Country living style
Country living room ideas: 45 rustic looks for your lounge
(Image credit: Future)
Your country living room ideas should are the heart of the home, the best place to kick back and relax, surrounded by creature comforts. One of the hallmarks of country living room ideas is that they are easy to tailor to your style – fill your space with heirloom furniture, clashing patterns and bold colours, or keep it pared back with muted shades, natural finishes and plain fabrics, and you will have an inviting, relaxed rustic space that's unique to you.
How you plan to use your space, and whether it's your only sitting room or you have further areas for relaxing and entertaining, will help to define your living room ideas. There are more details to consider when creating this look, too – these country living room ideas and tips will help you get it just right.
Country living room ideas
When browsing country decorating ideas, ask yourself: do you want a cozy snug or an expansive area where all the family can relax together? Is your style country house formal, or do you prefer a more laid-back aesthetic? Are you a fan of color, print and pattern, or do you gravitate towards more muted tones and simple shapes?
Once you have an idea of your room's style, size and how it will be used, you can begin the fun job of honing your country living room ideas to create a characterful, relaxing space you'll love to spend time in.
1. Choose joyful color for your country living room
(Image credit: Linwood)
When you’re creating a moodboard for your country living room ideas, don’t feel that you have to balance a bold print with pared-back color. Sometimes, being bright and bold is the best option – especially with country curtain ideas for living rooms.
‘Here, it’s the joyous color – from the punchy cushions and lamp to the grounding pale pink of the upholstery – that helps highlight the beauty of the floral,’ says Ella Richards, Head of Design at Linwood . These drapes are in the company’s Albertine Classic Rose fabric.
2. Mix finishes in a country living room
(Image credit: Violante & Rochford)
‘Modern country design is where tradition meets modern-day living through distressed finishes, mixed metals, handcrafted furniture, and a simple color scheme anchored in earth tones,’ advises Amber Dunford, Style Director at Overstock .
‘To balance the country elements, opt for prints that don’t feel overly precious and have a bit of modernity to them, such as a check or a ticking stripe.
Textiles such as leather and suede paired with industrial materials like iron and brass will add just the right amount of sternness to the lightheartedness of a country aesthetic.
‘Liveable comfort and family-centric themes are staples of this style, so a clean-lined sofa with overstuffed loose cushions should help you strike that balance between modern and country.’
3. Celebrate color and pattern
(Image credit: Penny Morrison)
‘The contemporary country look is all about achieving a balance of comfort, tradition and elegance,’ says fabric designer Penny Morrison . ‘The spaces should feel inviting and inspiring.
‘It's important to pay attention to the traditional features of a property rather than attempting to hide or change them. Enhance them by decorating a fireplace, say, or painting joinery in a high-gloss lacquer finish.
‘When mixing patterns in a room, do so within a similar color scheme. This will bring depth and harmony to the space, keeping things vibrant and interesting without making it feel too fussy or orchestrated.
‘I would say it is best to do the upholstery in plain colors or muted small prints, and save the larger, bolder patterns for accessories such as cushions or ottomans, or if you have a larger space, one or two chairs.’
4. Expose brick or stone walls
(Image credit: Alexander Waterworth/Soho Farm Cottage)
If your property is blessed with beautiful stonework or old brick walls, think about revealing that natural rustic beauty in your country living room ideas – even if it’s just in one focal point, such as the chimney.
‘Think back to the country farmhouses of the past; a lot of these spaces will have had brick or stone walls,’ explains Ryan Jones from Land of Rugs .
‘Whether it is one feature wall or all the walls in the home, exposed brick can add drama to your space. It is also worth noting that exposed brick or stone works perfectly with carpet or hardwood flooring.’
5. Make country living room ideas personal
(Image credit: Richard Gadsby/Future)
‘Keep decor personal and meaningful.
Country life is about welcoming people into your home, sharing stories and experiences,’ advises Marian 'Mimi' Meacham, Principal of Houston-based Marian Louise Designs . ‘Decor items that are personal to you are instant conversation starters.’
Books, collections, photographs and artworks will all bring a personal touch to your country living room ideas. ‘Display treasures and collectibles you have amassed throughout your life and travels for that warm, inviting feel,’ says Mimi.
6. Put wood on the ceiling
(Image credit: CutlerSchulze)
When you’re pulling together your country living room ideas, it’s likely your focus will be on flooring and walls. But don’t forget the ceiling above your head – it’s a vital element of any decorating scheme.
‘Some of my favorite elements involve wood on the ceiling,’ agrees Ran-D, interior designer and co-founder of RelaxingDecor .
‘For example, hardwood ceilings look amazing when paired with light walls and floors.
Or wood beams on the ceilings look great as well. I also love wood trim around the home, such as around doorways or windows.’
7. Color-check your curtains
(Image credit: Brent Darby/Future)
Choosing country curtain ideas is an open and shut case – you really do need to consider how they frame a window when they are pulled back, and what the expanse of fabric will look like when they are closed.
‘Window treatments in natural tones such as flax, cream and beige will always work well in a country living room,’ confirms Devin Shaffer, Lead Interior Designer at Decorilla Online Interior Design.
‘I like to choose organic fabrics including cotton and linen. This will help to integrate the interior with the surrounding landscape.’
8. Choose a topical wallpaper
(Image credit: Mulberry Home)
If you want to bring a classic British look to your country living room ideas, consider opting for country wallpaper ideas associated with the English country house style, albeit updated for modern tastes.
Rural motifs such as animals, birds and flowers, mixed in with stripes and checks, are a great place to start.
'Mulberry Home offers timeless, romantic fabrics and wallpapers with a sense of whimsy, drawing inspiration from a quintessentially British aesthetic,’ says Ann Grafton, the brand’s Creative and Managing Director.
'Game Birds is one of Mulberry Home's most cherished and iconic designs and has recently been reimagined with new colorways as a fabulous wallpaper.
‘To create a fabulous interior for your country living room, consider layering a bold wallpaper like Game Birds wallpaper with a plaid design and a plain to create a delicious, colorful and stylish living space".
9. Seek out calming sage
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
This gentle color should definitely be an option when you’re planning your country living room ideas as it brings a natural serenity to a scheme.
‘I love to use simple neutral colors to decorate. Sage is a softer, more subtle shade of green that has a peaceful impact in almost any room,’ says Janet Wischnia, President of American Blossom Linens .
Living room paint ideas or soft furnishings in green creates a relaxed feel. ‘A sage blanket or throw can brighten up a chair in your living space but still leaves you with a feeling of calmness, and we all need that now,’ Wischnia says.
10. Create comfortable gathering spots
(Image credit: Decorilla)
‘Country style is a trend that we've been eyeing for the past few years and we've loved to watch it develop and go from the "modern farmhouse" aesthetic to a more refined, yet rustic, country-inspired appeal,’ says Devin Shaffer, Lead Interior Designer at Decorilla Online Interior Design .
‘Comfort is the key component of the style, so gathering spots such as country living rooms are where the design flourishes. A blend of weathered wood and antiquated finishes layered against neutral finishes in tones of white, beige and gray is the foundation of a modern country scheme.’
11. Expose rustic wood in a country living room
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
If you’re fortunate to have existing architectural features and rustic surfaces, look to incorporate them into your country living room ideas.
‘Try bringing natural elements into your home by exposing wooden beams and any worn and distressed wooden furniture,’ suggests Richard Petrie, home expert at Thomas Sanderson .
‘Introducing natural materials such as wood into your rooms can add clean leans, a calming ambiance and will help achieve the outdoor aesthetic associated with the modern country style.’
No beams? Add a rustic wooden mantel above the fireplace, lay reclaimed wooden floors, or search for antique furniture that shows the knocks and patina of age.
12. Look to nature for color ideas
(Image credit: Linwood)
If you’re struggling to pair colors for your decorating scheme, a walk outside could provide all the inspiration you need.
‘Follow nature’s lead by combining green and yellow,’ suggests Ella Richards, Head of Design, Linwood. ‘They sit next to each other on a rainbow after all, so are the perfect pairing for this relaxed, modern country living room.’
The living room color schemes you consider should make the most of your room’s aspect and the available natural light, as well as the mood you want to create.
13. Go for ‘Grandma gingham’
(Image credit: Emma Lee/Future)
Chintz and even gingham are coming back – think modern grandma, as the checks are blown up in scale,’ says Mark Cutler, Co-Founder of Los Angeles-based interior design firm, CutlerSchulze .
‘As nostalgia grows, modern country is looking cleaner, more pulled together and more decorative.'
14. Pick out characterful accessories
(Image credit: David Brittain/Future)
It's the extra details that will pull your country living room scheme together – wonderfully cozy throws and blankets, vintage vessels and jars in which to display gathered branches and blossoms, and quirky talking points such as the oversized clock in this image.
'Dressing your room is your moment to be creative and truly stamp it with your personality,' says Andrea Childs, Editor of Country Homes & Interiors magazine.
'What's exciting is that you can swap pieces in and out as the seasons change or you discover new treasures to decorate your home, so you always have a fresh new look when you want it.
'
15. Create a relaxed cabin feel
(Image credit: David Brittain/Future)
Bring a happy, relaxed element to your country living room ideas by bringing in a ‘cabin escape’ element to your scheme.
‘Focus on shades that are brighter, fresher, and airier to evoke a friendly, inviting feeling in relaxing entertaining areas,’ suggests Mimi Meacham, Principal of Marian Louise Designs.
‘Mix old with new furniture for a lived-in feel. And play with pattern – a buffalo check rug or gingham throw pillows can bring some of that elevated yet approachable country look to the room.'
16. Put a twist on print
(Image credit: CutlerSchulze)
Print and pattern is synonymous with country living room style but its form changes with the times. Sometimes bold florals lead the way, then small prints make a comeback. Graphic shapes such as stripes, checks and block prints also find their place in a country living room scheme.
'Pattern started making a comeback a year or two ago, mostly in geometrics.
Now it’s the turn of organics,’ says LA interior designer Mark Cutler. ‘Think of modern takes on traditional florals and even paisley.’
Mix different scales of pattern with plain fabrics for a chic take on country style.
17. Opt for oak in a country living room
(Image credit: Amara)
When you are dialling in your country living room ideas, the materials you choose are key. Choosing warm, unstained oak over glossy cherry or black ash, say, will immediately place your scheme in the rustic space.
‘Whether you are looking for furniture for a side table, the frame of your sofa, bookcases or drawers, oak is the way to go when you are designing in a country style,’ says Ryan Jones from Land of Rugs.
‘One of the benefits of oak, especially if it is reclaimed, is that it adds depth and character to your design. Contemporary furniture design can feel a little one dimensional. Oak adds that layer of intrigue to your design that will keep you, and your guests, interested.
’
18. Bring nature into a country living room
(Image credit: Dan Duchars/Future)
Nothing says rural style like a bouquet of garden-fresh flowers, and making a floral display an essential part of your country living room ideas will bring natural beauty to your scheme.
Seasonality is key, so even if you’re buying your blooms from the flower store, make sure they are local and haven’t been force grown.
‘Regardless of whether you live in a large home or a city apartment, bringing a touch of nature into your home will add to an authentic modern country feel,’ agrees Richard Petrie, home expert at Thomas Sanderson . ‘You can also incorporate indoor plants and bright blooms to bring character to your space.’
19. Add wow with woven wallpapers
(Image credit: Dan Duchars/Future)
The beauty of natural materials is a focus of rustic style and incorporating them into your country living room ideas will bring a real sense of warmth and authenticity.
‘We are seeing more wallpapers in country living rooms,’ confirms Mark Cutler of design firm CutlerSchulze . ‘But it’s in a fresher way, with wallpaper often printed on to grass cloth to add another layer of texture and detail.’
