If your heart beats to the natural rhythms of the great outdoors, you can bring that feeling inside by creating a rustic design for your home or office.
There's more to creating a rustic design than merely Adirondack-style furniture.
It takes a clear understanding of rustic design components and a willingness to choose a style and stick to it.
That's right; there's more than one style of rustic decor.
Nonetheless, all rustic decor centers on wood tones and pieces that convey an outdoorsy feel.
You might want the cowboys-and-cattle of the Old West, the canoe-and-paddles or the Upper Midwest, or the high-mountain forests of upstate New York and New England.
The point here is to choose your rustic style carefully and then stick to it because rustic styles don't mix well.
A Michigan kayak would look mighty strange in a living room with a cattle ranch theme.
For starters, wood paneling is one of the best ways to begin a rustic decor.
If paneling is out, then paint the walls in warm tones that evoke wood: tans, beiges, browns or warmer whites such as ivory or cream.
Wallpaper, especially in a log-cabin style, also can create the desired background.
Whatever the wall covering choice, aim toward a sense of being warmed by the sun in the outdoors.
Next, continue the rustic theme with wood accents.
Wrap grapevine wreaths with berries rather than flowers.
In fact, avoid flowers altogether unless they're real wildflowers arranged in a pitcher or rustic vase.
Instead, use wooden bowls as decor accents and fill them with aromatic pine cones or wood shavings.
A wooden bowl full of apples makes a wonderful hospitality gesture.
For furniture, choose fabrics meant to stand up to a true rustic environment, such as duck cloth or other canvas, corduroy and denim.
Get rid of the wall-to-wall carpet and flooring of some kind.
It could be wood flooring or wood-grain laminate if the budget requires, for a mountain-cabin style.
Another option is to choose Southwestern-style floor tiles, if your decor heads west.
Area rugs offer terrific ways to tie furniture groups together.
Accent the furniture with braided area rugs if your theme is more Eastern.
Use striking Navajo or other Indian rugs and blankets if you've chosen a more Western theme.
Now bring in the animals.
No, we're not talking mounting Bambi and his woodland pals on the walls.
Instead, use animal images in fabric and nature-themed artwork for paintings and photos.
Audubon bird prints or Ansel Adams reproductions work wonderfully depending on the style.
The final touches in rustic decor focus on vintage accents and collectibles.
For instance, quilts are one of the few accents that work well in every rustic style except for Native American.
Even cowboys had quilts back at the ranch house, as long as they are done in a style that reflects their culture.
Smaller quilts make wonderful throws for couches and chairs.
Larger quilts can even serve as art objects or wall coverings.
However, make sure that the quilt style and pattern complement your Rustic decor choices.
Use your imagination and a little restraint in adding collectibles as the finishing touch.
Many familiar items from camp, such as oars, fishing rods and lures, signs, etc.
, can add to the theme.
The trick is to be extremely selective in what you choose to highlight your style.
Don't allow rustic decor to become cluttered just for the sake of another picnic basket.
Put your personality into your rustic decor, and you'll have a home that you and your guests will love for a long time.