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western decorating ... guidelines, ideas & more

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Glossary

Western Decorating

Going a step beyond Southwest and Country on the rustic scale, western design steps in.

With more rugged furniture, architecture and overall attitude, this theme takes you as far back as the 1700s, when pioneers were slowly working their way west across mountainous terrain, prairie lands and desert, when people built their own homes out of nearby raw materials, hand carved their own furniture, hunted down wildlife and grew food to feed their families.

Western decorating (sometimes referred to as Cowboy Country) is comfortable and resembles how life was lived by our pioneering forefathers in log cabins, with wood and stone being the primary contributing ingredients.

Wood, the dominant material, is used throughout the entire home, with everything from peeled pole furniture to walls constructed of thick log, alternating between rough-hewn and knobby to smooth and sanded.

With tremendous variety in color and texture, stone is used throughout the interior and exterior of the home, prominently found in such places as the fireplace, walls and flooring, walkways, chimneys and landscaping.

Mixing wood and stone in combination with other materials that earth has to offer, you will find below the necessary components to include in your western design.

western-log-cabin

This rugged interior of a log cabin exemplifies western decorating, with thick

wood beams, stone fireplace, leather seating, and antique fixtures.

Colors

The dominant colors in western decor tend to be somewhat dark and blotchy. This is largely due to the fact that the color foundation in this theme is made up of all shades of brown, forest green, stone gray, black and suede leather tan. With browns and tans being the dominant colors, however, this makes for an excellent backdrop to showcase colorful artwork, rugs and fabrics.

In other words, to balance out the darker colors, which may otherwise engulf the room, you can use things like old-fashioned quilts with vibrant colors and patterns, as well as Indian and Mexican fabrics, artifacts and artwork. These are great ways for introducing added color to the room, such as red, orange, blue, white, yellow and green, with each drawing attention to itself against the darker backgrounds.

Finally, the grays of stonework in and around the home will serve to add lighter tones while adding depth to the room's texture.

western-palette

Color cues in western decorating.

For assistance selecting your western decorating theme colors, try these free online tools, the color wheel calculator (from Sessions School of Design) and the color visualizer (from Sherwin Williams).

Textures

Foundational textures in western decorating center around several core materials, including wood, leather, iron, stone and animal hide.

Wood, by far the most prevalent material, with its different varieties, uses and carvings, is utilized throughout the entire home, including walls, ceilings, floors, furniture, cabinets and shutters. Scarred, with burls and knots, left in its natural state, or sanded to a smooth finish and stained, wood is known for its structural and aesthetic appeal in home construction, furniture design and artwork.

In its thickest form, wood is used as peeled-pole or lodgepole in large pieces of furniture and home construction, while smaller branches are used in hand-railing, furniture such as chairs, and even chandeliers.

Leather, which is very common in western decorating, is used in furniture, lampshades and other items which can be put out on display, such as saddles, stirrups and boots. Iron, used in artwork, door and cabinet hardware, fireplaces, lamps, chandeliers and old tools found around the property, is a western staple which can be used in abundance.

Stone, one of the primary components in and around the home, contributes not only to structural integrity, but also acts as a visual balancing mechanism against the dominant presence of wood. And finally, animal hide is a popular choice for such things as floor covering and furniture upholstery.

Furniture

Furniture in western decorating comes in the carved and chunky-framed variety, reminiscent of what you would have found in the old west, with stuffed leather, Native American patterned, or even cowhide used as the primary upholsteries.

Virtually all fixtures within this theme are constructed from wood, with pine, aspen, fir, willow, cedar, oak, walnut and hickory being the most prevalent. With both light and dark wood, thin branches or thick stumps, either smoothly sanded and polished, or rough-hewn as if just dragged in from a nearby forest, each piece in the home will have a unique twist, while blending in naturally with the rest of the environment.

western-aspen-living-room

An Aspen living room, with furniture ranging from Victorian era to rough hewn

pieces made out of tree branches, displaying influences from old world Europe.

Western furniture is generally constructed using peeled-pole, lodgepole, or aspen logs. Hand-peeled fir or pine pole is hand carved with a drawknife with bark stripped away, while pine lodgepole has a cleaner and more refined look as it is machine cut to size, and aspen logs are characterized by their knots, burls and thickness. Old hickory cane and willow are good choices for use in smaller furniture, such as chairs, stools and the like.

Additionally, with obvious roots tying early U.S. history directly back to England during the 18th and 19th centuries, Victorian-era influences played a large role in furniture design during this period. Therefore, sprinkling the room with antiques from the Victorian theme will play nicely into your western decorating style.

Fabrics

For the most part, western decorating calls for heavy, rugged fabrics, in both look and texture. Fabrics and materials which match up well in this style include leather upholstery, Native American (Pendleton textiles), burlap and animal pelts.

These materials can be incorporated into the room in a variety of manners including drapes, blankets, upholstery and rugs. Wall-to-wall carpeting is not generally found in this theme. Instead, floors of hardwood, stone, or terracotta are most often covered with Native American or Mexican designed area rugs and animal hide.

Window covering can include a chiffon type fabric for drapes, which is a white sheer material made of silk or nylon, and hung on a simple iron rod. Plain, solid colored cloth or checkered patterns for use on windows or as tablecloths also fit well in western decorating, as do thicker burlap type materials.

Old-fashioned quilts with vibrant colors and patterns are popular choices for use in bedding and couch throws, not only for comfort, but to balance out some of the more dominant dark overtones.

Western Decorating Accessories

Iconic images of western lifestyles throughout the home include such things as cowboy hats, boots, barbed wire, guns, Mexican and Indian textiles and artwork, depictions of wildlife, hunting, horses and cattle.

The more rusty, scratched, or nicked furnishings are, the more appealing.

Below are some additional ideas to help you on your quest for the west.

Animal hide rugs, such as deer, cow, bear, or bobcat
Rugged wooden doors
Copper or bronze sculptures of horses, bulls and coyotes
Nostalgic cowboy fare, such as saddles, branding irons, boots, spurs, barbed-wire, or rope
Old black and white photographs in antique wooden frames, of family, Indians, or scenes from the 1800s
Horseshoes welded together to form artwork, lamps and other accessories
Native American artifacts, including colorful pottery, wood carvings, sculptures, rawhide drums, head dresses, beaded jewelry, ceremonial drums, tomahawks, bows and arrows
Mexican ironwork and wood carvings
Colorful oil paintings in dark wood frames of old west scenery
Kachina dolls rendering ancient Hopi Indian spirits, wood-carved and clothed in masks and costumes
Antique silverware and china
Indian artifacts, such as vases, bowls and other forms of pottery
Desert driftwood furniture, artwork, lamps and mirrors
Unpolished metal (copper and brass being the most prevalent) used for urns, pots, cookware, kettles and lanterns
Deer antlers displayed over the fireplace, or crafted into chandeliers, door pulls, or coat racks
Fireplace screens, lamps, pictures and furniture, depicting cowboys, Indians, rodeos, coyotes, wolves, horses, or deer
Shot guns, rifles and revolvers
Colorful woven Navajo or Mexican rugs, blankets and wall hangings
Copper ashtrays and brass spittoons
Woven baskets made of rattan, willow, or yucca, used to display pinecones, books, flowers and plants
Steer skulls displayed on walls or tables
Wall mounted deer or that prize fish displayed over a fireplace or other prominent location
Old wood burning stove
Mexican tinwork, either punched or stamped, into picture and mirror frames, figurines, lamp shades, light switch and socket covers and chandeliers

Lighting

Rooms with western decorating are typically more dimly lit than what you find in other styles, resembling how nights would have looked in the home before the rise of electricity.

Stretched rawhide lampshades, deer antler chandeliers, copper wall sconces and brass lanterns are but just a few of the many different choices to consider when choosing your western-styled lighting.

Lamps, both floor and table, are made out of just about every western staple imaginable, some of which may include things like cowboy boots, miniature tepees, rifles, horseshoes, gnarled aspen wood, Indian pottery, Spanish wrought-iron, animal bones or antlers, shotgun shells and driftwood.

western-wagon-wheel-chandelier

Western decorating has no limits when it comes to creative lighting,

as seen here with an old wagon wheel converted into a chandelier.

Bronze chandeliers with western scenery silhouetted against the light are also very popular, as are solid wood or swirling Spanish iron.

A roaring fire in a large stone fireplace, while impractical in the hot summer months, will play a critical role in the cooler months to give the room that added sense of "roughing it" as our ancestors from just a few generations ago would have done.