Big Sky Country

Whether your home is in the Rockies or the Appalachians (or you just wish it were), you can create rooms with rustic warmth and fresh country style. The ones here share common features that add up to a rich, outdoorsy feeling.

This spacious home has red buffalo plaid upholstery that's bold enough for the strong lines of stone and wood.
Cozy and handsome, this spacious home in ski country has a lot to love. Red
and black buffalo plaid upholstery is bold enough to stand up to the strong lines
of stone and wood. A Victorian-inspired, custom chandelier and a sofa table
with a curvy apron add a bit of romance.

Strong, simple window treatments or none at all keep the focus on the view. A fireplace is important: While a wood-burning one is ideal, you can make do with a gas model or even a decorative shell in which you burn an array of sizable pillar candles in varying heights. (Be sure to keep an eye on any source of live flame.)

With focus on a spectacular view, this great room features colors of barn-red, sage-green, and gold.
Keeping the focus on a spectacular view, this great room takes its color scheme
of barn-red, sage-green, and gold from timeworn Oriental rugs. The overall effect
is subdued and rich. If your room is big enough for two conversation groups,
one around the hearth and one around the window is ideal.

Exposed overhead beams don't have to be real supporting members; get the look with today's decorative, lightweight fiberglass beams. Furniture in strong-grained oak or pine is basic, but don't overlook the appeal of unpeeled pole or rattan.

For more decorating ideas, see: