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.
ŠLeo 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.
ŠLeo 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.
ŠLeo 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.

For more decorating ideas, see: