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Rustic Decor FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

Cabinplace.com was recently interviewed for a national log home magazine.  The following are the questions that was asked of us and our response.  Whether you have a log home or a home that you are looking to decorate in a rustic or western style, we felt that this interview would be beneficial to all.

Questions & Answers
 
Why should I spend time & money decorating my bedroom?

Bedrooms are a place where you go to unwind from the stresses of daily life.  You want your bedroom to be a sanctuary – a place of your own.  Decorating that sanctuary is very important.  You do not want to have to second guess how you have decorated this room.

 
How can I make my bedroom look special?

Several key factors go into decorating a bedroom.  First, start with color.  Make sure the color of your bedding will go well in the room.  No matter how much you fall in love with a bedding pattern, if the color does not work in the room, the decorating scheme will fail.  Second, find bedding that will have a rustic, western, or southwestern theme.  The log home was a big part of America’s past and these themes will reflect that feel.  Third, when you find a bedding pattern that you like, ask if the bedding manufacturer also makes window treatments that coordinate with the bedding.  Decorating the windows in the same style as the bedding really pulls the room together.  Fourth, if you have a large bedroom, add a piece of furniture like a dressing bench, or a reading chair (a hickory rocking chair really looks good in a bedroom).  The bedroom is a very comfortable place to be, and curling up to a good book in the bedroom can be very relaxing and quiet too!

 
What about window treatments?  Any guidelines for windows?

Again color is the key.  If the color of the window treatments is going to clash with the rest of the décor, find a new pattern.  Some people will use the same window treatments through out the home; however, you want to be careful to not “over do” it.  A nice way to break up the home is to decorate the living areas in one design, and the bedrooms in another design or individual designs that coordinate with the bedding.
 
What are the advantages of wall-to-wall carpeting vs. a big area rug? 

Wall to wall carpet will give you the comfort of having carpeting under your feet wherever you are in the bedroom.  However, wall to wall carpet is found in almost every home today and has been over done for decades.  It will not give you the rustic look that is desired in a log home bedroom.  An area rug will give you a more authentic, rustic feel, and charm for the log home.  Area rugs can bring multiple colors into a room, they can have a theme which most carpeting will not have, or they can just be one solid color that will accentuate a hardwood floor.  The nice thing about area rugs is that if you decide to change the look of the floor covering, it is a simple, do it yourself task.  To change carpeting, it will be a major expense to have the old carpeting removed and the new carpet installed by contractors.
 
 
What are some forgotten little amenities that can easily be added to a bedroom?  

Mirrors, coat racks (for robes), under bed storage, benches, overhead & bedside lighting are all things that can be added to the bedroom very easily.  But also consider plants.  Most of the bedroom scenes that we feature our products in have some type of plant shown in the bedroom.  A plant will add “life” to the room.  Also consider things like throw pillows, or a coordinating throw that matches the bedding will look nice hanging over a reading chair.  Throw rugs next to the bed can add a nice touch to the bedroom.  Another decorating item that is often over looked is the switchplate covers.  Switchplate covers do not have to be plastic any longer.  A semi custom, metal switchplate cover (like what we offer) is an easy way to bring some rustic flair into a room without taking up any space.

What are the key factors to decorating a log home?  Can I overdo it?

Yes, you can over decorate.  Log homes are usually open and airy.  The log home is a showpiece itself.  You usually have log walls or exposed log beams that have been painstakingly finished, and you do not want to decorate so much that you start taking away from the beauty of the structure. Don’t make your home to look like a collection of your favorite rustic decorating items.  Pick specific items to decorate or accent a room.  Also, bigger and less is usually better.  You are far better off going with larger furniture and fewer pieces of furniture than making the room look cluttered with too much furniture.  Remember that log homes are bold in look and simple in style and feel.  Do not get carried away with putting too much in a room.
 
What resources can help me decide on my style?

Log home magazines and the internet are wonderful resources.  It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Log home magazines feature many pictures of homes that are “professionally decorated” and will give you a lot of ideas.  Look at the pictures very closely to discover small decorating items that may be in the corner of a room or on a shelf.   Also, go to rustic decorating web sites like www.cabinplace.com.  We feature products to decorate every room in a log home and have an expert staff that will be able to help you decide how to decorate.  We also feature products in a scene setting; for example – our products that are shown in a bedroom or bathroom are shown as they would be used in your log home.  Seeing the decorating products in an actual setting will give you a sense of what you can expect in your home.
 
