5 Ways to Create a Rustic Neutral Living Room Design
Warm, Comfy, Cozy…is that the dream Living Room you want to snuggle into at the end of YOUR day? If so, read on…and I’ll show you how to do it!
Rustic Neutral Living Room Design Version #1
So after I’ve worked a full day, made dinner, and tucked my three sweet kiddos in, the ONLY place I want to be is curled up in my Living Room. It is TV binge time (or maybe a Kindle binge if I’m in the middle of a good book), but I want to be comfy, cozy, and in my favorite sweatpants. So if you are feeling me, I want to introduce you to the Rustic-Meets-Modern Neutral Living Room. My client reached out to me because she was stuck with her Living Room and wanted it to be the hub of her home.
My client already own this gray Pottery Barn sofa, and wanted a mix of items that were rustic/comfy yet had a modern/sleek edge to it. And the Pinterest board she made for me was full of neutral, warm tones. Item #4 was an image I pulled from her Pinterest board to help inspire her new custom design.
Tip #1 for a Rustic Neutral Decor: Use Leather Furniture
Leather can be your bestie. If you like a rustic, farmhouse look-you can try a more distressed leather like these Pottery Barn Raylan chairs (#5). And if you want bit more of a modern look, check out Version #2 below for a sleeker, more modern version of this leather chair. Leather is really durable, easy to clean, and is great with children. If you invest in quality leather, it actually gets BETTER looking over time. Since leather typically comes in neutral colors, it is a great way to keep a neutral look without being boring.
Tip #2 for a Rustic Neutral Decor: Go Wild…with your Throw Pillows
If you have been hanging with me for awhile, I ALWAYS tell you to go neutral with your large pieces (such as a sofa), but throw pillows are where you can let your hair down and have some fun. They are inexpensive, easy to swap out, and are a great way to add color and texture. When you want a neutral look…you don’t want boring. All of her throw pillows (#12-16) are from Etsy and a removable pillow covers, and add a lot of pattern to her space. If you get stuck on combing throw pillows, here is an easy formula:
Solid color + Large Print + Small Print
This was also a place where I introduced her little pop of color: Navy. Three of the throw pillows have navy in them, and they will be scattered throughout her Living Room design on different furniture. Using the same pops of color through out your room is a great way to make it feel cohesive.
Tip #3 for a Rustic Neutral Decor: When in Doubt, Go with Black
My client had some open shelves in her Living Room that she needed help styling. Styling shelves can be tricky, so one designer trick is to repeat the same color all throughout your shelves (like in Item #17 below)
Matte black tones are a classic that isn’t readily going to go out of style. So in her Living Room, I helped her decorate her open shelves with several items in this tone, scattered all throughout her shelves: World market terrariums (#19 and #20), black storage boxes from Target’s Magnolia line (#24), H&M modern black candlesticks (#24 and #25) and black Target frames (#25).
Rustic Neutral Living Room Version #2
With all of my Postbox Designs clients, I always include a round of revisions with their Room Package! After I get to know them by filling out a simple Welcome Packet, I send my clients their custom room design. Then I give them a chance to go everything and let me know what they love, don’t love, and would like to see differently. Then I include a round of revisions to make those changes.
So while my client loved the overall look, we did swap out a more modern version of her coffee table, to this Wayfair wood and metal version (#2), added in a West Elm pouf (#8), and a more modern leather chair (#5).
Tip #4 for a Rustic Neutral Decor: Go for the Durable Coffee Table
I don’t know about your home, but in my house, there are certain pieces of furniture that get abused. Items like side tables or a lamp don’t really get THAT much use. However items like your sofa or coffee table take a beating, especially if you have kids. As I’m writing this post I’m hanging out on my sofa (barefoot, in yoga pants, with a messy bun!) and I’m looking at my coffee table. My leftover lunch is there, my remnants of my daughter’s art project is there, and my son was climbing on it last night. My coffee table works hard.
So I almost always suggest going with a durable, tough coffee table. And if you love this rustic look, using a rustic, distressed coffee table top is a GREAT thing to include. A distressed wood top is going to hide a lot of sins, rather than a polished, glossy finish. In both of her Living Room Designs, her coffee table has this top, but in this version, I found one with more modern legs for her.
Tip #5 for a Rustic Neutral Decor: Go for One High-Impact Piece of Art
A lot of Living Rooms these days have an open floor plan…which means there aren’t a lot of walls. This was the case with my client’s room. So we went with a SINGLE piece of artwork, but one that would make a big impact.
This black and white print from Minted.com (#10) has a neutral rustic look to it. So for a high impact look, I suggested she order the largest size available, which was 24″x36″. She centered it over her sofa-and this large piece is all she needed. But to make it even more special, I suggested she had a matte gold sconce centered over her print (#7). This Lamps Plus modern sconce is actually a PLUG-IN, so she didn’t need an electrician. The large picture would cover most of the cord, and it gave her an inexpensive way to take her artwork to the next level.
Other Ways to Create a Rustic Neutral Living Room
And here are some other sure-fire accessories that you can add to your Living Room to bring in this warm, rustic look:
Rustic round mirror (#29)-a great focal point for over a fireplace
Distressed looking warm colored rug (#6)-this colorful rug keeps the room looking interesting
Pops of leather (like her armchairs-#5) and these storage bins from Target (#21)
Wood vases (#25)-these are from Target, and give a much more casual look than glass versions
Fiddle fig plant (#3)-plants always give a cozy, warm feel to a space. This one from World Market is my favorite faux fiddle fig plant out there!
See Other Rustic Neutral Living Rooms
Know you like this warm and cozy look? Here are some other Living Rooms you can check out to get even more ideas for re-creating this look in your own home!
Rustic Farmhouse Living Room Makeover
With this project, my client had an existing leather sofa she wanted to work around, and I helped her “finish” off her room with small furniture pieces, rugs, pillows, and wall decor. The end result: a warm and cozy Great Room! You can check out all of the details right here:
Get the Look of this Rustic Cozy Great Room
Neutral Rustic Farmhouse Living Room Makeover
In this Living Room Makeover, my client wanted that rustic Farmhouse look, but a lighter and airier version of it. Plus I share my 5 Modern Farmhouse Must Haves to get this look instantly!
Cheat Sheet: The 5 Farmhouse Living Room Must Haves
Need Help with Your Room?
I’ve been an Interior Designer for over 13 years now, but for the last 4 years I have been working exclusively through Interior E-Design. Why? I’m probably a lot like you-I’m a Mama of young kids, I work, and I still have to fight the good fight against the dirty laundry! And I realized so many of my Interior Design clients were doing the same thing as me: trying to juggle home life, work life, and more, and finding the time to meet with an Interior Designer was tricky.
Now, I do things differently! After I really get to know the tastes and budget of my clients, I custom design their room all through Online Interior Design. Once we get the design they love, I send their “Room-Inside-a-Box” directly to their doorstep. Inside are all of the drawings shopping lists, material samples, and instructions for pulling together their custom room. And the best part?
You can order your custom designed room in an hour…over a cup of coffee in your PJ!
If you want to find out more, you can see How It Works and even check out all of my Room Packages and Prices
Grab Free Room Designs
And my favorite source to help you out…is always free! You can grab dozens of Free Room Designs inside my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY. You will get an email with a link and password so you can always access it 24.7. And check back often…because I’m always adding to it!
And just want to chat more about your project? Drop me a note at kristin@postboxdesigns.com and we will chat all about you. Can’t wait to hear from you!
Cheers,
Kristin
Leave a Reply