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Lodge decorating tips


15 ways to create a cozy, rustic space |

(Image credit: Future)

It's no wonder that cabin decor ideas are all about creating a sense of warmth and retreat, given the wild landscape that often lies beyond the doors. On the peak of a snowy mountain, or tucked in a pine forest overlooking a lake, cabin decor typically pays tribute to nature, while also creating a reprieve from it.

The cozy cabin look is an obvious choice for log homes, Adirondack camps and midcentury A-frames, but it's an appealing decorating idea for anyone after a look that's casual, nostalgic, and welcoming.

15 cabin decor ideas for a welcoming retreat

Whatever the style of your current home, there are country decorating ideas to achieve a cabin decorating look to suit it. Here are 10 beautiful ideas for cozy cabin vibes. 

1. Use hides and leather

(Image credit: Kathryn Hunt Studio / Conor Harrington Photography)

The textiles you choose for your home play a big part in setting its overall tone and style direction. In this Long Island cabin, choosing materials that speak to nature and the local landscape, like hides and leather, are a key part of this rustic bedroom idea, and help create the cozy atmosphere we associate with cabin decorating. 

2. Choose neutrals

(Image credit: Bria Hammel / Spacecrafting)

If you love the charm of a rough-hewn space, but prefer a more polished or sophisticated style, choose organic, neutral furniture and decor. 

Neutrals feel calming and chic, and create a more contemporary design. Opting for organic shapes and fabrics, like un-bleached linen, concrete, and natural wools maintain an elevated look that still fits within the rustic shell of a cabin home. 

3. Set the scene with green

(Image credit: Kathryn Hunt Studio / Conor Harrington Photography)

If cabins are all about paying homage to nature, then green is the ultimate cabin  accent color. Above, designer Kate Hunt of Kathryn Hunt Studio chose a classic subway tile for her clients' cabin bathroom, but instead of going for stark white, she chose a soothing jade color that underscores the home's connection to the outdoors.

4. Incorporate stone

(Image credit: Bria Hammel / Spacecrafting)

In case we haven't made this clear, the key to decorating a cabin so that it has a sense of place (i.e., it feels like a cabin) is incorporating natural materials to tie the interiors to the outside.

While wood is an obvious choice, especially in log cabins, stone is another must-have material for cabin decor. Try a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, or use it to frame your range for a standout rustic kitchen idea, like designer Bria Hammel did for this Stone Lake, Wisconsin, cabin. 

5. Retrofit rusticity with reclaimed materials

(Image credit: Kathryn Hunt Studio / Conor Harrington Photography)

Just because your home doesn't have a traditional cabin structure doesn't mean you can't make it feel that way inside. If you're looking for a way to make your ski condo feel a little more authentic, for example, or you want to add mountain charm to a new construction, look to reclaimed materials, like salvaged barn board, which lend a authentic, weathered look to any space.

Designer Kate Hunt added historic charm back to her client's gut-renovated Long Island home with reclaimed, salvaged and repurposed materials, including wood from a local barn. 

6. Pile on the texture

(Image credit: Rumor Designs)

In a home with a rough-hewn shell, like a log cabin, texture plays a central role in creating an inviting atmosphere. Design firm Rumor Designs achieved a welcoming bedroom idea by mixing a vintage wool rug, a metal and linen bed, and plenty of pillows. 

'In our Behr Cabin project, we added character through layers of pillows, throws with plenty of texture and wooden logs mixed with fresh painted chinking to achieve the ultimate cozy feel,' says Lindsey Jamison, lead designer at Rumor Designs.

7. Add camp blankets

(Image credit: Amy Brightman)

Camp blankets, or thick wool blankets often adorned with Southwestern or Adirondack-style prints, are the cabin bedding of choice. Amy Brightman chose them for Warner's Camp , an 1880s farmhouse she owns and designed in the the Adirondack State Park, to create a space she calls 'cozy and true to the area. '

You can purchase similar blankets new from brands like Pendleton or Hudson's Bay, but they're also a flea market favorite and you shouldn't have to search too long to find a vintage version. 

8. Go minimalist to let nature shine

(Image credit: Stonorov Workshop Architects.)

If you're after a soothing, zen-like space, take a minimalist approach to cabin decorating. Simple furnishings, white bedding, and few window treatments allow nature and the views beyond the windows to add the decorative element. Plus, sleek design juxtaposed with the rustic architecture of a cabin home creates a balanced, harmonious feel. 

9. Create a vintage cabin feel

(Image credit: Aimee Mazzenga)

Cabins are the perfect canvas for vintage finds, so indulge your desire to visit your local antique malls and flea markets. 

Items like pennants or camp flags, antler mounts, signs and postcards can be gathered to form a retro wall decor idea, like this one at Camp Wandawega in Wisconsin. Or, start a collection of antique objects like lanterns, oars, skis, or tools to create a display with a story. 

10. Add antique pieces

(Image credit: Rumor Designs)

The lived-in nature of antique pieces make them a natural fit for cabin decor. 

'In our Cow Creek project, we incorporated a dining table that has been in the owner's family for generations and added tea kettles/pots from the owner's grandmother to bring this slowed-down rural look to life,' says Jamison, whose firm also designed the above space. 'The owner has stories of babies being born on this table way back in the day!'

11. Paint the walls white for a Scandi feel

(Image credit: Cedar Point Aframe / Evelyn Barkey)

Cabin decor tends to skew dim and cozy, but there's no hard-and-fast rule that is has to be. Just take a look at the bright and cheery wall paneling idea at the Cedar Point Aframe.

The angled walls of the cabin are painted white to open up a smaller living area, while the perpendicular walls are left au natural. Owner Sarah Scott took a cue from the combination of white and wood tones, and chose a clean-lined sofa and ceiling fan for a Scandinavian look. A vintage chest adds a subtle rustic element. 

12. Add leather (and antlers)

(Image credit: Bib Coscarelli)

This room, at Camp Wandawega, is a study in cabin decorating. It sets the scene with deep colors like rich browns, forest green, and navy, and rounds out the look with the most classic of cabin decorating trios: a pair of leather sofas, taxidermy mounts, and an antler chandelier. 

13. Mix old and new for an updated cabin look

(Image credit: Chris Daniele)

'When designing a space, I generally like to get creative and pair old with new,' says  Brightman. 'I think the look we achieved here is a blend of mid century and art deco, with a nod to the Adirondack Great Camp style.'

To get the look, layer vintage furnishings with unexpected contemporary pieces, like the white armchair in the corner of the entryway above.

14. Pull your color palette from nature

(Image credit: Rumor Designs,)

Since cabins are all about embracing the outdoors, the paint ideas and decorative elements you incorporate into your home should pull from its surroundings.

This entryway from Rumor Designs uses a color palette of sage green, gray-blue, and brown for the walls and furnishings, which are echoed in the Earth-toned rug.

15. Soak in the view

(Image credit: Stonorov Workshop Architects)

Cabins celebrate nature, and what better vantage point from which to take in the great outdoors than a soaking tub filled to the brim with bubbles? (Especially if it follows a long day on the hiking, biking, or skiing trail).

In this space by Stonorov Workshop Architects the simple, contemporary lines of the Duravit bathtub add just the right amount of modern contrast to this primitive bathroom. 

How do you modernize a cabin?

Modernizing a cabin isn't like updating any other home, because the characteristics that may make it feel dated are likely the same ones that give it its rustic charm. So, you can't exactly give it a gut renovation. But, you can achieve both the goal of having a modern cabin space without stripping away its character. Here are a few ideas:

Kaitlin Madden Armon is a writer and editor covering all things home. Her work has appeared in Real Homes, Architectural Digest, Martha Stewart Living, Refinery29, Modern Luxury Interiors, Wayfair, The Design Network, and lots more. She graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in journalism and currently lives in Connecticut with her husband, three kids, and black lab.

7 Lodge Decor Ideas To Make Your Home Feel Like A Cozy Cabin

The lodge decor style can make any space feel warm and comfortable. Its themes of rustic materials, woodland animals, and cozy accents makes this style a popular choice for decorating. Luckily, you don’t necessarily need to live in a log cabin to establish this decor style. You can transform any type of home into a woodsy and natural space. Here are 7 lodge decor ideas to make your home feel like a cozy cabin.

1. Use Leather Furniture For A Cozy & Classy Cabin Look

Since furniture is such a large part of each room, the style and materials of these items are incredibly important for establishing a lodge decor theme. If you’re willing to invest in some nice pieces of furniture, you can easily create a cozy cabin style in any room of your house.

Leather furniture and room accents are the best choices if you want a cozy and classic cabin look. A brown leather couch in your living room can set up a warm environment that you can combine with rustic decorative accents. You can also bring in a distressed wood coffee table to complete the furnishings.

To include leather furniture in the rest of your home, consider a leather ottoman at the foot of your bed, leather cushions on kitchen chairs, and a leather office chair. Faux leather can work just as well for a more affordable option. Make sure to mix in some pieces of wooden furniture for a fully establish lodge style look.

2. Decorate With A Mix Of Materials In Addition To Wood

Many lodge decor ideas feature the typical elements of distressed wood and wood logs. However, that doesn’t mean that every single accent in your home has to be made of wood. It’s better to mix up the materials for more variety in your space. Simple touches of other materials displayed through small decorations can really bring a room to life.

