Country Decorating Ideas Overview

Fresh country style is a natural fit for to­day's busy lifestyles. It's casual and comforting, just what we long for at the end of the day. Yet, at the same time, it's savvy and sophisticated. After all, we've been around and it shows. The allure of other times and other places ...? Well, that's just a bonus.

Country Decorating Ideas Image Gallery

Wallpaper that mimics log walls can transform any room into a cozy cabin.
©York Wallcoverings
Wallpaper that mimics log walls can transform any room into a
cozy cabin. Shallow, canvas-lined wicker baskets make
clever and good-looking under-bed storage. See more
pictures of country decorating ideas.

You will find fresh country style easy to spot. It's clean without that cutting-edge chill, chic without being fashion-obsessed, and warmhearted without being banal. It's in tune with nature, but unlike the country style of decades back, "nature" doesn't mean dried strawflowers and mauve ducks or bunnies.

Instead, it's likely to mean a few dramatic sunflowers or a bountiful bouquet of old-fashioned roses, and a hand-carved frog or heron, infused with the artisan's personality. Intelligent, organic, and sometimes a bit off-beat, fresh country is definitely right for the times.

Today's fresh country style is kid-friendly, but, at the same time, it reminds you that you have an interest in art history. It's a quilt used for architectural impact as well as for cuddling, wood plank floors chosen for texture as well as comfort for the stand-up cook, and a cedar-lined hope chest that stashes board games as easily as it once did wedding linens.

Country furnishings vary, but they have this in common: They're never around just to impress the neighbors or fill up space.

Fresh country style means fewer things to dust and dry-clean, fuss with or have fall over, but they're better pieces, carefully chosen to meet our needs, both physical and emotional.

Originally, country homes were furnished with whatever was practical and at hand. If you're looking at a bureau from your grandmother's house, a table from your parents' first apartment, and a pair of flea market side chairs you bought years ago, you will realize things haven't changed all that much.

If a piece still works, there's a tendency to hang onto it. What is different is that today we have the luxury of combining practicality with choices influenced by an educated eye and personal flair. Where you've been tells part of your story, but so does the way you mix up heirlooms and hand-me-downs with your own favorite finds, new or old.

This article will show you several variations of fresh country style, and explain how to incorporate the right furnishings, textures, and accessories to create the fresh country look of your dreams. First, we'll give an overview of the types of fresh country style in the next section of this article.

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Types of Country Decor

Country decor has been around for centuries, a fact that adds to its charm and appeal. In this section, we'll discuss different types of country decor in detail.

In With the Old: Antiques and Reproductions

Where do we look for decorating inspiration? Our romantic side loves to recall the mythical "good old days," a time of rough-hewn goods and tender sentiments. Heir­looms that work as well today as they did "way back when" include quilts (with their surprisingly contemporary geometric shapes and colors), heavy cutwork table runners, pewter candlesticks, copper pots, and real wood furniture, from budget-friendly pine and oak to elegant maple and cherry.

This antique reproduction tin gains a bright new use as the base of a table lamp.
©Ballard Designs
This antique reproduction tin gains a bright new use as the base of a table lamp.

For a lighter look, don't forget wicker and rattan; they've been front-porch favorites since breezes were the only air-conditioning.

When you're looking for special pieces to complete your fresh country rooms, don't rule out real antiques: Depending on their rarity, they may be no more costly than modern reproductions. What's more, many are not nearly as fragile as people think, since they were made by hand to last for generations.

Even factory-made Industrial Age pieces from the mid-1800s to the 1930s have earned the patina of age and can cost much less than you'd expect. You won't find a modern queen- or king-size bed among antiques, and you will want to choose a reproduction high chair or crib for safety's sake, but otherwise antiques deserve a second look.

Another option: Search out beloved icons as reproductions from Colonial Williams­burg, Jefferson's Monticello, and many other sources. But remember: The goal is not a period-perfect room; it's one that resonates with the soul-restoring warmth of history, updated for life today.

Alluring Artifacts From Many Lands

What if you crave a little more exotic inspiration? We cherish the colorful heritage of "the old country"-- whether it's from our own family's country of origin or not. Our enduring affection for European country style is part of that romantic perspective. So is our love of furnishings from other cultures around the globe, from Eastern Europe to the Far East.

Charming exotic touches give a worldly air to any room.
©Ballard Designs
Charming exotic touches give a worldly air to any room.

Since the days of sailing ships, American homes have been enriched with rugs from the Orient, porcelain from China, silver from Mexico, and so on. Since the 1960s, our modern outlook has placed new value on "primitive" artifacts, so intricate baskets, dazzling silks, wood carvings, and woven rugs from developing countries have also found a home with us.

So what's the new difference? Careful editing that keeps the warmth and leaves the clutter behind. That's the essence of country decor!

One thing you will appreciate is that country pieces from various cultures tend to go surprisingly well together. A reproduction French armoire from the local furniture store, a pretty mix of odd-lot English teacups from a neighborhood flea market, and an old print from your college trip to Italy can be charming to­gether.

For a look that's a bit more eclectic, try a bold, carved mask from Africa instead of the print from Italy and a cinnabar box from China instead of porcelain from England.

Pieces from different eras can be a bit trickier to mix, but you can balance smooth and rough, opulent and simple for exciting results. For example, a 1940s fruit-motif tablecloth can keep company with a Della Robbia-style still-life if it's displayed in an unpretentious frame, and an ornate, gold frame can dazzle, empty, on a simple white mantel.

And, since we're talking country here, remember that a genuine bird's nest, shell, or piece of driftwood has a natural grace that's worth displaying in any decor. When it comes to fresh country style, it's all in the mix.

And, chances are, the mix is already a factor, since you probably aren't starting with an empty house or apartment. If you've inherited or found pieces that you love, they may already go together, since the things people like usually share certain consistencies.

If your current mix doesn't quite mesh, relax. In this article, you will see ways to use color, visual balance, and other design strategies to create a coherent, pleasing look, using furnishings you already own.

Once you've decided on a general look that appeals to you and fits your lifestyle, you can shop intelligently for necessary pieces and collectible accents that work. And here's a nice bonus: Knowing your style means that you will be able to spot the bargains and the one-of-a-kind treasures.

Let Your Rooms Evolve With Genuine Finds

When you're out there shopping, do remember that "fresh" isn't often found in stale, mass-produced attempts to replicate nostalgic, rustic finds. Fresh country may be a bit sentimental, but it's not corny. Some new retail or craft-fair accessories designed to summon a country feeling miss their mark, because the cute or rustic effect is too calculated.

Eleven impressive feet tall, this china cabinet is made of hand-carved alder wood with juniper trim.
©Santos Furniture
Eleven impressive feet tall, this china cabinet is
made of hand-carved alder wood with juniper trim.

Choose carefully, or pass them by and take your time collecting genuine old items or handmade artifacts that show some artisanship and are meaningful to you.

Before you shop, make room for a fresh start. Sell or give away nonessential items that you don't like, and make a list of the key, big pieces you will need to replace before unloading major furniture items you no longer want to live with. You may find a perfect pair of candlesticks while you're still searching for the right dining table, but what if you have the table first? Fresh country says, resist the temptation to buy ho-hum accessories.

While you're waiting to find the accents you love, you don't have to live with a bare-bones environment. Paint the walls a rich, eye-filling color. Line a craft-store basket with a colorful napkin (look for leftover singles at bargain prices), and fill it with supermarket apples or oranges. Stand a few fresh flowers in a plain water glass about a third as tall as the flowers. And stack up some bargain-pile hardbound books you always meant to read. Result? Instant, inviting style, without compromise!

Express Your Personal Vision

Which fresh country approach appeals to you? You can blend different styles with a practiced hand, but for the easiest success, base your decorating scheme on one of the new classics you will find in these pages. And don't worry; you won't be pigeonholed. Even within a certain style category, you will see a wide range of looks and the furnishings that make them happen.

New Traditional

Do you love golf or tennis in a beautifully maintained setting? Do you enjoy the symphony, opera, or historical museums? Do you think meals at home are worth using the good silver and china once a week or more, even if you're dining on carry-out? Do you love Oriental rugs because they're not only elegant, but also because they're a smart way to disguise the mishaps of daily life with kids? Would a visit to Jefferson's Monticello or Washington's Mount Vernon inspire you? If you think laid-back and gracious can go together, welcome to new traditional style.

This elegant 18th-century-style stool gets a kick from a leopard-print cushion.
©Ballard Designs
This elegant 18th-century-style stool gets a kick from a leopard-print cushion.

New traditional style is symmetrical, graceful, and elegant but not excessively formal. Georgian and Federal styles popular around the time of the Revolutionary War serve as the foundations of new traditional style, and they still deliver a pedigreed look today. The look took a hit after the uptight 1950s version fell from favor, but today's liberated approach has brought Federal style back in a big way.

Our fresh version pairs traditional wood pieces with cushy, comfortable upholstery and replaces yesterday's small tea table with today's more hospitable coffee table.

Neoclassical, white-painted trim looks fresh and unstuffy when paired with bright turquoise, jade, coral, and cranberry walls (tones that, surprisingly, are historically accurate). Rich colors such as these create a vibrant background for heirloom-style furniture, crisp white linens, and the sparkle of brass, glass, and silver. For an airy, more contemporary look that's in subtle contrast to white trim, paint the walls cream, peach, or celadon (pale gray-green).

Eighteenth-century style furniture is key to the new traditional look, but genuine Queen Anne, Sheraton, Hepplewhite, Duncan Phyfe, and Chippendale pieces carry stratospheric prices today. Luckily, the popularity of this look means that beautiful reproductions abound at all price points.

And don't forget Oriental rugs, Chinese porcelain, and other finds from the Far East that are as close as your nearest ethnic shop. Now, as in days of yore, these treasures add depth and resonance to your rooms and your lifestyle.

American Rustic

Do you love camping, hiking, and a fast game of touch football in the backyard when you're supposed to be raking leaves? Do you enjoy watching old movies with old friends? Do you make eating dinner as a family a priority several times a week, whether it's made-from-scratch chicken and biscuits or the quickie version? Would you love to visit Old Deerfield, Green­field Village, or just about any re-creation of the Old West? If you savor the simple pleasures, the heartfelt and homespun, grab hold of American rustic style.

Friendly and down-to-earth, American rustic style has been popular ever since pioneer ranchers and farmers carted their few, handmade possessions into new territories. Today, American rustic style can be found in cozy cabins, massive log ski lodges, spreading prairie farmhouses, and South-west adobe pueblos -- or suburban houses that you want to look like any of the above.

Pine or oak furniture in Shaker or Arts and Crafts style, simple cotton or wool fabrics, and rustic implements of weathered brass, copper, pewter, and tin create an invigorating, no-fuss atmosphere that's perfect for rough-and-tumble family life.

European Country

Do you love gardening and long, brisk walks? Do you enjoy exploring art museums and touring old cathedrals and houses? Will you read anything with an English setting, from new mysteries to 19th-century classics? Do you try new wines and recipes now and then to make everyday dinners a romantic adventure? Do you think a French or Northern Italian restaurant is a great place to broaden the kids' horizons? Is your most cherished dream to visit Europe (for the first or fifth time)? If you adore the romance and culture of European life, bring it home with European country style.