20. Discover your inner artist
(Image credit: Molly Mahon)
Textile designer Molly Mahon is hugely inspired by the Bloomsbury Group of artists and writers who lived and worked in Britain in the early twentieth century. Her Sussex home, close to the Charleston farmhouse associated with the group, is decorated with the Bloomsbury trademark love of pattern and decoration, with surfaces painted throughout the house.
The decoration of her rustic living room is a showcase for her passions – especially the artfully painted fire surround.
'The painting was inherited from my husband's grandmother,' says Molly. 'And the framed artwork to the left is actually a piece of original Barron & Larcher cloth that I bought online. I have always collected beautiful textiles and think they look so fabulous framed.
'
21. Seek out antique shapes for furniture
(Image credit: Dan Duchars/Future)
You don't need to source authentic antiques for your country living room, but adding traditional design elements in your furniture choices will add depth and history to your rustic space.
‘We see more traditional silhouettes gaining popularity,’ comments interior designer Mark Cutler of LA-based design firm, CutlerShulze.
‘Finding a fauteuil – an upholstered chair with a wooden frame and arms – used to be challenging, now they are even popping up on Wayfair. European country style is back and we are here for it!’
22. Light the way with crystal and bronze
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
Planning your living room lighting ideas goes hand-in-hand with coordinating the rest of your decor scheme. Not only will the fixtures themselves complement your style and color palette, but the lighting you choose will establish the ambience of your space.
‘We’re seeing the trend for brass receding and the return of bronze, bringing a beautiful layered finish with richness and depth to country living rooms,’ says LA interior designer Mark Cutler, of CutlerSchulze.
‘I also predict the return of crystal. As a precursor, we’re seeing lots of cut glass hanging pieces in a range of colors.’
23. Choose ‘casualwear’ for your furniture
(Image credit: Zinc Textile x Martin Hulbert Design)
While we love a smartly upholstered sofa, slipcovers can bring a more relaxed look to a country living room.
‘Loose covers in deliberately creased linen never need smartening up,’ agrees Justin Marr, Design Director of Zinc Textile . ‘White sofas are always a winner and are a great base for warmer accents of cognac, ochre and tobacco.
‘The aesthetic for our collaboration with Martin Hulbert Design is relaxed, informal and with a handmade appearance, as shown in this space. A mix of non-matching but happily coexisting cushions, and unlined washed linen curtains are effortlessly relaxed.
24. Use muted colors on country living room walls
(Image credit: The Cotswold Company)
Off-white shades or dusky pastels are the quickest way to create a calming, fresh feel in a room.
And when a space feels calm, it feels welcoming.
From a practical standpoint, a light color scheme will make a small country living room feel bigger, as well as giving you a versatile backdrop to explore a wider range of furniture and accessories options.
25. Add country character to a plain living room
(Image credit: Marion Lichtig)
'When it came to designing this sitting room I added the beams on the ceiling and the rough beam over the fire place to create a rustic feel to this country house,' says interior designer Marion Lichtig . 'This is reflected too in the rough hewn coffee table.'
Lichtig then added a few finer items, such as beautiful antique furniture, an elegant scallop back sofa and decorative lighting. 'I like to mix objects to give a room balance, layers and plenty of interest,' she shares.
26. Create a conversation area
(Image credit: Jojo Bradley Interior Design)
To give your country living room an atmosphere of warmth and welcome, arrange seating to make conversation – not the TV – the focus.
'In this room, the armchairs and sofas face each other across an upholstered ottoman, on which a tray of drinks or afternoon tea could be placed,' says interior designer Jojo Bradley . 'The comfortable furniture is softened further with cushions that invite you to relax and settle in for a while.'
This type of furniture arrangement works really well for small or larger groups, too. The pair of armchairs with their own side table provide an area for two people to sit and talk together, while the sofas provide additional seating when crowds gather.
27. Add depth with lighting
(Image credit: Laura Ashley)
A standout light can seem the obvious solution to bring the wow factor to your living room. But bright and shiny isn't always best, especially when it comes to country-style schemes.
'A common mistake is to focus on a show-stopping piece and forgo lighting the rest of the room, leaving it lacklustre and without atmosphere,' explains Mary Buchanan, Creative Director at Laura Ashley .
'Contrast light and shade to create a dramatic finish.'
Buchanan suggests lighting a room from the ground up. 'Wall lights, table lamps and floor lamps are perfect for layering,' she says. 'You can also use these to spotlight favourite objects in the room and light up cozy corners for reading and lounging.'
28. Use expert tricks to make small rooms look larger
(Image credit: Future)
Country homes, with their beautiful oak beams and thick stone walls, are brimming with history and character. But the rustic architecture runs the risk of making rooms appear small and dark.
When you're planning out country living room ideas, copy some of the tricks used by interior designers to bring a sense of light and airiness to a space. Think Perspex or glass 'invisible' tables; large furniture pieces, such as sofas, raised on elegant feet; and coffee tables made from elegant metal, rather than heavy wood.
29. Make a large country living room look cozy
(Image credit: Jojo Bradley Interiors)
Drawing in the furniture away from the walls of the room will make a large space seem more intimate – a tip interior designers use when creating living room schemes for barn conversions, lofts and other airy country spaces.
To avoid a railroad effect, with galleys on either side of sofas, for example, use additional pieces to fill the void.
Here, interior designer Jojo Bradley has placed a console table against the wall. It provides a handy perch for table lamps, while occupying the gap behind sofa.
30. Paint beams white
(Image credit: Brent Darby/Future)
Older country homes featuring traditional dark oak beams and smoke-stained fireplaces can be too oppressive for contemporary tastes.
Keep the charm while updating the look by painting walls, woodwork and even bricks or stone in a bright white.
This will transform a country living room in an instant and given an uplifting spirit to your country home.
