Make Your Home Warm and Inviting with a Rustic Home Design

There are many different design styles you can choose from for your home. We’ve already gone over contemporary, art deco and transitional styles but we’re about to show you how you can achieve a rustic home design.

Making a rustic home isn’t too difficult but it’s more than just building a log cabin. There are certain things you need to keep in mind when making a rustic design. We’re here to help you accomplish that.

We’ll show you some great rustic home design ideas so you can give your home a very warm and inviting look. Let’s get started.

Wood Siding is Common but Not the Best Route

When most people think of a rustic home design, they think of log cabins. While not too many people living in log cabins anymore, many homeowners try to achieve the same look with wood siding.

Wood siding does give you the warm look you’d expect but it comes with some down falls. Warping and rotting are common problems with wood because it absorbs moisture. Living in the Midwest, you will experience rain, snow and hail which all pose threats to wood siding.

It’s also very difficult to maintain wood siding. It’ll need to be painted every few years due to its exposure to the elements. If it isn’t painted, the warm look you’re expecting for your rustic home design will be lost.

Don’t worry, you have other options. Vinyl siding is a more energy efficient, durable and low maintenance option that can still fit into your rustic design. There’s vinyl siding that looks like wood thanks to its wood grain finish. No one will be able to tell the difference.

In fact, you can even go with shake siding which is made to look exactly like wood shingles. Shingles are a very common home exterior choice for rustic home designs so this might be a great option for you.

Wall Paneling Looks Great in a Rustic Home Design

Speaking of wood, paneling is a great interior option for your rustic home design. While paneling is often found in basements, it can be used in living rooms and family rooms as well. It makes the inside of your home look like a log cabin which is perfect if you want it to look rustic.

Another benefit of wood paneling is that it’s energy efficient. It’ll help trap heated and cooled air in your home so your furnace and air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to reach your desired temperature. This will help save you money on your energy bills.

Open Concept is a Must

An open concept isn’t just specific to a rustic home design. Modern and transitional styles are also synonymous with open concepts. It’s such a popular concept that no matter how you want your home to look, opening up the living area is very appealing.

Open concept is where there are little to no walls separating your living areas. This includes your family room, kitchen, dining room and sometimes living room. It helps make all of the rooms feel larger and helps with entertaining guests.

Homes with open concepts also have a higher value. This is because many homeowners want it and are willing to pay more for it. Plus, if you don’t have an open concept, it’s difficult to create because you don’t know what walls are load-bearing. It might be in your best interest not to knock some of them down.

Create Your Own Furniture and Decorations

Buying furniture can be extremely expensive. Not only that, but it can be tough to find a rustic couch or table at most furniture stores. That’s why homeowners who want a rustic look make their own furniture.

To do so, you need to be pretty crafty at woodworking. If that doesn’t describe you, don’t worry. You can find handmade furniture and decorations online on sites such as Etsy.

Another feature of rustic furniture is a distressed and worn look. It makes it look more natural and helps give the piece a little more character. Stores like Arhaus the Loft specialize in distressed and worn furniture.

Go With Earthy Colors for Your Home

Another common theme of a rustic design is having Earthy colors throughout your home. This makes the home look more natural and continues the trend of having an aesthetic similar to a log cabin.

The primary color of a rustic home design should be brown. Different shades and tones for the floor, walls and furniture are acceptable. Greens, blacks and whites should be used to accent the browns.

There Are Many Benefits to Having Large Windows

Much like most home styles, rustic designs commonly include large windows. One of the main reasons is because larger windows allow you to blur the lines between the inside and outside. This helps drive home the natural look.

Larger windows also allow more natural light in your home. Natural light helps improve your mood and productivity so it’s very important to open up your home as much as you can.

Much like siding, wood windows are common but not ideal. They suffer the same maintenance and warping problems. Rather, you should get vinyl windows for your rustic home. There are wood grain options that will give you the exact look and feel of real wood without all of the problems.

Fireplaces Are Needed for Rustic Home Design

Fireplaces are a common theme in most rustic homes – especially ones made of stone. They have a traditional and natural look that helps drive home the rustic style. Plus, they can help keep your home warm during the cold winter months.

You’ll Want to Have Some Hanging Lights

Lights that dangle from the ceiling can be seen in almost all rustic homes. They’re less modern looking than their dome or wall hanging counterparts while still adding visual appeal to the room.

Chandeliers are another great option to achieve the rustic look. The key is to not go too elaborate – try a minimalist looking chandelier.

Many homeowners make their own chandeliers in a variety of different ways. Candelabras and mason jars are often used to contain light bulbs to give a DIY look.

A Rustic home Design Looks Great

A rustic home design looks great in anyone’s house. Its minimalist and natural style is both relaxing and inviting at the same time. It’s a highly sought after home design for just that reason.

Windows and your home exterior play a major role in giving your home a rustic look. While wood is commonly used, you can go a better route. Vinyl windows and siding can be made to look like real wood without the possibility of warping or rotting.

Feldco offers high quality vinyl windows and siding. We also assure that they will be installed by the industry’s best installers who are factory trained and certified. Get a free quote and see why over 400,000 homeowners have trusted us with their home exterior projects.