Living in a country styled home is supposedly very informal and comfortable.  It enables the home owner to relax in a rustic setting amidst simple things handmade by skilled artisans.  If you are planning to incorporate a country style in your home, don’t imagine it to be a very tedious task. Designing your home in the country style has minimal rules. All you would have to ensure is that the atmosphere is comfortable, both for people living in the house as well as guests who come visiting.

Since the country look has undergone transformation over the years, it has improved and taken in a wider variety of distinctive attributes. Given below are some ideas that would help you while adding a ‘touch of the country look’ and preserving your tradition as well.

Flooring

Always start from the floor, as it is the ‘base’ of the home. For instance, you could lift the carpets, sand the floor-boards and varnish them.  Add a painted border to your wooden floor before varnishing it for a finishing touch.  You can easily do this yourself by purchasing stencils from arts and craft shops.  You can also consider oriental rugs and carpets that lend an extra tinge of drama to the entrance of your home.

Walls

In the past, walls were made of brick or wood.  You can use wooden or brick walls and leave them unpainted to give the perfect country look.  However, if you wish to achieve the country look, you can paint the walls; just make sure you use natural colours, which complement the upholstery and flooring.  Also, to get the perfect texture, get the walls evenly plastered and coloured in soft lime-wash.  You can decorate walls freehand or using stencil, simple designs and motifs.

Upholstery and furniture

To give an illusion of space in small rooms use minimally upholstered wooden furniture.  To add a rustic, colourful look, a mat, handmade quilt, thrown or draped over wooden furniture adds the extra country charm.  Create a layered look in the fabrics you use, to give a serene feel to the ambience.  Try combining solid colour fabrics with patterned ones, choosing a colour from the pattern as your base colour.

Decorations

Use wicker baskets for flower arrangements – fresh or dried flowers, dried shrubs, potpourri, fruits, and placing bread loaves on the dining table.  Wicker baskets are said to be the heart of the country style.  They can be kept on the shelves or hung near the windows.