31. Make sitting by the fire an experience
(Image credit: The White Company)
Whether it's an original inglenook fireplace or a contemporary wood burner, gathering around the warmth of real flames is a quintessential country experience.
Your home may have an existing hearth and chimney that requires you to plan ideas for your living room around it. Or you may have the luxury of installing a new fire or stove in the place that suits you best. Either way, it's important to think about how you can integrate the fireside experience into your decor.
Factor in seating placed close enough to feel the warmth but not too near to be damaged by heat or sparks. Add a table or two, plus a footrest so you can warm your toes.
Finally, make your fuel, kindling and fireside tools a part of the room scheme by organising them in attractive baskets and log holders.
(Image credit: Ercol)
When your country property is a repurposed rural building such as a barn, it can be difficult to know how to furnish the space. One answer is to take your cue from the architecture – often large, lofty and with an industrial edge – rather than the age of the building.
For your country living room inspiration, look to iconic mid century design, with its clean lines and unfussy styling.
33. Make the most of the view
(Image credit: Future)
Living room furniture tends to point towards the TV but there's a far bigger screen to enjoy – the view in your window.
Position your seating to make the most of the view, without lining it up so that it looks as if you are at the cinema. A sofa facing the glazing, with comfy armchairs at an angle at either end, will mean you enjoy the landscape in front of you and still be able to chat easily to family and friends.
(Image credit: Oliver Perrott/Future)
When you're coming up with country living room inspiration and ideas, don't play it too safe.
'A fabulous accessory, such as a statement mirror or outsized pendant light, will add a dynamic, look-at-me quality to a room that makes it an exciting place to spend time in,' says Sara Bird, Decor Editor at H&G's sister title Country Homes & Interiors , who styled this living room for the magazine.
Keep it country by choosing a design with a rustic touch, like the natural materials that decorate this mirror frame.
35. Include some florals
(Image credit: John Lewis)
Pattern – especially big, blowsy florals – is synonymous with country living room decor. And an eye-catching pattern in bold colors is a great way to add a focal point.
Using pattern in large swathes in blinds, wallpaper or curtains will make the biggest statement and draw the eye to a specific part of the room.
If you’ve decided that curtains are the best way to get your pattern fix, go for a full-length design to increase the cozy factor.
36. Pick pale wood for furniture
(Image credit: Susie Watson Designs)
Light-colored woods, such as beech, whitewashed pine and ash, have a more informal feel than dark woods and better fit the ethos of a rustic country look. The choice of complementary colours for paint, soft furnishings and accessories is also much wider when you choose pale-wood furniture.
Here, soft furnishings from Susie Watson Designs add punches of pink, mauve and mulberry, which sit nicely against the relaxed look of bleached-effect furniture.
37. Heat the space with a woodburner
(Image credit: Carpetright)
Nothing embodies a cozy, rustic feel quite like a stove or woodburner. Whether it’s a modern, freestanding design or one that’s nestled in a brick fireplace surrounded by craggy logs, both will offer warmth – literally and figuratively – and provide your country living room with a stylish focal point.
38. Include texture with rattan, wicker and reed
(Image credit: Dunelm)
Natural materials are a big part of nailing the country look, so incorporate them into your decor.
A rattan chair or bench is a good place to start if space permits but if not, rattan and reed baskets or a jute rug will all create a rustic look that has all the more charm because of their non-uniform finishes.
39. Choose laid-back seating for country living rooms
(Image credit: Neptune)
Country-style seating has rounded armrests and cushions, and either chunky, turned-wood legs (with or without castors) or a pleated skirt that skims the floor.
However, you can achieve a smarter country feel by putting the emphasis on the fabric pattern and going for more streamlined silhouettes for the furniture.
If you have a spare corner, fill it with a statement armchair and place a side table topped with a lamp next to it to create a cozy reading nook.
40. Show off brickwork or wooden beams
(Image credit: Vanessa Arbuthnott)
If you have wooden beams or exposed brickwork in your living room, highlight them to give the country living room look bags of authenticity.
'I don’t think you can really get the right look without using old things – rugs, paintings, antiques,' explains Vivien Greenock, interior designer and former senior director at Colefax and Fowler .
'It’s those things that give a room a permanent look, and a depth of feeling.'
Fabrics and trimmings, Vanessa Arbuthnott .
41. Go for distressed finishes
(Image credit: Sims Hilditch)
Whitewashed original floorboards, a timeworn finish on furniture, unglazed pottery, unfinished wood ornaments, mercurized mirrors and cable-knit cushions and throws are all very effective country living room ideas for creating a rustic, lived-in feel – but that needn't mean the room can't look smart.
Neat silhouettes on furniture and pared-back decor will help a smaller country living room feel larger and brighter.
'Antiques are not for everyone,' acknowledges interior designer Emma Sims Hilditch at Sims Hilditch , who uses antiques extensively in her schemes.
'Instead, replicas can be made that have never been used before but can mimic the styles of pre-loved pieces. We work with a fantastic cabinetmaker who specializes in creating antique-style furniture that is brand-new and yet has such an old heart.'
42. Light up corners with lamps
(Image credit: Kit Kemp/Andrew Martin Interior Designer Review Vol.24)
Lighting is the most effective way to create mood, as illustrated here in the beautiful living room of interior designer Kit Kemp's house.
Supplementing a main ceiling light with plenty of table and floor lamps will lend a cozy feel at the flick of a switch. Add to the ambience with smoked- or amber-glass bulbs, rather than clear ones with bright white filaments.
43. Bring the outdoors in with flowers and houseplants
(Image credit: I-LIV)
A country living room should be simple, relaxed and natural, and nothing evokes this better than house plants and fresh flowers. Choose several different kinds of house plant and put them in unexpected places, such as on the top of a cabinet or in bookcases, for a quirky feel.
Add to the scheme with fabrics in equally botanical prints, such as this Forever Spring collection from ILIV .
We answer three key questions so you can get your country living room decor spot-on.
