Country Decorating No Matter Where You Live

in Country Home Decor

"You don't have to live in a rural setting to have a soothing, relaxing retreat. Decorate a room (or all of them) with the new style of country decor. It's all about what feels right for you..."

Decorating with a country touch is more about your own style than any set rules on colors or wood type.

Basic 'Rules' of Country Decorating

You're after simplicity - easy on the eyes and easy to unwind in. Look for colors on walls and furniture shapes and lines that are not ornate. Furniture is over-stuffed or just super comfortable.

And by all means show off who you are in the room by showcasing your favorite books or magazines, family photos in quaint frames, and a collection or two that you're crazy about (bird houses? antique teddy bears? book ends?).

Your Country Home Decor Style

As discussed above, country decorators shoot for  simplicity and peacefulness. But this is only the starting point!

If you venture into redecorating a room in a country decor theme, begin by only having the main pieces of that room's furniture in a room (if this is too difficult, sketch it out on paper or envision it in your mind). Then slowly add in each piece that shows off your style until the room starts to look cluttered (that's when you know you've gone too far and can back up a step).

Give yourself the freedom to do whatever you like in the room.

• Mix and match fine (yet simple)  antiques with a few barn board accessories or weathered signs if you like.
• Bring the garden in, by displaying cute or antique bunny and bird statues at the foot of your bed or under a side table.

The only criss-crossing, mis-matching that you won't want to get into is by mixing wall paint hues. It's okay to have a few colors in the room, but they should all be in the same hue or tone - otherwise they'll distract instead of calm the senses. Your paint colors can be light or muted - just not a cross section of two. I've seen country decorating rooms in bright whites and snappy blues look just as inviting as those done in muted burgundy and cream.

Country Decorating Chic (similar to shabby chic) is a blend of your favorite colors, textures and collections. Experiment and have fun, you can't go wrong expressing who you are!

Find these and more, in the Country Store!

The Empty Room Goes Country

If you're standing in an empty room and trying to figure out how to decorate it in the country traditional style, start with furniture in warm and natural tones. Whether those starter pieces are wood, leather, or fabric; choose neutral colors in warm natural tones.

Your paint color selections can then be chosen based on colors or tones found in or that harmonize with the furniture pieces!

Your country home decor will be warm and inviting already - just based on that criteria. Further plan the room by deciding on the interior colors you will use for walls, wood trim, rugs and carpets, lamp shades, curtains, and accent pillows.

The same goes for flooring and rugs - nothing says country better than hardwood floors (but ceramic tiles and flagstone work just as well), strategically covered by braided or themed accent rugs.

Country Decorating and Lighting

Let your country personality show through in your lighting choices as well.

Any room designed for country decor has a variety of lighting choices. Overhead chandeliers (perhaps an antler or reproduction antler chandelier), side table lighting, and corner up-lights should all be considered and present. These don't have to be the standard fixtures found at the local home depot. Choose lamps and fixtures that aren't produced and bought en masse.

Featured Country Decorating Articles

• Turning trash to treasure for country decor accent pieces.

• Country Decorating Advice.

Country Decorating Collections

Apart from the standard books, art, and candles you might place around the room, here are some other collections that country decorators like to use. This list is provided merely as a springboard for your own ideas.

• Prized plants
• Fresh flowers, or dried flowers from your own garden
• Dried and decorative gourds
• Handmade quilts and pillows
• Woven baskets
• Game boards
• Antique bowls

Have a look at some of the country decor items we're showcasing in the Country Store. These are all good country pieces for a collector that may spark a few ideas for you - there are hundreds more to browse through in the primitive decorative aisle, here.