15 Ways to Get the Classic Country Look

It's not just about rustic finishes and classic antiques. 

Miki Duisterhof

Hang Lights Low

Your dining room table and chandelier should be closer than you may think. Hang fixtures 32 to 38 inches from top of table. If your light source takes up less than 1/4 the width of the table, opt for two identical fixtures splitting the center of the table.

David Tsay

Keep Centerpieces At Arm's Length

Place your elbow on a table. A centerpiece should be no taller than the distance from your elbow to your wrist so that guests can look one another in the eye.

Brian Woodcock

Get Rug Scale Right

There should be 6 to 8 inches between the back of the chair legs and an area rug's edge. (For the record, an 8' x 10' rug is usually right on scale for a six-person rectangular dining table.)

Bjorn Wallander

Choose Longer Curtains

When it comes to draperies, you're better off erring on the side of too much puddle than "high-water" hangings. The sweet spot: Curtains that gather between 1 to 3 inches. (This look is also forgiving if you live in a home with uneven floors.)

Leslee Mitchell

Forgo Matching Furniture

Just as assorted plates create a casually sophisti- cated vibe, a mismatched dining table and chairs evokes a cozy, come-as- you-are feel. Here, a stately white oak piece is surrounded by antique walnut chairs with textured rush seating and striped wingbacks. Speaking of the latter: Before you introduce an unexpected upholstered perch at the head of the table, make sure the seat height is a dining table-appropriate 18 inches.

Maxx Kim-Bee

Master The Gallery Wall

The key to a perfect arrangement? Imperfections. Swear off the precisely gridded layout in favor of a looser, it-can-evolve-over- time arrangement. Hang the lowest frames 5 to 7 inches above the back of the sofa (or other furniture) and work up and out from there, spacing frames 2 to 4 inches apart. Keep at least one element consistent.

Leslee Mitchell

Mix Patterns Like A Pro

Try our no-fail formula: one small-scale print (the grasscloth wallpaper), one large-scale print (buffalo check pillow), one print with movement (the swirly striped table skirt), and one print with a nature motif (the floral pillow). And while on the subject of mixing, rooms look most layered when they have something wooden, something woven, and something "wow"(as in something mirrored, reflective, or glossy).

Pick The Right-Size Coffee Table...

Ensure visual balance with one that's 2/3 the length of your sofa. When it comes to height, the top of the table should hit at the middle of the sofa seat cushion.

Tara Donne

...And Style It Up Properly

Every coffee table needs three things: books (to play with scale and height), a basket (to add texture and corral wayward items, like remotes), and decorative items to spark conversation.

Paul Costello

Add A Dog

Because every country space looks more fetching with a canine curled up in it.

Victoria Pearson

Try A Bedding Trio

For a bed that's crisply made (yet possible to replicate on a daily basis), try our simple tactic of using three covers—a neutral coverlet, a patterned duvet, and a colorful quilt—layering one atop the other. Starting at the base of the pillow shams, leave roughly a third of each exposed.

Annie Schlechter

Rein In The Pillows

Generally speaking, limit yourself to five pillows on a queen bed and six on a king. (Feel free to have more fun with a guest bed because you don't have to make it every day.)

Jean Allsopp

Opt For Sconces

Conserve precious bedside real estate by skipping table lamps in favor of space-saving wall-mounts. Hang them approximately a foot above your head when seated in bed and, for ideal reading light, go no higher than 40 watts in fixtures with an exposed bulb.

Paul Costello

Hang Art Lower Than You Think

Most people tend to hang items too high, and this applies to above the bed too. Mount your prized piece at least 3 inches lower than you think you should, and you'll likely be right on target.

Brian Woodcock

Insist On Drawers

A side table with at least one drawer can make all the difference between a pretty bedside vignette and an unsightly tangle of lip gloss, reading glasses, and phone chargers.

Next

8 Decor Ideas That Started With Fallen Trees

From: Country Living US


By Country Living Staff