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.

For more decorating ideas, see: