Things You'll Need:
- Paint Furniture Accessories
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Step 1
Choose a style. There's the rustic, log cabin look with its exposed beams and rough textures. Many people enjoy the southwestern ranch style, with Native American motifs on rugs and earth tones. Country ranch style veers toward the feminine, with floral textiles and shabby chic furniture.
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Step 2
Begin with color. Western ranch style is about using colors found in nature, be they sea greens or red rocks, golden sand or bright blue sky. Wall and floor colors tend toward warm tones of terracotta, burnt orange, golden brown and mustard yellow. Accent colors in rusty red, indigo blue and creamy whites are common.
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Step 3
Invest in a couple major pieces that reflect Western ranch style. Try a dining room table in rough-hewn wood or a coffee table made from a vintage wooden or leather footlocker. A bed made out of wrought iron and painted with a distressed finish or a big cabinet adorned with chunky metal hardware can be a focal point. While vintage looks better than new in a ranch-style interior, the pieces need not be from expensive antique stores. Comb flea markets and yard sales for key pieces.
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Step 4
Accessorize the look. Typical Western ranch style accessories are bold and functional, such as a rough woolen throw rug at the entryway or a big straw basket for holding wood next to the fireplace. Handmade items such as quilts, landscape paintings and embroidered textiles also fit into this look.
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Step 5
Bring nature into the interior. The Western ranch style is about the expanse and beauty of nature, so welcome it inside with big potted plants, earthenware pots filled with fresh fruit or antique pitchers holding bouquets of wildflowers. Use sheer fabric over windows to let the sun shine in. Extend the ranch look to the porch with a big porch swing or a vintage wood rocker.