Nothing grounds a refined European-style room like a traditional styled area rug.
©Ballard Designs
Nothing grounds a refined European-style
room like a traditional styled area rug.

England's Victorian country homes gave us casual flowered chintz (originally from British India but inspired by England's lavish gardens), dogs in the living room, fine porcelain, and books everywhere. The Italian and French countryside gave us colorful Provençal fabrics, wondrous art, and a whole new approach to food that pairs passion with freshness.

These are all world-class looks, but pull them out of the predictable, and make room for cultural accents from your own native land or favorite travels, whether that's Ireland or India, Poland or Puerto Rico. In the global village, country rules.

Vintage Charm

Do you love an endless stroll down the streets of old towns or a leisurely swim at a vintage resort? Is your idea of fun browsing flea markets and antique shops? Do you collect old cookbooks or make Grandma's favorite recipes around the holidays, no matter how frantic things get? Would you rather eat in a retro roadside diner or an old country inn than a swanky four-star restaurant? Do you adore old vanity sets, quirky vases, sentimental children's books, and funky kitchenware? Do you love the cottage look of whitewashed wood and painted wicker furniture even if your mother says they're a bit on the shabby side? If you love to mix the funky, sentimental, pretty, and whimsical, come home to vintage charm.

Once-loved old furniture, cookware and dishes, knickknacks and fabrics from the 1920s to the 1950s are still fairly plentiful and affordable, so if you didn't inherit them, check out the resale shops and estate sales. Pastel-colored quilts and chenille bedspreads from the 1930s, bits of old lace, crystal-drop chandeliers and sconces, and maple and walnut dressing tables and dining room groups can give your home a look that's chic, fun, and familiar.

Some old favorites, such as pastel Depression glass, can be expensive, but you can pick up some wonderful bargains. If you find furniture that's still sturdy but the finish is worn, that's part of its charm. If you want a cooler, more unified look, swath everything in white paint, and when it's dry, use fine-grit sandpaper to "distress" the new finish and give it the patina of age. (This trick works with new, unfinished furniture, too.)

Modern manufacturers now offer many vintage-look items at retail, which can help you fill in major pieces in sync with the look you love.

Contemporary Country

Do you love racquetball or tennis but dream of hang gliding? Are you energized by the latest night spots and modern art exhibits, but are just as happy with a pick-up ball game in the park? Were you quick to rediscover retro comfort food along with the latest ethnic fare, and do you make time now and then to create a dish or two yourself? Do you love serene neutral tones sparked with strong colors and have no problem weeding out clutter? If this is your scene, take a look at contemporary country.

Forward-looking and flexible, contemporary country makes a statement that's at home anywhere. This free-spirited look is just as suited to urban pioneers as to those in the wide-open spaces. Contemp­orary country thrives on a variety of designs with strong, simple lines and great colors. Check out African or Native American handicrafts, Shaker furniture, and handmade, one-of-a-kind ceramics and art furniture.

Warmth matters: Where modern style may be steel and black with a jolt of red, contemporary country is more likely to be brass and deep chocolate or taupe, accented with coral, cranberry, or other off-red hue.

While it's most dramatic in a modern architectural setting with lots of windows on the great outdoors, contemporary country can also thrive in a vintage walk-up or a loft with exposed brick walls. The secret is to pare down to the essentials, then add back the dramatic finds that speak to you.

Contemporary country is inspired by low-slung prairie style and mid-century modern style. But any design with strong and simple lines works fine. Antique Shaker-style or hearty Arts and Crafts-style furniture are great examples of the unity of form and function modernists prize. (Luckily, you can easily find affordable reproductions of these two popular styles.)

Other sure bets are your favorite finds such as old farm implements, baskets, and strongly patterned Native American weavings. Mix them in with modern upholstery for a look you can live with anywhere.

Eclectic Country

Do you love soccer, yoga, or just about any kind of dance? Do you appreciate Asian art, old French furniture, early American wrought iron, and modern-design fabrics? Do you enjoy fusion cuisine, down-home cooking, and ethnic fare of all kinds? Is your dream trip an international cruise with many ports of call? If this sounds intriguing to you, explore eclectic country style.

Eclectic country style may be the freshest take on country yet. Not since the 1960s has America been so tuned in to the cultural richness of the world. Today's eclectic country style borrows freely from a wealth of exotic, organic influences.

This appealing replica recalls the flower markets of Paris.
©Ballard Designs
Made in the United Kingdom but based on a 1920s French clock,
this appealing replica recalls the flower markets of Paris.

Sure, American style has always included elements from afar brought back by seafaring ships. Paisley shawls, Oriental rugs, Chinese porcelains, and African mahogany and jewels are just some of the treasures of the East that have long embellished Western life. However, unlike in the Victorian era, today's eclectic style isn't about acquisition and clutter. Instead, it's about carefully selecting pieces you love from several eras and cultures and using them in a livable, balanced way.

In this way, pottery from Asia, basketry from Africa, and sari-silk pillows and a dhurrie rug from India look exciting with an antique armoire, a modern serpentine sectional, and a plain Shaker table. Worldly yet never too serious, eclectic country's deft diversity invites the world inside.

Look Ahead

Whichever style you choose, look through these pages to get great decorating ideas for your fresh country home. Let's start our discussion of fresh country decor with a fresh take on traditional styling. Continue to the next section for detailed decorating advice.

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Throw Traditional a Curve

Can you have a fresh country style decorating scheme that's both pared down and pampered? This kitchen makes it look easy.

