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To be honest, when it comes to house styles, the first thing that comes to many people’s mind may be “Huh? Isn’t it just decoration?” But in fact, houses of different styles are really very different. Modern style, industrial style, Mediterranean style… they all look similar, but they are all different when you look closely. When it comes to the word “country style”, many people may nod their heads and say, “Oh, I have some impression of it”, but what does it look like specifically? It’s really hard to describe.

Today we are going to talk about this somewhat simple yet unexpectedly interesting country style .


Country style is not “rustic”, but a comfortable “old feeling”

First of all, we need to correct a common misunderstanding: Country style does not mean old-fashioned! It is actually a design style that combines traditional farmhouse architecture, American pastoral style, and even a bit of French lazy temperament. It does not pursue “luxury” or emphasize “minimalism”, but rather has a “natural feeling of life”.

Specifically, there are several typical features that you can see in most country-style homes: gentle colors, old-fashioned furniture, decorative decorations, and a natural atmosphere that is inadvertently revealed. To put it bluntly, it is not like a model house, but more like a home where “someone really lives.”


Color matching: not seeking uniformity, but focusing on comfort

Have you ever been to a model home that was decorated in a very “uniform” way? The colors were uniform, the light and shadows were precise, but it always felt like something was missing. This is not the case with country style, it is more casual.

Common colors, such as gray, cream white, and wood brown, are basic colors. Occasionally you will see a touch of blue in a corner, or a small piece of dark green or brick red – they are not abrupt, but blend naturally, like the mottled light and shadow in the woods.

In the final analysis, the color matching of the country style is not about pursuing “standardization” but “living feeling”. Sometimes it is completely OK to have light green, dark blue and wood brown in the same room at the same time, which gives people a sense of reality that “ah, this house is really lived in”.


Decorative style: Chaotic but orderly, with lots of small things

Country-style decorations are particularly addictive. Small wooden boxes, handmade ceramic jars, glass bottles tied with hemp ropes… They are not expensive or exaggerated, but surprisingly warm.

You may think at first: “Won’t so many things be too messy?” But if they are arranged in a country style, they can actually have a unique sense of harmony. You can hang dinner plates on the wall, put wicker baskets in the corner, and even put a wooden figurine at the head of the bed – no one will think it’s too much, because they are not for decoration, but “placed there conveniently”.

Besides, the country style itself does not pursue the ultimate neatness, it likes the “slightly messy feeling”. It is not sloppy, but the original way of life.


Materials and nature: wood, plants, and a little bit of “roughness”

Natural elements are an integral part of country style. Many home designs in this style are inspired directly by forests, country cottages, old houses, or even the balcony of your grandmother’s house when you were a child.

Wood is the main theme, dark, old, and textured. Some people will install an imitation wood beam in the living room, some like to stick wooden boards on the wall, and some are more “hardcore” and will directly use stone to decorate the fireplace or the floor. Plants are also frequent guests, small potted plants, spider plants, and succulents are all fine. They don’t need to be “high-end”, but they must be lively.

Simply put, the country style is about the feeling of “bringing the nature outside home”. There is no need to stick to the rules, as long as it looks comfortable and makes you feel at ease, it is a good style.


Summary: It’s not fashionable, but it’s good looking

If modern style is the “exquisite urban beauty” in your circle of friends, then country style may be more like your literary friend who wears linen skirts, likes cooking, keeps cats and grows flowers. It does not pursue stunning at first glance, but makes people more pleasing to the eye and more comfortable to live in.

There is no “standard answer” or “right way” to style country style. You can definitely add a little bit of your own mix and match to it – a little Nordic style or a little retro element. As long as it can make you slow down and relax your shoulders when you return home, it will be successful.


If you feel that your home is too cold and too regular, you might as well try using some country-style elements – even just a wooden photo frame, an old cotton and linen tablecloth, or a seemingly inconspicuous small pottery jar, it may be the starting point for your home to become more “flavorful” .

This article has been updated and moved. Click here to go to the latest version:
https://www.dguilty.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-global-interior-design-styles/