Create that perfect American country style
With the right assortment of accessories, you can create an authentic American countryside feel to your home décor. The key lies in keeping an eye out for pieces that look rustic, antiquated, and have a rough-hewn and handmade quality to them.
What is American country style?
This form of home décor has a comfy, homey feel to it, and celebrates items that were made and used generations ago. The look is large-scale and coarsely sculpted, although there can be many derivations to this style including:
Elements of American Country homes
The devil’s in the details
Bric a brac are plentiful in American style country homes, and the most common accessories are home made items such as quilts, bouquets of dried flowers, folk art and flea market finds.
Quilts are pieces which epitomise country-style décor. They come in so many winsome patterns and designs that we demand you take them out of your closets and use them in your homes! Here are some creative uses for your quilts:
Pictures and portraits need to augment the relaxed, old-fashioned atmosphere. Choose primitive looking oil portraits, old black and white photographs, country still life portraits of fruit baskets, flowers, teddy bears or dolls and landscape paintings featuring farms, barns, meadows and orchards.
Lampstands made of distressed wood, antique brass, old-fashioned copper, pewter or stoneware are all appropriately rough-hewn and antiquated. When choosing overhead lighting, look for unadorned chandeliers made from wrought iron, or stained glass, tin, pewter, or antique brass lanterns. Lampshades are best made out of parchment or linen.
Don’t scrimp on the bric a brac and knick knacks; good ideas are:
Also dress up your beds and couches with rustic looking cushions that celebrate coziness with embroidery, eyelet lace or patchwork fabrics.
Remember that ultimately the American country style emphasises furniture and accessories that are primitive and handcrafted rather than finery, so pass on the crystals, fine china and carved furniture in favour of comfy couches and wooden four poster beds!