Decorating Rooms Living Rooms 24 Rustic Living Room Ideas for a Cozy Retreat These rustic living room ideas will help you create a warm and welcoming space. By Maria Sabella and Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with more than a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on March 2, 2023 Close Photo: Jay Wilde Rustic decor is rich in warmth and texture, making it the ideal design style for a cozy, welcoming feel. It's a natural fit for a living room, family room, or any other space your family uses to relax and unwind. And while natural textures are a hallmark of the design style, you don't need to have wood plank walls or animal print textures to get the look. You can easily create a rustic living room by adding a few simple accents to whatever space you're working with. If you're ready for a living room refresh, take inspiration from these earthy, natural looks. We're sharing our favorite rustic living room ideas to help you create a serene retreat you'll love coming home to. 01 of 24 Modern Rustic Living Room Michael Partenio A barn wood accent wall and ceiling beams fill this cozy living room with quintessential rustic warmth and charm. To strike the right balance between modern and rustic styles, the room blends contemporary pieces—such as a streamlined square-arm sofa and a chrome-leg ottoman—with more rustic accents such as wood end tables and a cowhide rug. Plenty of soft blankets and decorative throw pillows add a layer of soft texture. The 40 Best Throw Pillows of 2024 For Every Style 02 of 24 Wood Beam Ceilings Edmund Barr Just one well-chosen element can transform a space from plain to inspiring. In this living room, the rustic decorating idea is as simple as the addition of substantial stained beams to distinguish an expansive cathedral ceiling. A barnwood Dutch door and sisal rug continue the look below. 03 of 24 Soft Neutrals Ali Harper This modern living room features all the traditional rustic elements (a fireplace, wood ceiling beams, and wide-plank floors), but puts a contemporary spin on them for an updated look. Light wood floors and white shiplap walls create a soft backdrop, while a gray floor-to-ceiling stucco fireplace adds depth. Oatmeal-colored upholstery, a soft area rug, and faux fur throw pillows and blankets fill the room with softness for a soothing atmosphere. 04 of 24 Rustic Wood Ceiling Annie Schlechter A stunning wood cathedral-style ceiling sets the scene in this rustic living room. An easy way to create a charming, rustic feel is to layer various textures and materials for a lived-in look. Here, a deep brown leather sofa, oak-barrel coffee table, and soft throw pillows add comfort and a touch of tradition. To keep the room fresh and updated, add a few contemporary pieces to bring in a modern touch that enhances the room’s collected aesthetic. 05 of 24 Calming Tones Jay Wilde Warm white walls, a relaxed linen sofa, and a woven pendant light give this bright and airy living room effortless style. Two wall alcoves create a sense of symmetry and usher in warmth. One is stacked with wood for a rugged look, while the other features wood shelves that provide a charming decorative surface. A black iron and wood coffee table continues the room’s uncluttered aesthetic and a large soft-toned area rug anchors the furniture and adds subtle pattern. 15 Cozy Farmhouse Living Room Ideas We Can’t Get Enough Of 06 of 24 Industrial Meets Rustic John Merkl Black accents, moody taupe walls, and mixed materials add a touch of industrial style and create a modern approach to the rustic aesthetic. A unique L-shaped sofa sits under a statement canvas and collection of black-framed photographs. These layers of detail fill the rustic living room with plenty of character, giving it a homey feel. A metal sphere chandelier and an irregular-shaped wood coffee table continue the industrial theme while adding softer shapes to contrast the linear wood-paneled walls. 07 of 24 Earth-Tone Living Room Paul Dyer The nubby texture of a sisal fiber area rug makes an attractive anchor for furnishings in a rustic living room. When choosing an area rug, select one large enough to create a cohesive look. Follow this rule of thumb: When the furniture grouping doesn't touch walls (but "floats" in the center of the room), the rug should be large enough that all the furniture legs rest on the rug without crowding the grouping. If your furniture backs up against walls, then the rug should be large enough to extend beneath front legs. 08 of 24 Classic Cabin Decor Michael Partenio For all-over rustic living room warmth, you can't go wrong with a look that's as tried-and-true as a cozy cabin interior. This rustic decor achieves the look with horizontal pine tongue-and-groove boards that wrap the space in a golden hue. Exposed knots are part of the natural beauty, so don't be too picky when selecting boards. The imperfections make rustic decorating a low-stress endeavor. 09 of 24 Decorating with Neutrals Emily J Followill Thoughtful lighting choices go a long way in creating a rustic living room. For rugged appeal, look for fixtures that appear old and worn with a mix of natural materials with imperfections. This oversize strap globe fixture combines a timeless mix of primitive wood and metal to command attention, and the spherical shape softens the room's hard edges. 10 of 24 Decorate Around Wood Beams GREG SCHIEDEMANN Substantial exposed timbers instill natural warmth and beauty in a rustic living room. The large timber beams and supports in this space proudly display knots and imperfections, exuding the rugged appeal that's perfect for shaping a rustic decor. 11 of 24 Rustic Focal Point Michael Partenio When you want to introduce just a hint of rustic appeal here and there in your living room, consider the Rule of Three to prevent your efforts from appearing random or lackluster. This philosophy, long observed by interior designers, says that groups of similar items create visual impact; odd numbers make the most eye-pleasing groupings. In this living room, for example, a trio of tree stumps creates a clever coffee table arrangement with rustic flair. 