A plain kitchen stool and a classic American farm table seem perfectly at home with more formal French chairs.
©John A. Buscarallo
A plain kitchen stool and a classic American farm table seem
perfectly at home with more formal French chairs.
The unique stained-glass windows have an early-modern feel.

Art nouveau, 18th-century French, and 19th-century modern elements add a captivating spirit of fun to this predominantly traditional kitchen. The unusual mix captures attention without being jarring, thanks to the soothing palette of neutral and natural tones used throughout.

abinets with an antiqued pecan finish lend a warm glow to areas housing modern, brushed-stainless appliances.
©Ballard Designs
Cabinets with an antiqued pecan finish lend a warm glow to areas housing
modern, brushed-stainless appliances. The old-fashioned goose-neck faucet and
cross-style taps enhance the vintage atmosphere.

Cabinets are a carefully balanced mix of antiqued honey, taupe, and brown wood that flow gently from one to another, and the fresh white backgrounds (subway tiles on the wall, limestone on the floor) let the decorative elements star.

A buffet and china hutch like these, are also offered by some kitchen cabinet companies these days.
©John A. Buscarello
A buffet and china hutch like these, long available in furniture stores
and antique shops, are also offered by some kitchen cabinet
companies these days.

The rich look is enhanced by discreet use of ornate carvings -- too much, and they would lose their special appeal. Curvy, art nouveau-inspired chandeliers focus attention on the casual dining table and sink island, grace notes that manage to be both grand and lighthearted.

A pretty flower garden can be an inspiration for decorating with country style. Read the next section to learn how to incorporate nature's motifs into your home.

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Fresh-Picked and Pretty

When you're stuck for a way to easily create a fresh country style kitchen or dining area, turn to inspirations from the orchard and garden. These rooms are unabashedly sentimental, but they're grounded in nature's own motifs for timeless appeal.

Red plus white, black, and natural wood tones make a lively scheme for this inviting dining area.
©FSC Wallcoverings
Red plus white, black, and natural wood tones make
a lively scheme for this inviting dining area.

To capture the look, start with an appetizing color or two to put family and friends in a cheerful mood any time of day. To further the theme, pick wallcoverings or wall art that sports your favorite fruits or flowers.

If you like highly realistic images, botanical prints depicting natural subjects in various stages of life and in close-up detail are as popular today as they were in the 1700s.

Curvy French chairs, a plain, round trestle table, and an antique dresser create an interesting mix.
©FSC Wallcoverings
Curvy French chairs, a plain, round trestle table, and an antique dresser
with novelty carvings create an interesting mix. However, it's the appealing
wallcovering and cushion fabric printed with botanical-inspired oranges
that makes the look.

If you prefer a looser look, traditional designs are widely available, including designs that look like old-fashioned roller prints. Complete your scheme with matching or coordinating fabrics in the same colors, and put on the kettle!

New traditional style combines 18th-century-style furniture with light, bright colors and casual, down-to-earth romantic accents. In the next section, get great tips for achieving this look.

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Treasures from the Past

You've got a lot of leeway in furnishing a fresh country style home that's alive with new traditional style. More elegant than most other country-inspired schemes, new traditional style appreciates the historic patina of fine antiques and the dignity of beautifully crafted reproductions.

Consider today's budget-wise, lightweight lamps of wood-look resin.
©Plow & Hearth
If you can't find an antique wood lamp in a style you like, consider today's
budget-wise, lightweight lamps of wood-look resin. This one mimics mahogany,
and the handsome leaf motif is classically inspired.

At the same time, new traditional isn't held hostage to the stuffier aspects of the past. Hearkening back to the late Colonial (Georgian) and Federal periods of the nation's founders, new traditional style mixes 18th-century-style furniture with light, bright upholstery fabrics and wall treatments plus a lighthearted array of more casual, romantic accents that bring the look cheerfully down to earth.

An antique reproduction console in a weathered gray finish adds traditional French-inspired elegance.
©Ballard Designs
An antique reproduction console in a weathered gray finish adds
traditional French-inspired elegance to a foyer or other small area.

Simple ticking stripes look fine with luxurious kilim rugs, united by their soft palettes.

Pretty and elegant, this hand-woven, pure wool kilim rug adds a rich yet delicate look to any traditional setting.
©Ballard Designs
Pretty and elegant, this hand-woven, pure wool kilim rug
adds a rich yet delicate look to any traditional setting.

Pretty little tables keep company with massive, impressive china cabinets as long as they share fanciful detailing. For a surefire accent, anything tastefully suggesting the Stars and Stripes is a classic winner.

This graceful goblet and pitcher are of a modern alloy with the look of pewter.
©Plow & Hearth
Pewter, silver, copper, and brass add timeless beauty and a festive gleam
to any traditional home. This graceful goblet and pitcher are of a
modern alloy with the look of pewter.

There are many more country decorating ideas for your home. In the next section of this article, learn how to create a simple, rustic style reminiscent of pioneer days.

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Little House in the Big Woods

This simple cabin is very close to what many pioneer homes looked like. Hewn from the forests around them, furnished with the basics, and decorated with only a few simple accessories, early American cabins were clearly the inspiration for this fresh country style getaway. Even if you don't have a real log home, many of the ideas shown here are worth adapting.

All pieces come from different eras.
©Leo Conklin
A hitchcock traditional, gold-embellished black paint, a roomy leather
club chair, and an early American settle bench designed to
keep away drafts are all from different eras.

To give yourself a fresh start, do what interior designers often advise: Start with empty rooms, and put back only what you need. As shown in this comfortable living room, things don't need to be from the same era to work nicely together.

This rustic room needs only a few bright accent pieces for color.
©Leo Conklin
Red-and-white spatterware, soft red window swags, and a
red-flecked rag rug are all the color this rustic room needs.

A rustic home doesn't have to mean roughing it, either. In this cabin, the heater-fireplace and state-of-the-art gas stove take advantage of modern technology, but they're carefully designed to recall their rustic forebears. This house proves that sometimes "getting away from it all" is an inside job.

Any bed under the eaves is cozy.
©Leo Conklin
Any bed under the eaves is cozy, but a bed carved from
the same wood as the surrounding walls is even more so.

You can also transform your home into an outdoorsy retreat by using elegant natural materials. Get more decorating details in the next section.

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Quiet Retreats

Fresh country style comes in many versions, influenced by climate, history, and other fascinating factors. This room illustrates a bit of that variety.

For a handsome lodge look, elegant natural materials -- heirloom wood furniture, slate, and stone flooring -- create a fuss-free foundation for an outdoorsy, elegant lifestyle.

This pueblo-style hearth evokes the simple dignity of Southwest style.
©Irene M. Facciolo
This pueblo-style hearth evokes the simple dignity of Southwest style.

Southwest style, with its cool-white adobe walls, seems surprisingly modern with its gently curved architecture. Against this pale, sculpted background, dark wood and jewel-toned accents stand out. If you don't have real adobe walls, use textured white plaster and add more accessories, such as colorfully striped Mexican serapes and punched-tin accents.

Study the key elements for the particular look you want to achieve: With rustic style, it doesn't take a lot to make it happen.

Whether you live in an apartment or house, in the city or the suburbs, you can easily bring rustic ambiance to your home. In the next section, we'll show you how to add a few key touches to your decor.

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All in the Details

If your dream is fresh country style but your reality is a conventional house or apartment in the city or suburbs, you can still bring home rustic style. These rooms show how a few key touches can be used to suggest the mood. These touches constitute an easy shopping list for creating a rustic ambiance without going overboard.

High, horizontal windows above built-in bookcases flanking a fireplace are typical of bungalow style.
©New West
High, horizontal windows above built-in bookcases flanking a fireplace
are typical of bungalow style, a rather citified version of cabin style.

For starters, checks and plaids say "rustic country" better than any other patterns. In the cozy bungalow, a sun-bleached animal's skull, hand-painted pottery, and a few other choice accessories create a country cabin mood.

In the small powder room, Native American motifs on the vintage light and medicine cabinet are all it takes to communicate the owners' interests.

A nostalgic light fixture features silhouettes of a Native American buffalo hunt.
©New West
Above the sink, a nostalgic light fixture features silhouettes of a
Native American buffalo hunt and recalls 19th-century "magic lantern" lights.

In the next section, learn how to use Mission-style furnishings and leather accents to bring fresh country style to any room.

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Natural Wonders

From early American log cabins to Old West ranches, American fresh country style draws on an array of warmhearted options.

Eleven impressive feet tall, this china cabinet is made of hand-carved alder wood with juniper trim.
©Santos Furniture
Eleven impressive feet tall, this china cabinet is made of hand-carved
alder wood with juniper trim. Hand-painted panels depict sandhill cranes.

Mission furniture, an expression of the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 1900s, is a mainstay of this style, since it recaptures the straight-lined, honest, handmade furniture of early settler days. (You'll find mission style works well in several other Fresh Country Style signatures, too; a nice bonus if your family has differing tastes.)

Other options include pieces made from casual, open-grain woods such as pine and oak; twig furniture; and peeled log furniture.

This chair wears deep brown leather with a subtly aged look.
©Santos Furniture
A hand-painted wine cabinet/end table features a top of natural speckled granite
and expressively gnarled juniper wood legs. The coordinating chair
wears deep brown leather with a subtly aged look.

Leather is a classic upholstery choice for this style; woven fabrics with Native American and other timeless motifs are handsome, too. Look for little touches such as whipstitched trim on leather lamp shades: A few great details make the look with simplicity.

Want to create a garden-inspired bedroom everyone can enjoy? The next section has fresh country decorating ideas for a flowering boudoir.

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Boudoirs in Bloom

Around the world and in every era, flowers have been the most common inspiration for beautiful fabrics and wallcoverings. Flowers work well with fresh country style decorating.

This cheerful bedroom is filled with rich sunflower-yellows and poppy-reds.
©Stroheim & Romann
This cheerful bedroom is filled with rich sunflower-yellows and poppy-reds.
Simple white muslin with snappy plaid trim makes a charming curtain.

Bedrooms seem especially suited to the lovely, lighthearted influence of garden blooms, but you don't have to be knee-deep in pink to create a flowery bower. These three rooms show just some of the variety possible with sophisticated floral treatments.

To create a garden-inspired bedroom everyone can enjoy, cut the sweet effect with numerous contrasting elements such as rough wood floors and sisal rugs.

Muted gray-green makes a quietly elegant background for sprays of roses in this guest room.
©Stroheim & Romann
Muted gray-green makes a quietly elegant background for sprays of roses, and
crisp plaid and solid fabrics keeps the florals from looking too sweet.

Balance a floral print with tailored plaids, stripes, or checks, and choose gender-neutral but restful solid colors such as gray, cream, or gold. Best of all, take a tip from nature and pair your floral prints with a coordinating green.

Timeless celadon green makes a sophisticated background for botanical-style blooms that are overscaled for a contemporary, super-graphic effect.
©Stroheim & Romann
Timeless celadon green makes a sophisticated background for botanical-style
blooms. A plaid chair and tailored bed skirt add zip.

To enhance the breezy spirit of your floral room, choose simple, airy window treatments. Add a restrained canopy for the ultimate in grown-up romance.

Poised, chic, and somewhat exotic, the next country fresh style is sure to stir your imagination. Read on to learn more.

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A Certain Savoir Faire

Poised and feminine but never too sweet, these fresh country style rooms are refined yet easy to live with. Fabrics with formal polish set the tone, but the muted pastel colors give these rooms a young, chic spirit.

Dusty violet and oyster-white make an unusual and sophisticated color scheme for this restrained boudoir.
©Stroheim & Romann
Dusty violet and oyster-white make an unusual and sophisticated
color scheme for this restrained boudoir. Walls and window treatments
in quintessential French toile set the scene; pencil-striped and
diamond-patterned fabrics provide crisp contrast.

Grayed tints of plum, green, and blue are sophisticated yet lighthearted; paired with buttercream and white , they're fresh. You could achieve similar results with peach and dove gray, celadon and cream, or pale aqua and light taupe.

A formal damask sofa lightens up with subtle striped welting in the same cream and French-blue tints.
©Strohheim & Romann
This French-inspired room is a mix of elegant and playful touches.
A formal damask sofa lightens up with subtle striped welting
in the same cream and French-blue tints.

Unique and subtly playful touches give these rooms special charm and confidence that express the owner's personal style. In the bedroom, an old white iron architectural fragment adds presence above the headboard.

Green willow leaves create a lush yet serene background for this peaceful breakfast nook.
©Stroheim & Romann
Green willow leaves create a lush yet serene background
for this peaceful breakfast nook.

In the breakfast room, bamboo and cane-inset antiques lend a fresh, slightly exotic air; and in the sitting room, sprightly ball fringe decks a whimsical pouf. Simple window treatments and casually arranged flowers continue the relaxed look.

Give your home a European flair by decorating in English, French, Pennsylvania Dutch (German), or Swedish country styles. The next section of this article will show you how to do it.

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European Accents

English, French, Pennsylvania Dutch (German), and Swedish fresh country styles are some of the most perennially appealing looks in America. That's no surprise; many of the earliest settlers came from these lands.

There's always space for a distinctive occasional chair like this one.
©Ballard Designs
There's always space for a distinctive occasional chair like this one.
Graceful lines are soothing, and elegant rosette medallions add panache.

Even if your ancestors hearken from elsewhere, you can adopt these popular looks and, even fresher, adapt them to your family's culture and your own personal taste. European country is relaxed, so mix and match to your heart's content.

Inspired by the legendary carpet designs of Anatolia, this one is hand-knotted in pure wool.
©Ballard Designs
Boldly colored in jewel tones or quietly tinted in soft shades, nothing grounds
a refined European-style room like a traditionally styled area rug.
Tthis one is hand-knotted in pure wool.

Try a palette of celadon green, antique-white, and berry for an English garden look or a trio of gallant red, yellow, and blue for a French country feeling.

this little stool has a French toile cushion cover in pure wool needlepoint with nailhead trim.
©Ballard Designs
This little stool has a French toile cushion cover in pure wool needlepoint
with nailhead trim and hand-turned legs with carved rosettes
in genuine cherry wood with a walnut finish.

Blue and white china is common to all these styles; toile, once French, works everywhere and so do pretty chairs and traditional needlepoint. Mix florals plus stripes or plaids for a look that's irrepressibly romantic.

Hungry for more fresh country style ideas? In the next section, we'll show you how to use vintage accents to create a style that evokes memories of times gone by.

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Gentle Memories

With their soft, aged colors and smooth, timeworn textures, these pretty, fresh country style rooms remind us of gentle moments of times gone by. Vintage-style wallcovering and related fabrics go a long way toward creating an old-fashioned, whimsical look.

New floral fabric with a weathered blue background works nicely with white matelassé.
©York Wallcoverings
New floral fabric with a weathered blue background works nicely with
white matelassé, a vintage fabric that's back in style.
An old dresser gets a new life with a fresh coat of white paint.

Floral prints are obviously on target, but today's manufacturers have also come up with designs that evoke a vintage look with a bit of tongue-in-cheek cleverness. So you can create a setting that reminds you of Grandma's house without taking it all too literally.

Witty wallcovering with a chicken-wire design is topped with a border of delicately illustrated hens.
©York Wallcoverings
Witty wallcovering with a chicken-wire design is topped with a border
of delicately illustrated hens. Simple, open-wall shelves make a great display,
and cabinets with gently arched door panels are traditional without being formal.

To further the gentle retro look, enlist fuzzy chenille trims, matelassé, and other fabrics popular in the '30s and '40s. If you didn't inherit Grandma's heirloom furniture, scout the resale shops, flea markets, and estate sales (find them in the classifieds and get there early with cash in hand).

If you can't find just the piece you want, don't overlook reproductions sold in conventional furniture stores. Vintage style is hot, and it's everywhere.

If you can't get enough of floral motifs, continue to the next section for more flowery -- and fruitful -- country decorating ideas.

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Fruits and Flowers

These vintage, fresh country style kitchens and dining room take naturally to the timeless appeal of floral and fruit motifs.

A plain vanilla room is transformed with a clever trio of country wallcoverings.
©FSC Wallcoverings
A plain vanilla room is transformed with a clever trio of country wallcoverings.
An airy pattern of wildflowers is grounded by a hearty plaid
and accented with a dense border of sunflowers.

The right wallcoverings can enliven a small kitchen or dining room, make up for any lack of elements, and add charm to workaday pieces. Fruit- and flower-motif wallcoverings are so popular that they're available in every style: contemporary '40s retro, American folk-art primitive, opulent English Victorian, and more.

A dense, Victorian-inspired pattern of apples and apple blossoms gives this vintage dining room depth and interest.
©FSC Wallcoverings
A dense, Victorian-inspired pattern of apples and apple blossoms gives this
vintage dining room depth and interest. Chair cushions carry out the orchard
theme; green, aqua, and white wood furniture lighten the mood.

These rooms illustrate the variety and the charm of the world's most popular motifs. Add an array of cabinets, tables, and chairs in a mix of white and colorfully painted and natural wood finishes for even more interest.

A mix of green, white, and natural wood finished pieces enhance the heirloom look.
©FSC Wallcoverings
A mix of green, white, and natural wood finished pieces enhance the
heirloom look, but the metal-and-wicker stool with its skirted cushion
is a contemporary touch.

If your kitchen is complete but showing its age, consider refinishing existing cabinets in two or three colors, perhaps white above, wood below, and a painted color on a china hutch or island. These rooms all use soft greens, but an antiqued apple red would be appetizing, too.

In the next section, we'll show you more ways to work with nostalgic palettes to create a fresh country decor in your home.

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Colorful Sentiments

Sentimental but never stuffy, rooms furnished with fresh country style and vintage accents evoke our most reassuring, tender memories. Like a beloved patchwork quilt handed down for generations, a decorating scheme based on vintage charm is a pastiche of many appealing elements.

This appealing replica clock recalls the flower markets of Paris.
©Ballard Designs
Made in the United Kingdom but based on a 1920s French clock,
this appealing replica recalls the flower markets of Paris.

Establish a lighthearted, nostalgic palette with mint green, cheery jonquil yellow, old-fashioned lilac, and other tender garden tints that were popular from the 1920s through the 1950s.

Grandma would have loved this pretty little dresser.
©Swedish Blonde
Grandma would have loved this pretty little dresser. All decked out
in fresh, soft white with charming, old-fashioned details,
it features plenty of storage drawers for practicality.

Pick up on old favorites such as white-painted iron bedsteads and open cabinets. Cupboards, armoires, and other cabinets with bead-board interiors boost the cottage feeling; you can also apply bead board to walls below the chair-rail level.

This armoire features large louvered doors.
©Ballard Designs
This armoire features large louvered doors, recalling the shutters
on grand old homes in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Embellish the setting with soft chenille, charming appliqués, hand-pieced quilts, and braided rugs.

This antique reproduction tin gains a bright new use as the base of a table lamp.
©Ballard Designs
This antique reproduction tin gains a bright new use
as the base of a table lamp. A red gingham shade
adds a cheery top note.

Indulge in nostalgically styled lamps and plump pillows with farm-fresh motifs for a lighthearted look. Group a few treasured old family photos, and enjoy the memories.

A sweetly scalloped apron gives this charming
©Maine Cottage
A sweetly scalloped apron gives this charming "Nellie" desk vintage appeal.

To give country styling a free-spirited, contemporary twist, try the practical decorating advice in the next section of this article.

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Contemporary Country

If you like warmth but not clutter, this fresh country style is made for you. It pairs the heirloom character of the past with today's easygoing lifestyle. The result? A look that's as free-spirited as the wide-open spaces: one that's grounded in the beauty of handicrafts and natural materials, the elegance of strong and simple lines, the appeal of rich colors, and lots of windows on the great outdoors.

Oversized and overstuffed, this chair surrounds you with comfort but doesn't sacrifice good looks.
©Plow & Hearth
Oversized and overstuffed, this chair surrounds you with comfort
but doesn't sacrifice good looks. Arching, art deco-inspired curves
and splayed saber legs deliver dramatic contemporary style.

Contemporary country is inspired by low-slung prairie style and mid-century modern style. But any design with strong and simple lines works well. Antique Shaker-style furniture is a great example of the unity of form and function modernists prize.

Other sure bets are your favorite finds mixed with modern upholstery for a look you can easily live with, anywhere. (A look this clean and uncluttered is as much at home in a city apartment as in a mountain lodge.) So pick contemporary, and feel free. There's nothing more American than that.

Next, learn how the owners of a lakeside retreat achieved a look of timeless livability in their home's country styling.

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Lakeside Idyll

Anyone would envy these homeowners' wonderful location right on the water. But inside, there's a lot to like that has little to do with the exterior. The architecture and furnishings work together to create an fresh country style that's casual and modern -- and, at the same time, familiar and comforting.

Beautifully crafted ceiling beams have an artful appeal that has all the grace of old barn beams.
©Davis Frame Co., Inc.
Beautifully crafted ceiling beams have an artful appeal that has all the grace
of old barn beams plus the excitement of modern architecture.

While the location is a rare treasure, interior elements can be found in every part of the country. First, the plain white walls and barnlike exposed beams are timeless. The white kitchen is enlivened by interesting counter stools and playful lighting. In the larger dining area, oak furniture is sleekly styled yet enduringly warm.

A very traditional white kitchen looks fresh and modern with the simple, exposed-beam ceiling.
©Davis Frame Co., Inc.
A very traditional white kitchen looks fresh and modern with the simple,
exposed-beam ceiling and frisky metal-and-wicker counter stools.

The romantic living area pairs conventional easy chairs with a big, modern sectional and glass-topped porch tables. To get this look, find modern pieces with warmth and sleek simplicity. The result? Timeless livability.

An easygoing modern great room encompasses kitchen, living room, large-group dining area, and small-group dining room in one flowing space.
©Davis Frame Co., Inc.
An easygoing modern great room encompasses kitchen, living room,
and dining room in one flowing space. The large curving sectional
in the living room is modern style at its most relaxed.

Like a country style that's cool, clean, and fresh? Then you'll love the decorating ideas in the next section of this article.

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Simply Fresh

Fresh country style finds common ground between the simplicity of earlier times and the simplicity of modern design. Both are rigorous about following the modernist dictum, "form follows function." That means few or no extraneous details or embellishments, but it doesn't mean cold or skimpy.

Sleek and simple, this very modern sofa brings cool, good looks to a contemporary country room.
©Directions, Inc.
A minimalist setting demands furniture with sculptural presence,
and this sofa fills the bill. Sleek and simple, but with unmistakable flair,
this very modern sofa brings cool, good looks to a
contemporary country room.

Contemporary country features a wonderful range of furniture styles with sculptural presence, whether the pieces were designed in the 1790s or the 1990s. Early American Shaker style is a classic that spans all eras; hearty, handsome mission, prairie, and Arts and Crafts styles from the early 1900s have a timeless drama of their own.

A
©Directions, Inc.
A "Stillwood" cocktail table gives a nod to sophisticated '30s
art moderne style, bringing special pizzazz to any room. The
saber legs and divided top with oval cutouts provide subtle interest.

Sleek art moderne and art deco designs from the 1920s and 1930s add a spirit of glamour without clutter. Keep backgrounds cool and clean, and you're all set!

Take advantage of the cultural richness of today's world by adding global elements to your home's decor. The next section has practical decorating advice for an eclectic style.

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Eclectic Country

For a really fresh country style, look to the eclectic. Not since the 1960s has America been so tuned in to the cultural richness of the world, and today's eclectic country style borrows freely from a wealth of exotic influences.

Eclectic style comes to life in an intricately hand-painted, handwoven bamboo basket.
©Ballard Designs
Eclectic style comes to life in an intricately hand-painted,
handwoven bamboo basket.

Sure, American style has always included elements from afar brought back by seafaring ships. Paisley shawls, Oriental rugs, Chinese porcelains, and African mahogany and jewels are just some of the treasures that have long embellished Western life.

But unlike in the Victorian era, today's eclectic style isn't about acquisition and clutter. Instead, it's about carefully selecting pieces you really love from several eras and cultures and using them in a livable, balanced way.

Eclectic country style takes pottery from Asia, basketry from Africa, and sari-silk pillows and a dhurrie rug from India and makes them look exciting with an antique armoire, a modern serpentine sectional, and a plain Shaker table. Worldly yet whimsical, eclectic country style can help make the global village feel like home.

More globally inspired decorating ideas are in the next section, along with advice on mixing and matching country styles.

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In the Mix

Fresh country style is subject to different interpretations around the world, but everywhere "country" means simple, relaxed, close to nature, and in touch with the basic rhythms of life.

This elegant 18th-century-style stool gets a kick from a leopard-print cushion in pure wool needlepoint.
©Ballard Designs
Certain prints and stripes and animal skin designs transcend eras and styles.
This elegant 18th-century-style stool gets a kick from a
leopard-print cushion in pure wool needlepoint.

To achieve eclectic country style, combine country favorites from several eras and several cultures. Once called "worldly," this look has evolved to something we might call "globally aware design." To get there, venture into dramatic, well-edited combinations.

. Inspired by Caribbean colonial images, this pillow makes a sophisticated, fun accent for today's beach house decorating.
©Ballard Designs
Inspired by Caribbean colonial images, this pillow makes a
sophisticated, fun accent for today's beach house decorating.

Dark, elaborate colonial Caribbean style is a rich, romantic take on 18th-century elegance; handsome Arts and Crafts style also provides a great decorating basis. Enhance the exotic ambience with wicker and rattan furniture plus Asian artifacts and accents.

For a chic touch, go for sophisticated modern fabrics, timeless stripes, or faux-animal prints on classic furniture pieces. Add a few select pieces of colorful art furniture and bright handcrafted accessories to create a world you'll love to live in.

In this article, we've presented a bounty of different ways to create a fresh country style. Base your decorating scheme on one of these ideas, or use them as inspiration for your own personalized country decor.

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New Traditional

Love of the land ran deep in the hearts of our nation's founders, so it's no surprise that one face of fresh country style is symmetrical, graceful, and elegant. Georgian and Federal styles popular around the time of the Revolutionary War still resonate in our hearts today. They're truly classics, based on styles born in the ancient democracy of Greece.

This rush-seat chair is a replica of a traditional French chair.
This rush-seat chair is a replica of a traditional French chair. It's obvious that it
was handcrafted by skilled artisans because of the attention to details. The chair
is sure to look elegant on its own or with an equally classy dining-room table.

Styles from the 18th century (Queen Anne, Sheraton, Hepplewhite, Chippen­dale, and Duncan Phyfe) in deep cherry and mahogany woods, damask and velvet fabrics, silver tea sets, gilt-framed mirrors, and handsome, white-painted trim deliver an air of restrained luxury and good breeding. But elegant doesn't mean stuffy.

With heirloom-style pieces, this dining room is fit for our great-grandparents.
With heirloom-style pieces, this dining room is fit for our great-grandparents.
But the cream-colored walls, bright windows, and furniture placement remove
the dust of yesterday and give the space room to breathe. Short gasps of color
in the dark green and red accents stay true to the old and add touches of interest
that are fashionable today.

Historically accurate, bright pastel walls or jewel-toned walls create a vibrant background for beautiful, heirloom-inspired furniture. The effect? Both exciting and timeless, neoclassical and classical. But that's not really surprising, because the spirit of '76 is forever.

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