Far From The Madding Crowd: Escape Into The Natural Beauty Of Rustic Interior Design Design

The word ‘rustic’ has its roots in the Latin word rusticus, meaning peasant, a person ploughing the field and living in the countryside.

Used as an adjective, ‘rustic’ refers to the uncouth, the unrefined and the countrylike. The Rustic style is an interior design style which captures the elements of the countryside and brings it to home.

Three Rustic elements

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The Rustic style places great emphasis on three main elements: roughness, unaffectedness and earthy tones.

Rough, unprocessed textures are not only sturdy and humble, but also reminiscent of mother nature. Plain organic materials alluding to the purely natural are in themselves a pleasure to the senses even when they are undecorated.

Earthy tones exude a sense of comfort, warmth and peace. It allows you to relax completely and calms the nerves, releasing your accumulated anxiety.

Variations of the Rustic style includes the Modern Rustic and the Scandinavian Rustic.

The aesthetics of a domestic setting not only rely on the usage of material and texture, but also the creativity of the designer, manifested in the matching of furniture, colours and patterns.

This Scandinavian style bedroom incoporates the unpainted, rough texture of bricks to create a fusioned Rustic atmosphere.

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Who says bathrooms have to be white? Built with natural materials, this shower stall is a great demonstration of rustic beauty.

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The wood surfaces of this vanity gives the bathroom a rustic air.

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Textured tiles and the copper-toned sink bring a rustic feel into being.

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Ditch the paint

You might have noticed that in Rustic designs, all the building materials are unpainted and unpolished. In some countries, exposing the ceiling beams’ textures is an essential feature of Rustic interior design. Though difficult to realise in Hong Kong, there are creative ways to get around this and achieve symilar visual effects.

Exposed beams are the emblematic symbol of the Rustic style.

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Designers have found a way to work around the problem. No beams on the ceiling? Try special materials like these.

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These room dividers are uniquely rustic because of its materials and down-to-earth patterns.

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Earthy tones

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The peaceful earthy palette does not contain one single abrasive colour. The rustic palette includes all browns and greys; if you are keen on wood colours, this style might be for you.

Impression of roughness

Rustic decoration and furniture often give you an strong impression of coarseness. These items include timber in the form of unrefined trunks and twigs. Visually or by touch, they communicate a frankness of nature.

The Rustic style often features open kitchens. In this image, a raw, unpolished tree trunk is used as a column for the kitchen.

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Railings are decorated with the natural curvature of tree twigs. A perfect demonstration of the rustic.

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The platform below this bed features solid wood logs instead of storage cabinets.

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The platform below this bed features solid wood logs instead of storage cabinets.

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A brilliant demonstration of creative rustic design.

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Conclusion

The 2018 interior design trend popularised the use of earthy tones, organic patterns and natural material. This trend is still going strong in mid 2019; the Rustic style is popular both in Japan and China.

Reminiscent of ancient country houses in America, the Rustic style, though simple, might be hard to execute. Rustic elements like old beams, aged flooring, naked natural textures and walls built with tree trunks are not easy to assemble, but it’s totally worth it.