The rustic living room

Come on in, and put your feet up - enjoy the rustic lodge furniture and country style decor!

Your rustic living room, whether it's in a log cabin, a timber home, a mountain chalet, or even in an urban setting, is an irresistible place to relax. Here are some rustic decorating ideas.

The fireplace or wood stove is often the focal point. It's a place to congregate and enjoy the warmth; it's a place to read; a place to play games with family; and, maybe it's even a place for that treasured afternoon nap - lulled by the crackle and warmth of the fire!

There is no television in our lodge living room (don't get me started on that!) but we enjoy music - music we make ourselves - and recorded music.

Rustic Lodge Furniture

Take time to select the right furniture for your cabin or lodge. If you have a Victorian couch, it's probably not going to work in a rustic living room (although I'm sure there's someone out there who has pulled it off magnificently).

The magic of wood and rich fabrics will definitely bring a sense of warmth, coziness, and comfort to your rustic living room. Many cabins have furniture that is hand made from logs. These pieces will be a treasure for future generations. Pine furniture is popular as it is relatively inexpensive and is easily found.

You can also use the beauty of wood with your mirrors, bookcases, coffee tables, and occasional tables.

Lighting for rustic overtones

We saw this stuffed moose head in a hotel gift shop and knew he would be the perfect addition to our lodge living room.

Choose your lighting to create a mood and to complement your activities - such as good light for reading. Theme lamps and chandeliers add to the overall ambiance.

Added Touches

You can incorporate various inexpensive accessories, such as dried flowers and twigs. Plants and greenery are a great addition...if you are only there on weekends, choose hardy plants or (gulp, dare I say it) silk plants.

Taxidermy (birds, moose, and deer heads, etc.) or bearskins on the walls add to the lodge look. If you are not comfortable with this, consider using a little humor and hanging a "fake" moose head as we did (see photo above). Add some snowshoes, throws, pillows that are plain or have animal silhouettes, or woodsy outdoor prints in wood bark frames to accentuate your decorating theme. In a rustic setting, you can use lots of knick knacks - treasures that are found, purchased, or passed down through your family.

What type of floor covering should you have?

Many love the richness of hardwood. I suggest laminate as a good alternative for lodge life. It looks like wood but is extremely durable and costs a whole lot less. Area carpets, such as braided rugs, or scatter mats are better suited to lodge living than wall to wall carpet.

What about your walls?

Ideally your walls are wood or log. If not, you can still achieve the lodge look with rich earth tones like burnt orange, sage green, taupe, harvest gold, deep cranberry, warm beige, rich brown, and stone gray.

If you can't achieve the look you want right away, don't be discouraged. Take your time. (Rome wasn't built in a day!) You may be able to find some treasures second hand. Others you can add over the years.