44. Group furniture around a coffee table
(Image credit: Future/Polly Eltes)
Country living rooms are traditionally places that feel relaxed – so it's highly likely they will be used for informal entertainment. In this case, it is more than worth grouping seating around a coffee table. This will encourage sociability and make the room look inviting.
45. Create symmetry in a small country living room
(Image credit: Future/Polly Eltes)
If your country living room is small, using symmetry in interior design, especially built around a mirror, can make your space feel larger, neater and more curated.
How can I decorate my living room in a country style?
Do you want a traditional country look or a more pared-back, modern feel? If your living room has lots of period features, such as beams, fireplaces or ornate plasterwork, a traditional look will enhance these features.
You can then afford to be bolder with color and pattern, and more is definitely better, so pack plenty of furniture, soft furnishings and accessories into the space.
Matt Deighton, managing director and Chesterfield sofa specialist at Sofas by Saxon, says: 'Consider choosing sofas and armchairs in different finishes, rather than coordinating fabrics, to maintain an eclectic feel.'
Modern country living rooms are less cluttered, favour a muted color palette and use pattern, including stripes and checks, more sparingly. The best way to add a cozy, lived-in feel here is with plenty of unfinished wood, chunky knits, sisal, wicker and other natural materials.
To give your scheme a French country feel, painted furniture with ornate detailing is a must, while pale grays, muted blues and dusky pinks are the go-to colours.
For a shabby-chic slant on country style, flaking paint on furniture, mercury glass and floral prints are key. Keep walls white or off-white and add colour with soft furnishings and accessories in sugary pastel shades.
How do I make my country living room feel cozy?
To make a country living room feel cozy, if you have the space, a woodburner or fireplace is a great focal point. One less obvious way is to include a bookcase – either freestanding or built into an alcove – as the old-world, familiar feel that’s created when you’re surrounded by books oozes comfort.
Switching bright white lightbulbs for soft white or even colored glass ones offers a much more intimate feel. Go one step further by including plenty of soothing candlelight too.
Lastly, tactile materials such as velvet, chunky wool and faux sheepskin are the coziest of choices for cushions, throws and rugs, and will help soften the hardness from any wood furniture or beams.
How should I arrange my country living room?
A country living room should look relaxed – perhaps even a little haphazard.
Place armchairs and tables at 45-degree angles to walls in the corners of your room, layer sofas and chairs with cushions and throws, pile logs in baskets and arrange plants so that the leaves cascade down the sides of cabinets and tables.
It’s also important not to leave too many bare spots in your living room – a floor lamp or trug filled with folded blankets is better than wasted space.
Andrea has been immersed in the world of homes, interiors and lifestyle since her first job in journalism, on Ideal Home. She went from women's magazine Options to Frank. From there it was on to the launch of Red magazine, where she stayed for 10 years and became Assistant Editor. She then shifted into freelancing, and spent 14 years writing for everyone from The Telegraph to The Sunday Times, Livingetc, Stylist and Woman & Home. She was then offered the job as Editor on Country Homes & Interiors, and now combines that role with writing for sister title homesandgardens.com.
100+ Living Room Decorating Ideas
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Pin these ideas!
Don't forget to save these ways to decorate your living room.
For more home decor inspiration, follow @countryliving on Pinterest.
David Tsay
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Apothecary Cabinet Storage
This antique dealer filled her California cottage home with an assortment of found treasures including a distressed apothecary cabinet, which provides plenty of drawers and areas to conceal clutter.
Lincoln Barbour
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Reclaimed Wood Walls
The owners of this Mississippi barn aimed to use locally sourced materials, which included raw and distressed wood panels from a nearby military depot. While you could paint the panels white, the natural color of the wood adds warmth and texture to the space.
Max Kim-Bee
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Bright Florals
This Catskills home is bursting with color and beautiful florals from ceiling to floor. "You can sum up our aesthetic in three words," said owner Jason Oliver Nixon. "No. Beige. Sofas."
David Hillegas
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Room With A View
The living room in this Nashville treehouse channels both natural and retro vibes.
In an appropriately outdoorsy shade of moss-green, the 1950s-era seating encourages visitors to linger well past curfew, while the bright blue trunk is home to a host of cleaning supplies.
Courtesy of Touchstone
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Reclaimed Wood
In this living room, a piece of dead cedar, a massive 1920s corbel, and mismatched tile makes for a dramatic focal point. In addition to the fireplace, the coffee table is a bass drum topped with salvaged wood. "We love that you can take 'leftovers' from some old place and turn them into magic," says Amie Sikes of the "Junk Gypsies."
Amy Neunsinger
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Accent with Porcelain
Displayed together as a collection, blue and white ceramics add instant color and detail to your living room.
Victoria Pearson
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Vintage Couch
Because of this ranch-style California home's open floor plan, the owner had to get creative with carving out designated spaces for "rooms." To help differentiate this living room from the adjacent kitchen and den, she placed the midcentury sofa (recovered with leather in the 1970s) on a vintage Moroccan rug she found on eBay.
The floor-to-ceiling storage nook keeps books, blankets, and firewood at the ready.
Max Kim-Bee
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Collected and Eclectic
The owners of this tiny Maine college wanted their living room to look like they could have inherited a lot of what's there, even the newer things, for a collected but unique look.
Amy Neunsinger
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Punctuate a Room With Black
Add a touch of black to balance out the textures and softness of fabrics in a room. Start small with matte lampshades or add a little more drama with a black coffee table or bold artwork, like the charcoal-print botanicals. We love how black immediately adds sophistication to this blue-and-white room.
Paul Costello
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Barn-Style Living Room
Country superstar Ronnie Dunn's living room features towering white wingbacks and an impressive antler chair which demonstrate the home's cozy-and-inviting meets rough-and-tough aesthetic. The corner table (far right) was a wedding gift from June Carter and Johnny Cash.
