One important factor in the design and decoration of a room is texture. (Whenever I say that in mixed company I always get odd looks, so I explain it fully.)
What do I mean by texture? The addition or consideration of a room’s textures are both visual and sensual. The balance of framed prints or family photographs jutting out from a smooth wall – in the case of cabin decor this may be a birch bark or barnboard framed print – is a good example. Texture is also the fabrics used on furniture, cushions, blankets and seat covers. The texture you mix into a room adds visual interest as well as touch (I’m struggling to find the word tonight).
For those of us who love cabin decor, stone is a great option for adding texture to a room. That beautiful stone fireplace, marble countertops, slate entranceways, granite topped tables and so forth. If these larger decorating items are already in your space or cabin decor, it won’t take much effort to build around those elements and have the look you desire.
While I’m on the topic of fireplaces, if you don’t have a fireplace in the room (and that snuggly heat lends itself real well to the aura of a cabin retreat), consider adding a wood burning stove or even one of those fake electric mantels just for ambiance. They both come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and can generate as much heat as you desire. When I first moved to the north we heated a 2500 square foot lake house with cathedral ceilings through the worst winters with just one Franklin stove.
If you want the natural look of stone but you don’t want to add heat to the room or use fire as ambiance, consider adding a stone back splash on your kitchen wall, or natural slate tiles in the hallway. Even a large footed glass vase filled with river rocks will give you the texture that fits beautifully within cabin decor.
For a little fun in your decorating project – and on the same texture theme, think of nature walks, hikes in the woods or natural elements just outside your front door. Natural fabrics on sofas and chairs (leather or a synthetic leather is very popular in cabin decor), twig lamps, antler chandeliers or candle holders or some farmhouse antiques and western-wear fit in and make the room fun as well as cohesive with your theme.
If you remember back to the days when you had a moment to sit under the canopy of trees for a few hours, just gazing above to the branches, when life was easy-going and simple and you somehow felt protected from the world – that is the way you’ll feel when you’re in a room that has been decorated with cabin decor in style.
Log cabin style is welcoming and non-assuming in its setup. This is not the primitive log home of yesteryear, but a comfortably sized family house with a stone chimney, large windows and a world of comfort through the glass. After all, it is the interior is what completes a cabin’s charm.
Even if you don’t have a log home (yet) the style of cabin decor can be applied to any room of your house, easily and affordably. Either way, it is important to understand the theory of the style before you begin.
A country log home, nestled amongst the pines has fields of wildflowers just beyond the front doors. The air is fresh and clean from the deck in the mornings and the evenings might have you curled up on a comfy couch in front of the fireplace. The room around you is primarily decorated in browns, oranges, yellows and greens – all lent from and inspired by nature. The walls – dark wood tones or softer hued honey tones – impart the feeling of warmth, serenity and comfort.
For those fortunate enough to live in a log home, there is no greater feeling and they’d be quick to tell you they wouldn’t leave it for the world. For those who aspire to live in such a home, there is plenty of hope for the future. In fact you don’t have to leave your city or community – You don’t even have to live in a secluded forest – you can give any room in any home that same snuggly cabin feeling. The trend toward log home living as well as modern home decorating with cabin decor themes is on the rise and supplies are readily available.
Some of the elements that make up the decor of a room in this style are comfort and practicality. Wood floors, screen door, even log cabin wallpaper can be purchased online cheaply. Other unpretentious items include slipcovers for existing furniture, wicker pieces, or wooden country chairs (mis-matched) painted and placed around a large pine harvest table. Finally lets not forget comforts in super soft fabrics and materials – sheepskin slippers, chenille blankets and handmade quilts on the couches, chairs and beds – just begging to be crawled under.
As stated above this is not a prissy style. No airs of grandeur or pretentious signs of abundance exist. Cabin decor is built around masculine camps and summer retreats for hunters, fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts. That doesn’t mean that a feminine touch is wrong, it is just a little trickier to pull off amidst all the wood and leather. Bring nature into the cabin themed room or home with sweet touches of florals, light colored white birch photo frames and the odd splash of whimsy. While creels, maps, fishing poles and lures might be the norm, there is nothing wrong with a pink plaid wool jacket – country in nature – hanging by the front door.
Finally I might remind you that there is no one right way to find your cabin decorating style. Your cabin style should be whatever you love about nature or the great outdoors. You should feel comfortable, at peace and secure in this room so fill it with rustic antiques and statues of your favorite aspects of the lake, field or forest.
Tags: cabin decor, nature
Outfitting your home in a cabin decor style is rewarding but can also prove to be challenging. Take your time and enjoy the hunt of finding the perfect elements and accents. In time and with careful dedication to detail your log cabin home, (or log home styled room) will provide a personalized balance of cabin decor and modern amenities.
Although shopping for the larger items first is the most practical way to decorate, cabin decor does not stop at cabin furniture, rugs, and curtains. Consider other accents such as artwork, framed prints and mirrors, specialized decorative lighting, themed tables and vases.
These are just a few necessary components of pulling a room with a log cabin home look, together.
Log Cabin Home Challenges
Decorating a log cabin home presents challenges not found in a traditional house. Furthermore, traditional or contemporary decor doesn’t always balance in a log home. With a careful eye and dedication however, either task can be overcome and the result can be stunning.
Let’s first discuss the challenges associated with having and decorating a traditional log home before moving into various ways of creating the look of a cabin in a more modern house.
Consider first the wall space in a cabin – often limited by the shape of the logs as well as the stain and hue. Another decorating challenge is the limitation of high vaulted ceilings. If you struggle with both, you will need more decorating panache on the floors and with the cabin furniture you choose. Floors and wall space are best when defined first through the arrangement of larger items, then accentuated through accent pieces.
Should you have the opposite situation – a contemporary room or home that you would like to refurnish in a rustic cabin decor theme – start with the walls, the most restrictive aspect of a traditional cabin.
Faux painting techniques, cabin wallpaper, or barnboard planks can give you the look you love without the hardships and restrictions of a traditional log home.
Cabin Furniture To The Rescue
A quick tip for rustic styling is to use heavier pieces of cabin furniture in all natural fibers. Chunky upholstered furniture and heavy rugs will steady and weight the room. Large cabin furniture also adds a homey, cozy, warmth to your room’s decor.
Tables, stylized bases, and lighting work best when crafted from black or aged, rustic metals.
Work these items into your room through curtain rods, cabin curtains and focus lighting. Rustic cabin decor relies heavily on lighting. Overhead chandeliers make the boldest statement and if chosen well can add to that comfort ambiance you seek. Look for antler chandeliers, rustic metal chandeliers, or primitive wood fixtures.
Cabin decor is most often rustic and cozy. However, other twists of cabin decor are up-country – a mix of whimsy and modern elements – southwestern (nearly Mexican), Early American, cowboy, rustic rancher, or pioneer.
Many great websites, online catalogs and stores offer ideas and products dedicated to the overall style of log cabin home decor.
Once you find one, delve into the articles and products to discover your own personal style. By running an online search for “log cabin home decor“, you”ll find a store with cabin furniture, cabin curtains and log cabin homes to visit.
Tags: cabin decor, cabin furniture, chandeliers, online catalog