by Jennifer Etherington, Avenue B Home Decor –
What is Rustic Luxury? It is the idea of taking a luxurious lifestyle and enjoying it in a rustic setting in the country. But it doesn’t have to be in the country anymore! Rustic Luxury is a style that can work in the city or suburbs and with traditional or modern aesthetics – it is the blend of styles and concepts that can work anywhere.
Rustic Luxury is not new; it has been around for a long time. It is different from the Modern Farmhouse look. Whereas that is about repurposing everyday items from a barn to use in your house, Rustic Luxury is a pared-back style that is replacing the farmhouse trend in 2022 with the use of more warmth, natural textiles and pairing items that seem to be in opposition.
Here are some tips for incorporating the Rustic Luxury Style in your own home:
Add sophistication. While this style is scaled down, it is all about using elegant products and displaying them in a way that gives them a more elevated feeling. Bring out your home décor items and showcase them on your coffee table. Wood with glass is a perfect mix of rustic and luxury. A metal vase with some greenery placed on top of an acacia wood riser as a display item? Very simple and beautiful.
Use this style with traditional or modern aesthetics. If you like combining different looks, this style will work for you. This aesthetic is a way of living and a way of collecting items. Combining something contemporary or modern with something very rustic makes for an elegant look. I love the look of several highly polished silver candle sticks or a collection of gold picture frames on a rough-hewn wooden console table. A warm wooden platter filled with moss balls on a black metal foyer table brings together elements from outside with a touch of glam.
Mix luxurious materials with raw natural materials. Juxtaposition is the key here. It is “the act or instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast to create an interesting effect” (Merriam-Webster). Rustic Luxury is all about the mix of materials. Marble tabletops, wooden bowls, ceramic sculptures, metal or iron décor pieces, warm pottery – combining items that seem to be in opposition creates the “luxury” in Rustic Luxury.
Use a muted and natural colour palette. The colour palette of Rustic Luxury is inspired by nature at sunrise or sunset. It is calming and muted, with colours that are not high contrast and include brown, taupe, white, gold and silver.
Mix high style with practical approachability. In fashion we are seeing the blend of cozy fabrics and sweaters with luxury jewelry, paperclip and link necklaces, which combine to create an elevated effect that adds to our look. This is also happening in home décor. Try blending a mix of fabrics, such as velvets and bouclé on a sofa or chair, with accents of cane, marble and cement. Choose comfortable sofas, lots of table and floor lamps, easy coffee tables made of earthen materials like stone and wood, or bronze mixed with glass.
What I know for sure: You deserve to live your best life in your four walls!
