Decorating a Rustic Dining Room

Ceilings And Lighting

Manufacturers offer a variety of options for rustic ceiling and lighting fixtures. If your dining area already has exposed beams, you are in luck. If you wish to simulate the look, you can attach faux wood beams to your ceiling. Workers stain foam to make it look like real wood.

Lanterns and lighting fixtures consist of iron, copper or wood. If you have space to hang a chandelier, you can look for fixtures featuring deer antlers, bears or pine cone designs. You may also incorporate simulated or real oil lanterns.

Accentuate the celebration of nature by using the room’s natural lighting to its fullest effect. Make sure that the windows are not obscured by furniture.

Floors

The classic rustic dining room has bare floors consisting of wide wooden planks made of oak, heart pine or maple. The wood could have a patina that makes it look worn down.

For variety, you can also choose tile that resembles terracotta brick or stone. Whatever you decide on, strive for authentic appearance. Anything that looks like plastic will not work in a rustic room.

An area rug, with patterns and wildlife scenes, could provide a sense of personality to the room.

Furniture And Decorations

Rustic dining room sets often look like furniture you might see in a lodge or a log cabin. There should be a touch of class to the table and chairs, as meals are a time for family and tradition.

The dining sets and buffet tables should consist of thick wood, leather, suede or a rich fabric. They may be understated or have intricate designs. Families pass this furniture down for generations. Some rustic sets come with benches instead of chairs, emphasizing the importance of togetherness and informality.

With so much wood in the room, you will need to break up the monotony of browns. Introducing warm colors, such as green, red or orange into your decorations will liven up the room. Consider using Native American crafts such as baskets to store your dining accessories.

On the walls, you may find iron art, paintings of the American West or a mounted bass. Also, Native American tapestries can be hung in this room. You may even choose to display a trinket from the local flea market. Historical elements that have sentimental value can usually be integrated into the rustic motif.

Consider bringing as much of the outdoors as you can into your decorations. The centerpiece for the dining area can consist of pine cones and wildflowers. You could have a candlelight centerpiece surrounded by fruit. A glass centerpiece may provide a striking counterpoint to the heaviness of the wood furniture.

Dinnerware

Your dinnerware can be antique or simple. Popular colors for dishes and plates are off-white or cream. For a kitschier look, you may find fish, bear or horse patterns. You may finish the look with pewter-colored silverware.

By keeping the aforementioned design aspects in mind, you’ll have your dining room looking warm and rustic in no time.