Wood
The biggest comparison you will see in every one of these pictures is going to be the wood, whether it be barn doors, wood floors, or the wood furniture. The more stressed and warn the wood is the more rustic it appears. This is because the rustic look is really trying to capture the natural wearing of the wood. If you're not crazy about the warn wood look then neutral colors such as whites, grays, tans and browns help accentuate uniform or darker woods. You can add this look with rugs, furniture, or other decorations. This is called modern rustic.
Area Rugs
The next biggest comparison you see in most of these pictures are the area rugs. Again, you see they are more neutral colors, which gives a nice comfortable look while adding some texture to the room. This picture shows a modern rustic design because the wood is darker and less warn, but the area rug pulls some warmth and ties in the fireplace and the furniture still giving it the rustic feel without having a cabin. The wood beams on the ceiling and the wood sticks in the bottom right corner also help bring some nature into the room. Another thing you may notice about this picture is the blue chair, this adds a pop of color without pulling away from that rustic look. The reason being is because there are so many neutral colors in the rug that it accentuates them.
Tile
Do you have a lot of wood in the house and don't want to add wood floors? Or do you just not like the look of wood floors? Do you have kids and animals who are always rough housing so you want something more durable than wood? If any or all of these pertain to you but you still want that rustic feel then tile is your answer. Tile, like area rugs, if neutral colored can give a rustic feel if paired with wood like pictured to the left. In this picture they have a cabin feel because the structure of it has exposed wood. Low lighting and a wood colored couch also add to the rustic comfort of this house. You may also add an area rug to give it more warmth, but it is not necessarily needed.
Big Windows
They say having big windows can make an area rustic, but how? This is because the big opening sets an illusion of bringing nature into your home. If your house is surrounded by trees, mountains or beautiful scenery then maybe consider a big window or two. You see this look in a lot of the modern rustic homes like in the picture to the right. This picture has neutral and muted colors, but does not have a lot of wood which makes it modern rustic. Want a barn rustic look in a room like this? Add darker colors or place wood on the walls like the tile picture above has.
Interested in Adding a Modern Rustic Feel to you Home?