Paul Costello
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Antique Decor
A weathered clock face hung on Paris's Boulevard Saint-Germain in the late 1800s acts as a statement piece in the living room of singer-songwriter Holly Williams' 1908 Nashville cottage.
Roger Davies
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Farmhouse Style
The owner of this 105-year-old Texas home paired the room's showstopping farmhouse icons—a buffalo check-covered sofa and wildflower chintz armchair—with a streamlined steel-framed coffee table and graphic longhorn watercolor painting (by Houston artist Mary H. Case) to keep the mix from going too traditional.
Country Living
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Soft Neutrals
In the living room of this Connecticut farmhouse, wool blankets and fluffy flokati throws in creamy off-white shades add softness, while rustic wood accents—a round mirror, the three-legged stool—and a stone fireplace ground the space with earthy elements.
Brian Woodcock
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Pretty and Layered
This pretty, layered living room—pulled together in less than two weeks!—proves one-of-a-kind style is just a click away! See how it was decorated using only scores from eBay, Etsy, and Craigslist.
Brian Woodcock
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Striped Walls and Draperies
Here, 1" x 4" pine boards, spaced about a foot apart, offer the look of custom paneling at a fraction of the price. Curtains in narrow vertical stripes break up the wall's horizontal lines. Multi-stripe pillows in complementary hues band together to dress up a neutral sofa. A wide white stripe, applied to the armchair's center using fabric paint (available at craft stores), packs a graphic punch.
David Tsay
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Midcentury Charm
A hand-me-down buffet's original cherry finish felt a little formal for this Arizona ranch home, but with some matte chalk paint, the item took on a more casual look that set the tone for equally laid-back vintage pieces, from the leather luggage (that stores extra blankets) to a coffee table made from an antique mission door. A midcentury turquoise sofa adds a splash of happy color.
Helen Norman
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The Collected Look
A midcentury pair of salvaged sofas cost a mere $100 on Craigslist—an upholsterer replaced the dated floral pattern with a soft, affordable blue Oxford cloth.
For added charm in this North Carolina farmhouse, collected vintage finds decorate an industrial shelving unit.
Country Living
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Thrift Store Gallery Wall
A wall of thrift-store paintings of the same subject can have even more impact than a single, more expensive piece. Case in point: the floral-filled gallery wall in this Texas home's living room.
Stacey Brandford
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Light and Airy
So the interior didn't compete with views of the farm, the owner of this Alberta farmhouse opted for crisp white paint on the walls and ceiling, and blue draperies that complement the large stretch of sky outside the windows. Light pine floors with a single coat of whitewash allow the wood's natural grain to show without taking away from the room's airy feel.
Max Kim-Bee
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Streamlined
Think every living room needs draperies? Think again. Here, bare windows make for a refreshingly streamlined look that also takes advantage of this Florida cottage's beautiful light.
Max Kim-Bee
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Comfy and Cozy
Covered in sumptuous blue velvet, these 8-foot-long chesterfield sofas are just as comfy as they are swanky. The drift-wood coffee table, layered rugs, old-world oil paintings, and pinky-red pillows warm up the blue-and-white scheme in this California bungalow.
Christopher Baker
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Blue Hues
In the living area of this Martha's Vineyard home, furnishings are awash in a sea of blues, but slight variations in tone and subtle patchwork motifs take the place of sharply contrasting patterns and hues. A patchwork rug from Nomadic Trading Company anchors the living area, furnished with linen sofas and a wingback chair by Cisco. The glass top on Groundwork's reclaimed-oak coffee table displays a collage of vintage art.
Sarah Dorio
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Pattern Play
The all-white backdrop cleared the way for a crisp and cozy color scheme of grey, black, and green. Gingham curtains and plaid pillows play up the preppy country feel of this Georgia log cabin.
Bjorn Wallander
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Bright Blues
In this New York living room, a sofa from ABC Carpet & Home and a rattan Ikea chair flank rattan coffee tables by Serena & Lily. The Two's Company swing and a thrifted elephant table add a hint of whimsy. The brick walls are painted Ultra White by Benjamin Moore.
Lisa Romerein
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Minneapolis Loft
Fitted with twin mattresses, these World Market daybeds turn the living space into a guest room when needed. The walls of the charming loft are painted Silver White by Glidden.
Alec Hemer
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Shabby Chic
A crab trap side table and a lamp—both from a local boutique—bookend the living room's Shabby Chic chaise lounge in this South Carolina retreat.
Max Kim-Bee
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Rustic Library Style
In the library of this New York home, the owner unified mismatched wingback chairs with floral brocade upholstery and burlap cushions. The walls are painted Spanish Moss by Restoration Hardware.
Alec Hemer
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California Living
Slipcovered chairs and a National Upholstery sofa surround the Lee Industries ottoman in this California farm home.
Max Kim-Bee
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Americana Living Room
This Catskills home's remote location renders window treatments unnecessary. In the living room, mid-1800s homespun blankets cover the wing chair, ottoman, and hardwood floor. The slipcovered sofa is from ABC Carpet & Home. The windows are painted Everard Blue and the walls are Montgomery White, both by Benjamin Moore.
Rural lifestyle • Architectural Idea
According to the degree of urbanization of the environment, urban and rural lifestyles are distinguished. The rural (more traditional for the inhabitants) way of life is characterized by an orientation towards the traditional system of values; the predominance of family natural transmission of value orientations from generation to generation; low consumption of indirect information through the press, mass communication channels; relative stability of national and regional specifics; traditional forms of labor; predominant focus on self-sufficiency and self-service; low use of public services; development of family-wide and underdevelopment of individual activity; stability of kinship and neighborhood ties and a number of other features.
The rural way of life has many ethnic, regional, industrial varieties, which are reflected in the characteristics and social requirements for rural housing. The ideal traditional rural way of life is becoming rarer; urbanization and new communication technologies are gradually penetrating the village, bringing the rural lifestyle closer to the urban one. The types of buildings in a modern village are often similar to multi-storey urban ones, providing the same set of utilities.