Keep in mind that the cabin decor style is closely matched with the rustic decor style, meaning that most rustic materials will fit in well with this theme. In addition to wood, you can decorate with galvanized metal, burlap, stone, canvas, and more. Here are some ideas of decorative accents you can add to your lodge themed home to mix up the materials:

3. Add Some Coziness To Your Cabin Theme With Rugs & Blankets

While all the wood and other rustic materials will add the warm appearance that the lodge decor style is centered around, you also have to establish some physical warmth. Physical elements that are warm and cozy to the human touch will really amplify the comfortable cabin feeling that you want to achieve.

Soft and cozy materials can easily and simply be incorporated through rugs, throw pillows, blankets, chair cushions, bedding, and towels. These are all aspects of your home that will physically feel warm and give you that idea of a cozy cabin, no matter what type of house you have. Feel free to use the type of soft textures that you enjoy the most, and find creative ways to coordinate them with your lodge themed decorations.

Soft Materials To Use In Your Lodge Decor Style Home

There are many different types of soft materials you can use in your lodge style home; however, there are some main ones that will work better with your theme than others. Try to stick with one or two of these for an easier method of decorating. Find various ways to include these materials and fabrics in your decorations throughout your home.

Faux Fur
Wool
Flannel
Sherpa
Velvet
Fleece

4. Have A Stone Accent Wall In Your Living Room Or Kitchen For A Unique Lodge Style

As mentioned in the previous lodge decor ideas, stone is a great material choice to include in your cabin themed home. If you like the look of this material and want a bigger way to incorporate it, consider a stone accent wall or even a stone fireplace.

A stacked stone fireplace or a small accent wall can add some variety to any room and give it that unique rustic touch. If you’re aiming for an accent wall, consider adding this to your living room behind your couch, the backsplash in your kitchen, or in your bedroom behind your bed.

If you’re looking for an affordable cabin decor alternative, you still achieve the stone wall look through peel and stick wallpaper. Not only is this a cheaper option, but it’s also an easier to apply with quick transformation results.

5. Incorporate Wild Animal Decorations Into Your Cabin Theme

Now that you’ve established the main materials of the lodge decor style, it’s time to get creative with cabin themed symbols and patterns. One of the main symbols in this decorating style is woodland animals. For an authentic lodge appearance, include elements of animals throughout your home decor.

Typical woodland creatures to include are:

You can decorate with these animal themes with faux deer antlers on the wall, a bear patterned rug, small wolf figurines on the coffee table, or wall art that features nature scenes with these creatures. You can mix and match the animal theme throughout your home; however, if you want a more concise look, you may just want to choose two animals to feature.

6. Include Candles & Lanterns In Every Room For A Warm & Cozy Lodge Theme

Lighting is another crucial element to consider when setting the warm and cozy theme in the rooms of your home. Start by using soft white bulbs in the relaxing areas of your home, such as the living room and bedroom. From there, you can start to add lighted decorative accents to fill in the warmth even more.

Lanterns and candles are a solid choice for bringing in warm lighting while maintaining the rustic style. Distressed wood and metal lanterns will fit in the best with your decor style, along with natural wood or tarnished metal candleholders. Bring in candles with your favorite scents for an extra relaxing home.

Use lanterns on the centerpiece of your dining table, spread out candles around your living room on the mantel and coffee table, display lantern wall sconces in the bedroom above bedside tables, and hang a candle chandelier above your kitchen island. Be as subtle or bold as you want with your lighted decorations. Either way, it’ll result in a rustic cabin space.

7. Bring Natural Elements Into Your Home For Decorative Cabin Accents

A final yet crucial part of the lodge decor style is the continuous theme of nature. The idea is to maintain a calming and woodsy look with a touch of natural elements that you’d find out in the forest.

An easy way to bring those touches of nature into your home is through small accents. The simple addition of these subtle decorations will tie your theme together and make it feel complete. Whether you go outside to find natural items to decorate with or you buy faux versions of these items, you’ll still achieve the ideal look. Combine this idea with the other lodge decor ideas, and you’ll be good to go!

Natural Decorative Accent Ideas For A Cabin Themed Home

Looking for even more inspiration? Shop our selection of Lodge Decor to find decorative accents, bedding, bath collections, throw blankets, and much more to bring your cozy cabin theme to life!

SHOP LODGE DECOR

10 Tips on how to decorate your apartment with minimal expenses

Home ideas / Home Furnishing Ideas

Every hearth keeper has faced the challenge of furnishing her home. But often the main obstacle in this matter is the financial issue ... In this article you will see useful tips for decorating your home at minimal cost.

Whether it's a move to a new apartment, a rearrangement, or just a desire to change something - in any case, every hostess is faced with a seemingly pleasant trifle - to create coziness. But finances and time can often get in the way of the desired result. In this article, I will not suggest that you re-paste the wallpaper or radically change the arrangement of furniture, we will talk about the little things that will make your home friendly and cozy.

1. Lots of drawers - lots of space


Small things often lie on cabinets, chests of drawers, window sills, which complicates our breathing and wet cleaning, because each item collects dust. By placing your creams, hairpins, varnishes in separate boxes, you will simplify your life. Nobody says to arrange a box warehouse in the apartment, 3-4 boxes with different compartments are enough - and there will be much more space.

Such boxes can be bought anywhere, their price varies from 5 hryvnias and almost to infinity. But if you have a little free time, a shoe box and gift wrapping paper, then the costs will be much reduced. Having pasted over any box with paper or cloth, you can also attach handles for convenience.

Issue price: from 5 hryvnias or free of charge.

2. Tsvetnoy Dom

Slavic hostesses have always been extreme. Flowers are one such extreme. If a woman loves flowers, then she will have a greenhouse in every room, or, even worse, one room in the house will turn into a botanical garden. If the flowers are indifferent to the hostess, then you will not see a single green leaf in the house, artificial flowers are not uncommon in this case.

In any case, I offer you a golden mean. Of course, there should be flowers in the house, but their number should not exceed ten, and they MUST be alive. For those who absolutely do not like home flowers, there is an ideal solution - bamboo. It grows quickly and is quite unpretentious. If you have too many flowers, share with relatives or friends.

Issue price: from 15 UAH or free of charge.

3. Smell in the house

One of the most important organs of perception is our nose. Each smell can repel us or attract us with incredible force. When I enter every house, the first thing I notice is the smell of the house. Somewhere it smells of pastries, somewhere of fried potatoes, and somewhere of cigarettes or something else unpleasant. You can tell a lot about the owners by the smell of a house.

I strongly recommend not to use aerosol chemical air fresheners: they do not smell so pleasant that they destroy the ozone globe of the Earth and your lungs because of it. The best options would be coffee, herbs, aroma oils and aroma candles.

Issue price: 3-10 hryvnia.

4. More light

Any room will seem cozier if it has a lot of "warm" light, that is, simply by using a floor lamp with a frame of warm-colored fabric (which, by the way, can also be easily made by hand). Mirrors, preferably large ones, will also help add light. Another great way to add soft light is with curtains or roller blinds. Now in stores you can choose absolutely any light. But personally, it is very difficult for me to wake up in a room filled with soft peach color, so I close the windows only during the day and evening.

Issue price: from 50 hryvnia.

5. Let's fill the house with memories

The favorite and most interesting part of any house is always a corner with photos. If you do not have one, hurry up to purchase or make them yourself. Photos can be hung on the wall, put in the most visible place or on the bedside table. Thus, just walking around the house, you will remember the happiest moments of your life and loved ones. Photos and frames can be selected both in the style of your room, and make them a bright, eye-catching accent.

Issue price: from 10 hryvnia.

6. Made with love!


It's always nice to be in a house where the lion's share of things is made by the hands of the owners, whether it's a closet or a small pillow. Use your imagination to the maximum: everything that can be glued, sewn or knitted is already a potential craft. For example, if you are given a bouquet of flowers, when the flowers begin to dry out, cut off the buds and place them neatly in a vase, add some beads and ribbons. Voila!

Issue price: from 5 hryvnia.

7. Music

Spend only 20 minutes on your computer to create a collection of songs. Just create folders with the name of your possible moods or events. Agree, it's so nice to go home on a sunny day, open all the windows and turn on cheerful music, and in the evening enjoy the music from the "romance" folder with your soulmate. After all, such a trifle, namely, it can drastically change the mood.

Issue price: 20 minutes.


8. Greet guests cheerfully


A very important, but undeservedly forgotten attribute of a cozy home is a rug at the entrance. After all, this is the first thing your guests will see, and you yourself. Today, the range of rugs is simply huge, so there is plenty to choose from. Classic or modern, restraint or fun - you choose.

Issue price: from 40 hryvnia.

9. Get rid of the trash


Yes, yes! Exactly. Indeed, in your house there are probably an unbearably many different little things that you do not need at all, but only interfere. Release them and with a light heart send them to the garbage chute. You won’t remember them anymore, and there will be much more free space.

Issue price: 1 hour + 1 garbage bag.

10. Pets


Even if you choose an aquarium fish as a pet, it will still enliven your home. Ideally, this is a dog, cat or some kind of rodent (but this is already according to the circumstances). After all, it's great when there is a small creature nearby that meets you from work and loves you endlessly.


Here are perhaps the most simple and accessible tips for everyone. I wish everyone comfort and good weather in the house.

Author: Veronica Keba

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