20 Country Decor Ideas for a Ranch Aesthetic
There’s something about country living that can be so appealing. Life is a little simpler, time goes by a little slower and problems even feel a little smaller. We may not all have the pleasure of residing in the calm countryside, but your home can still have a country side. We invite you to take a seat, pour yourself a glass of sweet tea, and discover how to be a little bit country in your space with these country decor tips.
1. Use Natural Elements Like Leather & Reclaimed Wood
Many people choose to live in the country so they can be closer to nature and celebrate its splendor. One way you can bring that appreciation home is by bringing in natural elements. From 100% top grain leather, to FSC-certified reclaimed woods, to rattan and jute, these materials add incomparable textural beauty that invites the outside in.
2. Incorporate Farmhouse Furnishings to Savor Country Flavor
3. Add Animal Accessories to Show Your Love of Nature
Country house decor is all about being a loud and proud lover of nature, and animals are a big part of that love. Growing up in the country often means taking care of horses, cows, chickens, pigs, goats and the rest of Old MacDonald’s farm. Maybe you don’t have the room for these guys, but you can have art and country decor that gives them a special place in your space.
4. Find Industrial Designs + Material Combinations
If country style and farmhouse style are like siblings, then country style and industrial style are like cousins. The classic combination of metal and wood looks just as fitting in a country-inspired interior as it does in an industrial space. The trick is to stick to timeless pieces that have a hard-working, homespun spirit.
5. Embrace Earth Tones for a Welcoming Atmosphere
In addition to an abundance of natural materials and textures, country style homes are decked in neutral hues and earth tones. A color palette that reflects the land - browns, oranges, greens, whites - creates a cozy, welcoming atmosphere that instills instant country hospitality.
6. Use Warmer Tones for a Hearty Feel
Just as a fire glowing in a mountain ranch fireplace casts warmth on the hearth, so too should your furniture and decor cast warm vibes through colors like brown, taupe and pumpkin.
7. Think Like a Cowboy, Opt for Natural Hide
Living country isn’t just about living in a house, it’s also about living the lifestyle. Think like a real cowboy and opt for real leather rugs, sofas and bar stools. Shown here, a hide rug adds authentic charm.
8. Bring Home the Ranch (& the Animals Within It)
Bring home the animals without bringing home the smell, dirt, manure and shed fur or hair. How? Through decorative sculptures and figurines of horses, bison, sheep, cows, chicken and dogs!
9. Add Pops of Fresh Color (But Make It Country)
While country tends to revolve a lot around warmth, especially in warm colors like browns, reds, oranges and shades of black and grey, it’s not impossible to incorporate lighter, brighter tones. Try a splash of white, as in the white horse figurine shown here!
10. Let Your Walls Roam With (Artful) Life
Art has the mindblowing ability of creating movement – without actually moving. Just look at a picture of a rustling tree or rushing stream, and your mind will fill in the rest with imagined motion. In a county home, try a picture of roaming buffalo, to start!
11. Don’t Forget About the Bedding
Guests don’t visit the bedroom all that much, but that doesn’t mean your style should stop there. An easy, affordable way to bring country to your personal quarters is via buffalo check bedspreads – a pattern derived from the days of cowboys in the now deserted ghost towns of the West.
12. Perk Up With Plaid Pillows
Carry the plaid theme home with pops of pillows, or go a whole ‘nother route with white lace pillows on a plaid bedspread (for a cowgirl themed room)! Use shams and pillowcases for affordable style refreshes.
13. Keep Things Simple for Simple Living
While a themed room (such as country) involves a myriad of fun motifs, it’s important to not let yourself fall into the rabbit hole! Too many things can take the theme from fun to funky; when in doubt, leave it out.
14. Dine Like the Old Days With Cozy Seating (& a Close-Knit Dining Set)
In the West of the 19th century, family meals were taken ritually and in close comfort. This is because life on a ranch was work-focused and means were often saved or spent only on the necessities – no extraneous dining features here!
15. Remember, Two Tones Are Better Than One
Wood furniture often comes in two types: two-toned or monochrome. In the latter, you get a single color (all-brown, all-white, etc.), but in the former, you get a base color with a lighter color peeking through. Use two-toned pieces for that weathered aesthetic popular of the country style.
16. Corral In Storage for a Tidy Homestead
17. Turn Modern Technology Into 19th-Century Vibes
The TV may be the epitome of the 21st century, but that doesn’t mean it can’t work in an old-fashioned-inspired country home: simply opt for a rustic-chic, barn door style stand to go along with it!
18. Opt for a Coffee Table-Turned-Carriage
This coffee table with wheels is giving us real Wild West carriage vibes; we’re half expecting a slew of horses and some prairie-skirted dame or denim-clad cowboy to show up out of the blue and start driving it!
19. When In Doubt, Look to the Mountains
If the mountains are calling your name, you just might be a cowboy. Hang up art of mountains, deserts and Western-inspired motifs. Whenever you enter the room, you’ll be reminded of the scenes you love!
20. Go Back to “Skull” with Ranchers’ Mementos
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Editorial Disclaimer: Articles featuring tips and advice are intended for educational purposes and only as general recommendations. Always practice personal discretion when using and caring for furniture, decor and related items.