Rural architecture is characterized by great conservatism of solutions (Fig. 2.9), extensive use of traditional materials and structures.
At the same time, dacha settlements of urban residents with the most modern architectural and engineering solutions are now increasingly penetrating into the village. This leaves an urban imprint on the traditional rural architecture and leads to a gradual leveling of the unique rural architecture, bringing it closer to urban standards. Until now, traditional rural architecture is more environmentally friendly than urban architecture, although it has a smaller range and variety of needs met (for example, central heating, sewerage, etc.
are not always provided in rural houses).
The urban way of life differs significantly from the rural way of life by the greater dynamism of social processes, the predominance of the transmission of culture through the media compared to the transmission of natural, family and everyday life. It is characterized by the relative internationalization of everyday life; high subjective assessment and advanced development of freely chosen activity in the sphere of information consumption, industrial labor, artistic, technical, scientific creativity; low appreciation of domestic work and the active use of all available ways to reduce the time spent on it; widespread use of the sphere of cultural and community services, while at the same time complicating home leisure and work, while weakening neighborly and family ties. It is associated with the preference for contacts with workmates and the organization of joint recreation with them instead of intra-family communication; for students and workers - with an excess of formal-role communication; for single people who are not employed in production, with a deficit of all types of direct communication.
Rustic style in the interior of a country house: authentic and colorful design
Nature and natural materials attract solid and morally mature people like a magnet. The desire to live outside the city is most often due to precisely these reasons, and the apartment is not able to give this feeling to its owner.
In vain it is considered that this is just a direction in design, such an interior is a lifestyle. And it is so diverse and rich that it captivates from the first moment and for life.
Rustic-style country housing: design features
A country house, remote from the city noise, bustle and crowds, is a dream of true gourmets of inner peace and connoisseurs of the surrounding beauty. In order to emphasize the charisma of your home, instill in it the warm spirit of the village, burden it with comfort, you need to create the interior correctly, and observe some conditions:
- in no case allow mixing styles;
- do not overload the space with various interior details;
- put maximum emphasis on natural materials;
- the room should be bright and voluminous;
- entrance hall, kitchen and living room must be designed in the same style;
- household appliances and modern comfort should not conflict with the general surroundings.
The design of a rustic house should continue the building itself, saturate it. The interior involves a mixture of modern comfort with the coziness of a country estate or a village hut. And it should be as harmonious as possible. This can be achieved by avoiding extremes. First of all, it is worth deciding on the depth of immersion in the subject.
If the whole village house is decorated in the same style, you will have no problem moving from one room to another. If you decide to give this style a part of the house, or the kitchen, combine classics or minimalism with it. You should not go to extremes and make the house a set for a film about a village in the 18th century - you will quickly get tired of such an immersion, and modern things will look ridiculous.
Golden mean - furniture and textiles in discreet, natural colors, wood, stone, simplicity of forms, household appliances and crockery in retro style. The interior will only benefit from this.
Décor with which the house finds its soul
A small cozy wooden house or a family estate is a place where the family goes at any time, where guests like to gather. His soul is hospitable hosts and little things dear to all hearts. It is thanks to the decor that the house acquires its features, the hand applied by the owner makes it animated.
Most people associate rustic interiors with colorful and motley rugs, embroidered curtains and towels, log-like walls. But this is far from true. Starting to understand more deeply, you will find that you can choose a country interior, or Provence, but they still have the same essence - a country estate, where each room is a continuation of the previous one.
Design: Full House Design
Textile Features
Rustic home interiors call for soft fabrics, delicate lines of curtain drapery, starched tablecloths and napkins. Textiles are a must, and the living room is its territory. Curtains, curtains, bedspreads, sofas, soft pillows for chairs, napkins - everything should be subordinated to the general surroundings.
Choose linen, cotton, wool - materials that cling to the hand. Colors close to nature will create a calm and warm atmosphere.
Do not forget about the tablecloth, it must be indispensable and combined with the curtains. A wooden table covered with a snow-white tablecloth is a symbol of hospitable hospitality.
Sofa cushions in patchwork style, like blankets or with embroidered pillowcases, will only enhance the atmosphere of softness and comfort.
Kitchen and bath towels in pastel shades will add warmth to the kitchen and bathroom. Textile rugs laid out on a wooden floor perfectly accentuate the interior.
Skip the juicy, trendy colors for contemporary style, and go for natural, natural shades that continue the natural ones. Modern textiles are quite suitable for these purposes.
Wood in the interior
The interior should be emphasized with wooden elements. Starting from the ceiling, and ending with photo frames and mirrors, wood can be subtle and elegant, or it can be a rough, brutal element of your design.
To create the spirit of a chalet, country, Russian village style, a high ceiling with exposed beams, or imitation of beams over a painted ceiling, natural and simple furniture will fit into a rustic interior. Rough finishing of doorways with wood cracked from time to time, a floorboard, or a laminate under a wiped floor, a wooden table, will create a feeling of antiquity, good quality. The village outside the walls should be felt inside.
Lighter directions, such as Provence, Peisan style, include wood decor, but in an elegant execution: the wood is covered with paint, the lines are thin and more graceful, there are no rough and large details in the design. The interior plays with cute trinkets.
Frames for mirrors, photos, window and picture framing should be kept in the same style. Properly selected furniture made of natural wood will only enhance the overall mood, put an end to creating a harmonious interior.
Rustic motifs in basic styles
A house in nature, worthy of decoration for living and recreation, can be so individual that you will never find another such interior, even slightly reminiscent of it.
Creating your own, understandable only to the owner of the rustic style, perhaps the main thing is to decide on the direction. The interior, built coherently, step by step, will not allow to break the general line.
Country direction
American farmers have made a grandiose contribution to the formation of this style and interior. The simplicity and authenticity of the design can bring the spirit of American shepherds' housing even into the home of a Russian banker, and most importantly, the room will look decent, albeit simple.
Large window openings, leather, wood and stone, rough as a cowboy's hand.
Textiles in indigo shades with a hint of denim, and of course bright interior details. It can be seemingly out of place, flashy-colored appliances, sofa cushions, a mirror or drawers in the bathroom.
Furniture in such a house must be chosen exclusively natural.
The main thing is to choose one object that will catch the eye.
The combination of three colors, or a tone transition from dark to light, will add some intrigue to the design of the room. Rustic chic is provided to the owner of the interior with a photo.
Small and very functional cottage: 92 squares of comfort
Russian country style
If you think that it is the easiest way to repeat the Russian style at home, you are deeply mistaken. Rustic Russian style houses are one of the most interesting projects. Rough wooden decor and linen tablecloths will not cope with the surroundings, if you do not take into account the basic conditions:
- you need to decorate the whole house in the Russian style, or use only free-standing structures, for example, a gazebo;
- a house with a Russian-style interior will look deliberately fabulous if you overload the design with authentic details;
- minimalism is the best friend of a Russian village home;
Minimal wood processing, coarse weave textiles, deliberately simple lines, retro-style furniture - this will bring the village house closer to what you want, and the Russian style will sparkle with all its colors
Design: Varvara Zelenetskaya
Chalet style
Hunting lodge - a place where the feeling of unity with nature is maximum.
A rustic country house in the style of a chalet speaks of remoteness from the city, a calm lifestyle, regularity and stability.
The chalet can be made in both wooden and brick houses. The main lines are rustic design, easy to match with modern furniture in classic or minimalist style.
Here you can safely combine a wooden table and a stone top, but you need to be careful with the emphasis on bright details - they are always superfluous in this direction. The house will breathe freshness if you do not load it with heavy and complex furniture.
Provence direction
Sunshine on the walls, pastel colors, cute trinkets and a floral print. A rustic Provence-style interior deserves to be one of the priorities in choosing a country home setting.
The rustic motif of the French hinterland is quite difficult to correctly disperse in the interior - you can get carried away and get a rural underground, or vice versa - get an insufficiently complete rustic image.
Provence is dominated by white color and delicate shades, natural wood Delicate fabrics coexist with coarse iron forging and wool.
Small colored tiles, glazed bricks, whitewashed beams, rustic painted floor. All this is framed by curtains and napkins with a floral print. A gentle unity of rudeness with grace.
Rustic style in the general interior of a country house
If the entire interior of a country house is strictly maintained in one stylistic direction, the owners will not experience dissonance when moving from one room to another, it will be easier to choose decor items, to furnish the rooms correctly. The house will only benefit from this. You choose the Russian style, or Provence - you will not be a loser, the main thing is not to bring the design of one style into another.
Entrance hall decor
The rustic style of interior design has even touched the threshold from which the visitor receives information about the owner.
Such a house is an open book, and the hallway is a visiting card. The house is just as beautiful inside as it is outside.
Simplicity of design, geometric lines, bright and spacious room - everything you need for a complete immersion in rustic style. Bright details, such as rugs, shelves, chair drapery, will dilute the simplicity.
Design: Prosperity Studio
Kitchen and utensils as decorative elements
The kitchen is the focus of style and its fusion with the comfort of modernity. The interior of a rustic-style kitchen needs to be thought out so that household appliances, of which there are many in this room, easily fit into the overall picture. Here, built-in appliances will come to the rescue, which will be hidden by the facades of the kitchen, the interior, thanks to this, will not suffer.
The stove should be the center and its choice is the starting point from which to build the environment. Natural wood, stone, textured fabrics, faucets and furniture elements in copper and bronze.
Here you should avoid chrome parts.
Crockery that is best placed on open or glazed shelves should continue the quality and stability of the entire kitchen. Cast iron and copper will fit perfectly into the rustic surroundings.
Napkins and tablecloths are best taken out at the time of setting the table, which is best left open during normal times. A wooden countertop, or a painted version is a worthy choice. The Russian rural style is clearly emphasized by the large hospitable table.
Design: Marina Kutepova
How to arrange a living room
The room where the family spends time together should have a center. The house grants this right to the living room. This is either a large rustic table, or a hearth - a fireplace. The center of the room must be highlighted. Woolen carpets of soothing colors and comfortably arranged sofas are ideal for this.
Creating a rustic living room interior is second only to the entrance hall, as these are usually adjoining spaces.
Do not skimp on light shades, make the ceiling higher, or decorate it with a false beam. Simple and comfortable furniture, wooden frames of paintings and mirrors, soft shades of curtains will bring the desired effect to the rustic surroundings.
For a rustic style living room with a similarly designed kitchen, sometimes enough is enough, and many do just that, allowing other rooms to submit to the styles chosen by the masters of the bedrooms.
Design: Marina Kutepova
Bedroom decoration
Many, imagining the interior of a rustic bedroom, see quilted blankets, pillows laid with nesting dolls, embroidered curtains. Could be so. But there are many options, and now, it is quite easy to implement rustic minimalism for a bedroom in a rather colorful design.
The simplicity of a wooden bed accommodates a quality orthopedic mattress, warm shades of curtains, additional curtains, wooden elements on the walls or a block house, walls to be painted in beige tones.
The room and furniture are both functional.
Rustic style bathroom to complement the bedroom.
Children's room
The interior in the style of a country house will create a nursery, ideal for a child. In this room, maximum light and space are the fundamental ideas. Natural materials and clean country air are what parents can give to a child. Simplicity of design, light decor, the creation of which, most likely, the child will take over. A rustic children's room does not need plastic furniture or artificial surfaces - everything inside should breathe nature, just like the house itself.
Design: Maxim Noda
Fireplace - comfort and lively warmth
A rustic wooden house with live fire has a soul. The family will always strive to the hearth in the evening, and the children will always return to the village parental shelter.
A fireplace in the living room or bedroom is a frequent rustic host around which the overall decoration is shaped.
