Interior Decorating

  1. Home
  2. Home & Garden
  3. Interior Decorating

Glenna Morton
for About.com


Decorating in a Western Style

page 2 
 Email to a friend
 Printer friendly version

Related Resources
• All Style Guides
• Decor FAQs
• What To Do First...

About Interior Decorating
Subscribe to the Free Newsletter
Your Email Address:

Continued

  • Bedrooms can have a cozy masculine feel when done in Western style. Use a mix of Native American motifs, denim, chambray, and rough woolen blankets, or choose from any of the other Western motifs for a truly personal space.

  • Creativity can let loose when it comes to Western accessories. Look for horseshoe sconces, vintage fishing creels, twig framed mirrors, dried flowers, and large baskets. Cut old jeans, quilts, or leather pieces into squares to make one-of-a-kind pillows. Colorful cotton bandanas can be used as table napkins, as pillow covers, curtain tiebacks, and valances.

  • Floors are generally hardwood. Wide plank flooring and recycled floor boards will add another layer of authenticity to a Western room. Area rugs can be low pile or flat woven styles, or might be real or fake fur animal skins.

  • The fireplace and mantle are essential to a Western themed room. Dress it with functional iron fireplace tools, a decorative metalwork screen, and simple mantle accessories such as hurricane candle shades, a display of pinecones, or a rugged cast bronze sculpture of a cowboy on a horse.

  • Lighting should be functional and substantial. Antler chandeliers (available in both real and cast resin versions) are popular. Lampshades made of stretched rawhide or golden mica bring a soft glow into a Western room. Many lamps and fixtures are made of wood or metal and feature designs and motifs that are Western in mood.

  • Window treatments should be simple and not overpowering. Whenever possible, leave windows uncluttered to showcase a wonderful mountain view. Otherwise look for wooden shutters or blinds, flat roman shades, or simple curtain panels.

  • Since this style is so visually textured, go for large accessories rather than collections of tiny objects. Incorporate stylized pottery, antlers, snowshoes, antique skis, big baskets of pine cones, and similar items. Be aware of the use of contrast when arranging accessories. It can be very effective to mix textures, sizes, and colors when arranging these items.

  • Iron and metal pieces fit well into a Western room. You'll find iron hardware (cabinet knobs, pulls, hinges) as well as metal sink faucets, iron lamp bases, chandeliers, and firescreens.

  • Vintage accessories add an "it's always been here" look. See if you can find an old radio, rusted metal pails, saddlebags, spurs, toboggans, books, skis, snowshoes, or other worn items.

  • Decorative details in a Western styled decor include log and twig accents, nailhead designs, leather fringing, yarn whipstitching, Indian motif beading and the like.

  • Artwork should feature Western styled motifs and might be oil paintings, drawings, vintage photos, sepia toned illustrations, antique Western postcards or book illustrations.

  • A Western dining room is stocked with sturdy stoneware, pottery accents, twig placemats, and accessories that might use Indian, mountain, cowboy, or fishing motifs.
    More about Rustic Style

    Back to All Style Guides...
    Decor FAQs | What to do First... | What Do You Want to Do?

  •  
     ~ Glenna J. Morton
    previous |1 |2

    Explore Interior Decorating

    About.com Special Features

    Green Your Clean

    Rid your home of grime and harsh chemicals by cleaning with these natural items. More >

    Basic Cleaning Supplies

    Every home is different, but this basic cleaning supply list is a good starting point. More >

    Interior Decorating

    1. Home
    2. Home & Garden
    3. Interior Decorating
    4. Decorating Styles
    5. Room Themes
    6. Style Guide to Decorating in a Western Style

    ©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

    All rights reserved.