Design Hints
The Lighter Side of Rustic Decor
Dark wood furniture, rusty metal artifacts, antler art, patchwork quilts, braided rugs and handwoven baskets are synonymous with a rustic look. To create a soul-soothing scheme that celebrates your love for all things vintage without feeling gloomy, remember to strike a balance between light and dark decorating elements. Create backdrops that enhance the unique beauty of your collectibles, as seen in Sarah Ormerod’s Ontario home (featured in our March 2016 issue [LINK TO ISSUE PAGE]. Keep these factors in mind:
• Wall color: Paint your walls cool tones such as light blue and sage green. These shades make walls appear to recede or fade away in a room. Displaying timeworn antiques and collectibles featuring white or warm hues and patinas against the cool colors provides an interesting contrast.
• Window Treatments: Install simple white cotton or lace window treatments to provide privacy and allow sunlight to filter into the room. The softer light quality makes spaces appear brighter.
• Upholstery: Consider dressing sofas and easy chairs in basic ready-made white slipcovers, or sew your own slipcovers using painters’ drop cloths purchased at your local hardware store.
• Area rugs: Carpets fashioned from natural fibers such as sisal, sea grass, bamboo and jute are a quick and easy way to bring the outdoors inside and introduce neutral tones into a room.
• Textured accessories: Depth and dimension don’t always have to be dark or rough hewn. Light textures can be found in white accents, from linens with white embroidery to pressed-tin tiles to ironstone pottery with crackled glazes.
Written by Cheryl Hackett
Photographed by Robin Stubbert
Styled by Kim Davies
