Elements of Contemporary Rustic Style

desire to inspire Sophie Robinson's 6.jpg

A few months ago I was intrigued by the Sproost style quiz, and was pleasantly surprised to find my style to be overwhelmingly "rustic revival." While it's rare (and oftentimes boring, contrived, etc) to come across a home done entirely in one distinct style, it got my wheels turning. What elements make modern rustic style unique? Too often it's lumped together with its girlier cousins: cabbage rose laden "shabby chic" and plaid sofa-ed "country charm," but there seems to be more to it than slip-covered comfort and walls of knotty pine...

The rustic style of yore was characterized by lodge decor— heavy leather furnishings, wood paneled walls, and taxidermy in abundance. While we see certainly find elements of the by-gone cabin decor sprinkled through modern woodland schemes, the following traits seem to be the most dominant attributes of the rustic revival.

• 1 Natural, unprinted fabrics: linen, burlap, canvas, animal skins

• 2 Raw woods with limited varnishes and paints

• 3 Simple rugs made of natural materials such as jute, sea grass, sisal, or animal furs.
• 4 A balance of whites and light neutrals on the walls, window coverings, and upholstery to brighten a room full of wood.

• 5 Understated seating options (often in neutrals) with limited embellishments

What would you add?

james merrell natural objects.jpg

(Images: 1: Sophie Robinson, 2: House Beautiful, 3: Tobi Tobin via desire to inspire, 4: Paul Massey, 5,7: Morten Holtum, 6: Jake Curtis, 8: James Merrell)

Comments (16)

I think layering multiple natural textures and colors are key, but simplicity in the style of furniture, whether antique or contemporary, are very important as well.

posted by deckbd on June 3rd 2009 at 2:38pm
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does anyone know where i can find similar black ceraemic lamps?

posted by cd77 on June 3rd 2009 at 2:53pm
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I would add that the key to this look is to make the room look like it has evolved over time and put unexpected elements in to keep it interesting yet simple.

posted by jennipenni on June 3rd 2009 at 3:41pm
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I love it! This is me.

posted by clampers on June 3rd 2009 at 3:44pm
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love this. just took that quiz
44% Cottage Chic
33% Rustic Revival
23% Vintage Modern

I am actually trying to do a mix of all three.

posted by chusmabilly on June 3rd 2009 at 5:12pm
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I like it very much. I would probably not use the variety of horn collections....but the rest is cool.

posted by baileyb on June 3rd 2009 at 6:04pm
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I always come up with rustic revival when i do that quiz. I love the look, but I have to admit I don't like raw wood. Most of my wood is painted with only the centerpiece of the room a stained wood.

posted by 42rocky on June 3rd 2009 at 6:34pm
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Does anyone know where the mesh cocktail table with the glass top is from? Or something similar.

posted by louisw on June 3rd 2009 at 9:26pm
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Love all of the above, and also love plastic and reflective surfaces - forest meets Barbie, I guess.

posted by bromeliad on June 4th 2009 at 10:51am
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Wow, I love this decorating style, but had never heard it characterized that way. Now I'll have a term to use when I maybe, someday, hopefully can hire a designer or afford to buy things, rather than have my design be dictated by what's in my rental, IKEA, and what hand-me-downs I get (though I I'm grateful to get them!).

In the meantime, I agree with baileyb! When will the dead animal horns, the tongue-in-cheek deer mounts, random objet under bell jars, and the birds, nests, etc. go away? While I'm all for the sentimental piece of driftwood, rock, or shell, etc., most of this artfully (or not so artfully) arranged junk seems so contrived....

posted by lotusmoss on June 5th 2009 at 11:56am
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I like stuff a bit natural/rustic, in that I like old stuff and natural materials, but I'm not a fan of any sort of dead animal parts (whether "rustic" looking or mod/contemporary). Gross.

posted by eeka on June 7th 2009 at 6:32pm
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Contemporary and rustic are two words that should not go together or two styles that should not go together for that matter.

posted by colleen2009 on June 7th 2009 at 7:17pm
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Contemporary is not a style. It simply means what's happening right now. In the 60's, gold and avocado appliances were contemporary. In the 1700's, Federal Revival was contemporary. If rustic/natural is what's happening now, it is by definition contemporary.

posted by quiltmaster on June 7th 2009 at 8:10pm
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I specially like the painted floors in the last two pics. I know most people feel wood should be stained, but painted floors seem so romantic and different. Also love the large pieces of pottery in the second picture! they seem to be the contemporaty touch in that room.

posted by alapash on June 8th 2009 at 9:00am
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I disagree that "rustic contemporary" needs to be all neutral colors. For me, at least (and I think I'm part rustic, part vintage modern?), I think the defining characteristics are simple, clean lines in furniture, unpainted (but possibly stained) wood, and natural elements. (I agree with the others about the animal parts, though.)

posted by saraannsmith on June 8th 2009 at 12:14pm
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I am a bit surprised to not find any greenery in something called "Rustic", but I guess Rustic doesn't imply outdoorsy. Does Rustic really require all that neutrality? If I could restrain myself, my home would resemble this; I find it soothing. I'm doomed to living in environments of too much color (is there such a thing?) where my sense of humor leaks out.

posted by Vincent B. on June 9th 2009 at 10:18am
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