What are some key issues I should consider when decorating a log bathroom?

Color and coordination - make sure that the color is going to work for you in the bathroom and make sure that your accessories will work well together.  There are several manufacturers (found on our website) that are making coordinating, themed bathroom accessories.  These themed sets will incorporate the same theme in a dozen or so bathroom items from the shower curtain to the soap dish.  They even make themed toilet bowl brush holders so the brush does not have to be hidden any longer.  It is an extremely easy way to decorate any bathroom.  Also consider the hardware for the room.  Towel bars, towel rings, and toilet tissue holders are all mandatory parts of the bathroom.  We offer this hardware available with one of 72 different rustic images available so your bathroom hardware will have a sense of uniqueness to it.  Lastly, do not forget about the lighting.  A bathroom needs to be bright, but that does not mean that it can not fit into the “theme” of the bathroom.  Lights above the sink are absolutely necessary, however, many people do not think about using sconces in the bathroom as well.  Sconces will soften the feel of the room while adding additional light in other areas of the room.  A typical lighting set up in a bathroom is to have a vanity light over the vanity with a sconce on each side of the vanity.  Bathroom lighting is now available in rustic and western themes that will fit perfectly into a log home bathroom.
 
What are some of the issues I should consider with a kids bath vs. a master bath vs. a guest bath.

Just like any other bathroom, a kid’s bath needs to be functional.  It’s alright to decorate in a fun way, but these items need to be safe and useful as well.  Again, the themed bathroom sets will work well in a child’s bathroom.  They are made from resin material which looks good, and if they are dropped on a tile floor, they will not shatter into a lot of little pieces so it is less likely a child would get hurt.  The themed bathroom sets work well with the guest bathroom as well.  Your guests will think a decorator designed your bathroom!

My bathroom is huge, what accessories can I add to fill the space? 

If you have a large bathroom, try adding a plant in the room.  Also, we have had people that will use a coat rack (tree) for hanging bath robes on and another good idea is a free standing towel warmer.  Pictures or a shelf on the wall are also items that could be added to the room to spark interest.  A shelf that stands on the floor or a side table can be useful and fill some of the extra space in a large bathroom.  If you have drywall in the bathroom, a great idea is to run a wall paper border around the top edge of the wall.  Alternately, adding a border in the center of the wall will help breakup a large wall giving it a wainscoting effect.  Adding a piece of rustic metal wall art will add a nice feeling to a large, log home bathroom.  If you are taller, look at increasing the height of the vanity.  Most standard vanity heights are set at 30 – 31 inches.  Consider a vanity height of 36 inches (which is kitchen counter height).  When you increase the height, make sure you add a few more inches in depth (away from the wall) so the vanity does not look tall and skinny.  This will not only fill some of the volume of the room and give you more drawer space, but it will also be a lot more comfortable to use since you will not have to bend over as far.
 
My bathroom is tiny, should I consider a different look for this room? 

In a small bathroom, you do not have to consider a different look; you just have to be careful not to add too much to the room.  Stick with the basics, a shower curtain and hooks, bath rug, soap dish or pump, and a toothbrush holder.  After the basics are in, then it is time to decide what else can fit into the bathroom without making it feel cluttered.

 
 
Thanks Cabinplace.com for all your help!  


 

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Your source for rustic cabin and lodge bedding, rustic lighting and lamps, rustic lodge decor products, cabin & hickory furniture, rustic shower curtains and other bathroom accessories. Many of our products feature images of moose, bear, pinecone, cabins and other outdoor themes; we feature a variety of high quality products that are versatile, comfortable, and practical. Many of our products offer you the ability to customize them to your specific tastes. New products can be found each month in our rustic bedding, rustic lighting, and log and hickory furniture categories. We also add new products in our cabin decor areas on a weekly basis, so keep coming back to see the newest and innovative ideas in rustic cabin decoration. Our mission is to make your cabin, lodge & home a more relaxing and enjoyable place to be.