Rustic Country Decor - How to Decorate Cottage Style Homes

Rustic country decor and how to decorate cottage style homes are extensions of American country style decorating. In addition, traditions are borrowed from French, English and some Swedish country looks. Rustic country decor can be defined as coarse, charmingly simple, unfussy, unfinished and yet with endearing qualities. Rustic country decorating includes the use of natural woods, aged surfaces, rough finishes and simple lines. Cottage style homes are comfortable, modest, quaint homes that can be made of thick stone or log wood.

Floors in rustic country decor and cottage style homes are made with stone or wood materials. Wooden floors were traditionally constructed with boards that were bare and simply waxed and hand-polished (high-gloss varnishes did not exist). Sometimes the boards were painted with light colors. If you like floor coverings, use oriental rugs and throws for visual warmth and color. Rustic country decor is about handcrafted objects, simplicity, furnishings that you enjoy and connecting back to nature.

Rustic cottage furniture is commonly made with pine and perhaps painted with hand-painted designs such as flowers, birds, animals, country scenery or leaves. Use ladderback chairs, rocking chairs, benches, wicker furniture and Windsor chairs. A large rectangular table made of pine is a good option for your kitchen or dining room table. To give your furniture a rustic look, brush a coat of paint on the furniture piece, then rub most of the paint off. After it dries, apply wood stain unevenly for an older weathered appearance. It will be perfect and rustic looking!

Baskets can be used to store wood, pine cones, flowers, plants and needlework. Brass candle holders, oil or kerosene lamps, sconces, hurricane lamps, tin lanterns, recessed ceiling fixtures or a vintage wrought-iron or metal chandelier provide successful lighting for rustic country decor and cottage style homes. Colors used in rustic country decor or cottage style homes are neutral tones ranging from white to bone, earth tones, red barn, blues and greens.

For rustic country decor in the kitchen, use open shelves, hutches, buffets, plate racks and cupboards for storage. Often, country kitchen storage is crammed with stoneware pots, plain glazed earthenware and glass jars. Kitchen pots should be made of copper, steel or cast iron -- cookware tends to be large and plain. Use open shelving in the rustic country kitchen to display plates, dishes and dinnerware collections. Natural woods, light colors and bright fabrics work great for window treatments. Adding a rustic butcher block island creates a wonderful visual effect as well as provides useful functionality.

A rustic country decor bathroom has neutral tones or soft colored walls, antique-looking lighting, and wooden antiques or antique reproduction cabinets and vanity. Knowing how to decorate cottage style homes and bathrooms can result in creating a calm and elegant atmosphere. Clawfoot tubs, pedestal sinks, country style antique brass faucets and old-fashioned country cabinets provide the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to spend time there. Plain white towels are recommended instead of patterned or bright modern patterns. Use wicker or wire baskets to keep your sponges, loofas and shampoos handy near the tub or shower.

Understanding how to decorate cottage style homes means including items like quilts, antique furniture or reproductions, flea-market pieces, trunks, chests, armoires, stenciling, wallpaper, adirondack chairs, flower wreaths and bistro chairs. These types of elements give cottage style homes the kind of rustic country decor that is simpler, very personal and warmly inviting.

Whether in a seaside setting, an urban environment, a countryside location or a wooded mountain retreat, cottage style homes are cozy and unassuming, combining the past with the present. Read all you can find and learn what creating the rustic country cottage means to you no matter where it's located. Enjoy expressing your personality and showing what the definition of home means to you.

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Interior Design Tips - How to Decorate a Formal Dining Room

Dining spaces can be formal, casual, or a combination of both. Many traditional homes have both a formal dining room and an informal eat-in kitchen.

When planning for a remodel of this area, whether you're converting an existing space or adding on, consider:

The size of your family

The number of guests you typically invite to dinner parties

The types of occasions when you'll use the room.

The traffic flow and especially the proximity to the kitchen for serving meals.

These facts will help guide you in planning the size of your dining space, the layout, and the furniture you'll ultimately choose.

Your dining room is also a great space to store extra-large serving pieces that don't typically fit into your kitchen. Whether you incorporate built-in cabinetry or individual storage pieces, make sure to provide enough clearance for cabinet doors to open fully. When planning lighting, consider all the uses: dramatic enough for elegant dinner parties and bright enough for your kids' birthday parties.

10 Tips To Consider When Designing A More Formal Dining Room

Add character in your dining room by adding simple wood panels, moldings, or beams on your ceiling.

For a more traditional feel and layered look, install some paneled wainscoting and beefy crown molding around the perimeter of your room.

Increase the size of your baseboard by adding another piece of molding to the existing material to make it look chunkier and more substantial.

If you're lucky enough to have hardwood flooring beneath that old green carpeting, then simply re-finish and stain it in a deep rich tone.

When renovating your dining room, check the plans to make sure your existing furniture will fit back in to the new space.

Rectangular dining tables are best suited for rectangular dining rooms. If you need to seat 8 to 10 people, the recommended room size is a minimum of 10'6" x 15'.

Square dining spaces look fantastic with either square or round tables. Rounds are my personal favorite as they provide for a much more intimate dining experience. For 8 to 10 people, the recommended room size for an 8 ft. diameter table typically is an 18'6" square space.

Provide a focal point in the dining room either by enhancing an existing fireplace or creating a new vignette by introducing a beautiful hutch for storage, and flank your favorite piece of art above with a pair of colorful lamps.

Use a combination of light sources. In addition to a central fixture or chandelier, it's tremendously effective to add some recessed halogen light fixtures to highlight artwork, or any other key pieces-and your crystal and silverware will sparkle like diamonds.

Hang your chandelier anywhere from 36" to 42" from the tabletop (from the top of the table to the underside of the fixture). Keep the diameter of the fixture 9"- 12" smaller than the width of your table.

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How to Choose and Decorate a Glass Top Dining Table

Do you think that your dining area looks typical and cold? The solution is simple. A glass top dining table is the answer you to your problem. There is nothing simpler and more effective than buying a glass top dining table when you are trying to transform your dining area into a beautiful and warm room.

There are many things to consider when you are trying to find a glass top dining table. One very important thing concerning glass top dining tables is that they can be so beautifully decorated. Glass is so easy to customize that even a simple request can turn a boring glass top you already have into the glass top dining table of your dreams. You can make simple edged designs because glass is very easy to carve for someone who has the appropriate tools.

After making the correct choice of buying a glass dining table, it is time to choose how you want to decorate it. You can choose to place a beautiful vase with flowers in the middle and this will give a wonderful warm feeling to the whole area around it. The trick here is to choose something that is short enough, so that it doesn't block the view from one side of the table to the other. As beautiful as it may look, a tall vase with flowers will become very annoying when a party of people is seating on the table trying to make a conversation. In this case the vase may block the view of the person seating opposite you and this will make communicating much harder. This is definitely something that no one wants.

Another good idea would be to place about three or four tall white candles on one or several candle holders. You should place the candle holders on a silver shiny tray and try to place the tray in the middle of your glass top dining table. This will prove to be very useful if you want to prepare a romantic dinner for your husband or wife as you will be able to light the candles and create a romantic atmosphere. The silver tray below the candles will reflect the light coming from the candle fire and thus, it will create a very warm and cozy feeling.

The last idea that I'm going to recommend when it comes to decorating your glass dining table is that you can place several beautiful fruit in a wooden or metal bowl and again place it in the middle of your glass top dining table. This simple addition, will give a happy family feeling to the room which is great if you are planning to use your glass top dining table mainly for family dinners or for dining with your close friends.

It is very important to choose the correct decoration for your glass top dining table as this will also create the atmosphere you are looking for. So according to the event you are hosting, and keeping in mind your guests, you should always consider your table decoration and change it accordingly.

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Decorate Your Dining Room With Glass Dining Table and Chairs

Glass dining tables and chairs are a great way to decorate your dining room. These dining room sets are actually very versatile. Not only do they come is various shapes and sizes but they also come in various colours. You will find dining tables that are round, oval, rectangular and square. You do not necessarily have to settle for a clear glass table either. With the available variety you will definitely find something to suit your home. However you might have trouble choosing the perfect piece because there is so much to choose from!

Black dining tables

Glass dining room tables and chairs that seem to be making waves today are the black ones. These are extremely popular in modern homes and they sport a few different looks as well. The sleek black table and dining chairs is a very popular look. The corners of this kind of table are generally rounded and the chairs that go with it are made of leather. The other popular variety is the extendable one. This kind of black table is a favourite with large families. If you want a chic look using a black glass table, you should consider round variety.

Modern table

For those who prefer the modern look and a clear glass dining table and chairs, this is the perfect option. These tables come in two shapes, rectangular and square. You can make your choice depending on what will fit in your home. The base of the clear glass top is generally made with a chrome finish and is quite sturdy.

Compact glass dining tables

Compact dining room tables and chairs made of glass are perfect for bachelors, studios and other tiny apartments. A glass table and dining chairs of this category can look very elegant if the chairs are teamed with it in the right manner. A piece of modern furniture like this can seat four people comfortably and looks the best when the chairs that go with it are made of leather.

Frosted tables

Frosted glass dining tables and chairs are also very popular. These tables too come with frames that are very sturdy. They are available to seat 4, 6, 8 people etc. You will also have the option of choosing a shape that you want. Frosted tables too look best with black leather chairs; however you can combine them with ivory high back chairs as well.

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