12 of 24 Fireplace Accent Wall Jason Donnelly A fireplace accent wall and surrounding built-ins exude rustic style and comfort in this modern living room. Vertical wood planks around the fireplace extend to the ceiling, creating the illusion of height. White built-in shelves on either side lighten up the room, while the wood drawer, cabinet door, and shelf details complement the fireplace. Off-white walls and a light gray area rug maintain the neutral color scheme and allow the wood accents to shine. 13 of 24 Gray Rustic Living Room Dominic Blackmore Your rustic living room doesn't have to be dark and dreary, as this room proves. Accents and fabrics in white, cream, and taupe amplify the effects of sunlight streaming in through a large window. But a few notable features give the space its rustic style. Primitive, chipped-paint candlesticks fill the window alcove, rivaling the more traditional fireplace as a focal point. At the center of the room, a natural wood coffee table stands on split logs, still dressed in rugged natural glory. 14 of 24 Vintage Decor Kim Cornelison Architectural salvage offers another simple avenue for creating your rustic living room. Visit any good salvage dealer to tour a wide selection of possibilities; you're bound to come away with plenty of rustic decorating ideas. This antique door, for example, leans against the wall like a prized piece of artwork, displaying multiple coats of old peeling paint that tell a story of days gone by. Be sure to cover the surfaces of any old painted piece with clear polyurethane to preserve the beauty of the finish and seal in any issues with lead-based paint. Choose flat or low-luster sheen so the look remains old and worn. 15 of 24 Farmhouse-Style Ceiling Edmund Barr Tracking down materials rescued from buildings destined for demolition can be worth the effort. This rustic living room, in a 1909 California cottage, earned natural appeal thanks to the addition of bare barn wood on the ceiling. White beams create an eye-pleasing juxtaposition of rustic and refined. 16 of 24 Lived-In Charm Brie Williams Imperfections are perfect for rustic living rooms. In fact, rough is one of the words used to define rustic. So when you incorporate elements into your rustic decor, celebrate any less-than-pristine aspects of the piece. This large hutch retains doors once stripped of almost all the paint but was never repainted. The resulting natural wood frames with specks of paint draw attention to the treasures displayed inside while exuding rustic charm. 17 of 24 Use Wide-Plank Floors Emily Gilbert You can't really have a discussion about rustic living room ideas without mentioning wide-plank floors. As this rustic space illustrates so beautifully, wide-plank heart pine floors practically glow with golden color. 18 of 24 Whitewashed Wood Walls Richard Leo Johnson Looking for rustic decorating ideas for walls? Tongue-and-groove boards, installed vertically, can transport your living room to a more simple place and time. The tongue-and-groove walls in this cottage work with the whitewashed ceiling to brighten the space and create a charming backdrop for vintage furnishings. 19 of 24 Decorate with Vintage Finds John Granen Some of the best flea market, antique, or salvaged finds don't always appear to have an immediate use. When you come across something you love yet don't know where to put it, buy it and tuck it away as a rainy-day rustic decorating idea. As your living room design comes together, you'll find new ways to use old finds. In this rustic living room, for example, an 18th-century wall cabinet with its original paint stands in as a charming side table, and a wood crate becomes a coffee table centerpiece. 20 of 24 Rustic Brick Fireplace Helen Norman One of the most fundamental features in a rustic living room is the fireplace. Consider dressing yours in authentic native rock, which brings the rugged beauty of the outdoors inside. A brick border outlines the curve of this fireplace, giving it a graceful note. White, transitional club chairs lighten the look and provide a comfy spot to enjoy the fire. 21 of 24 Salvaged Shiplap Walls Richard Leo Johnson Some old homes harbor a gorgeous secret beneath plaster—rough pine paneling, which some designers refer to as shiplap. It's an ideal wall treatment for staging a rustic living room. If your home isn't old, you can re-create the look in a new house with salvaged shiplap. Take the look floor-to-ceiling, as shown here, for dramatic impact, or design a more subtle rustic decor statement with shiplap wainscoting. 22 of 24 Use Natural Materials Greg Scheidemann Woven objects, such as a collection of vintage baskets tucked beneath the console table and the centerpiece oversize basket (once a pigeon coop, cleverly repurposed as a glass-topped coffee table on wheels), give this rustic living room textural appeal. Matchstick blinds continue the rustic decor to the windows. 23 of 24 Rustic Fireplace Mantel Michael Partenio The original use of this weathered and chiseled timber might be long forgotten, but it makes a memorable mantel for the fireplace. Deep reds, rich browns, and fiery burnt orange tones pop against stark white walls in this modern rustic living room. A floating wood mantel shelf and two industrial-style wall sconces accent a white fireplace wall, while two rolled-arm chairs flank the wood-burning fireplace and provide the coziest seats in the house. A striped braided area rug brings in a casual feel and carries the color theme. 24 of 24 Add Vintage Art John Bessler Complete your rustic living room decor with found treasures, displayed in unexpected ways. Here, an old iron pulley becomes a three-dimensional piece of artwork above the fireplace. A side table with a butcher-block surface and casters creates a moveable surface. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit