Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Western Style Home Decorating Ideas

Add a western flair to your home.


If you dream of living in the late 1800s or simply have a penchant for old Wild West films, decorate your home in a western style. Saddles don't have to stay in the barn and outhouses offer many decorative possibilities--in the yard. By adding period furniture pieces and simple accessories to your home, your living space will transform into a ranch home faster than Annie Oakley could draw. Does this Spark an idea?


Outside Decor


Welcome guests to your home by adding western decor to the yard, porch and outside living spaces. An old hitching post by the front door, decorated with flowering vines such as morning glories or clematis, adds a rustic, yet beautiful ambiance. A carton of old glass milk jugs on the porch reminds guests of a simpler time, while an old outhouse in the garden creates a conversation piece. And, no home would be complete without a running horse weather vane perched atop the barn, garage or home.


Furniture and Woodwork


Nothing says old west better than unfinished wood with natural wear marks. Forgo restoring original wood floors or painting the trim in your home. An old player piano--complete with discolored keys and nicks on the legs--adds charm to a living room. A dining room set that lacks varnish reminds guests of the simplicity of homesteaders. Custom furniture made from old saddles, wrought iron and barn wood add to the old fashion theme. An old ox yoke mounted to the wall becomes a coat hanger when metal hooks are bolted to the wood.


Accessories


Accessorizing every table and display shelf with western decor reinforces the Wild West theme in the home. The Woolly Sheep recommends hanging reproductions of frontier landscapes on the walls to embellish the western theme. Family portraits can coordinate with purchased artwork by having the prints custom framed in knotty pine or barn wood frames embellished with rusty barbed wire. Old, worn cowboy boots filled with potted plants make a simple statement when placed on windowsills or near doorways. Add a chandelier made from deer antlers, a cowhide rug and a lamp covered in stretched rawhide to remind visitors that in the old west, every part of a hunted animal found a way into the home.







Tags: your home, barn wood, made from, reminds guests, western decor, Wild West