastic, foam, and resin. They are lightweight and available in many textures, some that mimic wood beams. Some faux beams also offer the option to add recessed lighting. Textured beams break up a flat ceiling and add interest to the décor.

Wood beams are an impactful way to add a rustic element to your home. Not only elegant but appealing. Beams can immediately give off that country feel and add architectural flair. Wood beams are especially pleasant in an open floor plan living space where they are the most visible. 

PS. We can help you with wood beams and trusses! Email us at info@realcraft.com for a free quote!

3. Wood Floors

Rustic wood floors offer more interest and attraction than polished or traditional wood floors, and used in any setting, they can help enhance and highlight the décor.  

Wide plank wood floors can help provide not only a more rustic appearance for homes, but they also help give a more quiet and subtle appearance as well. While a narrow plank appears busy with the many different grain patterns, tones, and strips of wood, a wide plank floor is quieter, with space for each plank to have its personality without competing with those around it. This can be ideal in a home with many other rustic wood accents, so there's less competition for the eye.

4. Wood Paneling 

Wood paneling will also provide a hint of luxury, or, if you opt for a light-colored wood, you'll feel as if you're in a log cabin in the woods. Wood walls are a great addition to any space and can help define a room, add color, texture, and give the space personality. Wood panels don't have to feel like a 1970's basement. Today, rustic wood is used in a wide variety of projects, from rustic lodges to traditional homes and modern spaces, both residential and commercial.

5. Stone

Stones are a natural and durable material and provide you with a more elevated feel. Stone is also an extremely durable and low-maintenance material. Transform a backsplash, an accent wall, or a mantle into stone to create a rustic, raw look and bring the outdoors inside. 

6. Metals

Iron, copper, stainless steel, and brass are all beautiful metals perfect for rustic décor accessories and accents. Hardware on cabinets, doors, and lighting can help add a touch of refinement to your rustic look. You can also make it a more industrial rustic look by using exposed and distressed metals on your scheme.

7. Barn Doors

Barn doors are not only for country and farmhouse-inspired interiors, they've become a trendy mainstay in rustic and modern designs alike. Oozing with vintage charm, a knotty wood barn door is an easy way to add separation and style to bathrooms, closets, bedrooms, or kitchens. They're also surprisingly versatile; they feel just rustic enough to highlight that charming vintage bookcase ​but modern enough to pair with a mid-century console table. 

8. Fireplace/Mantel

Another chance to help bring the outside indoors. Just as camping isn't complete without a campfire, so is a rustic-styled home incomplete without a warm, inviting fireplace. Dress the fireplace with natural elements like logs and stone. A thick, chunky mantel is ideal for rustic living.  

You don't have to have a big stone hearth to have a rustic, welcoming fireplace in your home. Free-standing fireplaces have a modern edge because they look nothing like the old-fashioned potbelly style that might be associated with the rustic interiors, and when combined with other rustic elements in a family room or bedroom, it creates just the right atmosphere.

9. Antiques

Let rugged antique furniture take the place of cold streamlined pieces. Rustic style tends to favor the masculine, hearty side of décor. Dainty, feminine pieces will get lost or, at the very least, feel very out of place within a rustic-styled space. Rugged and nature-inspired antiques will anchor a rustic look. Don't be afraid to do things like mismatch furniture or use a vintage trunk as a coffee table. 

10. Fabrics

Source comforting fabrics in warm hues to make your rustic décor feel even more inviting. Try cozy blankets, textiles, and chunky knits to create a comfortable and relaxed environment. For added luxury, select a faux fur throw for a sofa and a patterned woven rug to compliment the room and add a splash of color (rugs are incredible if you have a wood floor and need warmth in the room).