Rustic living room ideas that will add country warmth to any home

Rustic living room ideas suit many types of home regardless of whether they are located in a town, city or the countryside. 

A cottage, farmhouse or barn conversion with exposed beams or original inglenook fireplace are rustic style's natural home. Yet you can still create a similar look in modern properties. They key is in how you do it.

Rustic decor can make modern living room ideas feel inviting and cosy. It's also a relaxed way to live, with rough luxe textures and tactile materials, in place of polished finishes or shiny surfaces. So it's easy to see the appeal. 

'This move towards natural fabrics, comforting textures and warm wood tones is something we're seeing in more and more homes,' says Sally Wilkie, co-founder of Home Barn.'

Ticking fabric with its robust herringbone weave, utilitarian origins (as a sturdy mattress cover) and recognisable striped design, will add a rustic touch to your living room. Made from cotton or cotton and linen yarns, it's a no-nonsense fabric, that's as sturdy as it is stylish.

Use ticking on upholstery, blinds, living room curtain ideas or cushions and layer different colours and designs for relaxed, rustic comfort and style. 

Rustic style evokes images of snuggling up in front of a roaring log fire in cosy country surroundings. So if you've incorporated a wood burner into your rustic living room, why not add attractive log storage ideas too?

As well as a practical solution for keeping firewood dry, an indoor log store can make an eye-catching design feature, and add natural textures and tones to your scheme.

A rustic decor doesn't have to be all about earthy tones, it can still be considered for more contemporary. Make an all-white decor feel cosy and rustic with a layered approach to texture and textiles. Try white-washing original wooden floorboards to retain an air of natural rustic beauty within the space, or add a natural rug.

To further the country-style pair slubby linens with aged metals and weather wood for furnishings and accessories. Ambient lighting choices will enhance warm undertones of the best white paint shades used on walls and floors to create a cosy aesthetic.

Create a feature wall of sorts by exposing the original brickwork of a chimney breast. This simple task will instantly welcome a touch of rustic charm to any scheme. This grey living room proves how the rustic nature of brick doesn't have to overwhelm a more modern decor, it merely balances the look.

If removing plasterboard that has been covering up the fireplace you will probably need to clean the bricks up, to make them look back to best. A gentle clean with a hard bristle brush will remove any crumbling mortar and excess dust. Choose to add another rustic touch with reclaimed wooden shelving either side, for a smart alcove idea.

Be bold with accent colours for a modern rustic feel. Earthy, dark, natural colours are proving popular when it comes to selecting a bold shade for an accent wall, tiles or furniture in the home. They're also a great option for creating a cosy living room idea or space.

The trick is to keep it subtle and not overdo it, so choose one part of the rustic living room ideas décor, such as one wall, a rug or the sofa cushions to introduce the colour, making sure that the rest of the accessories in the room complement it well.

Follow the popular woodland trend and take your inspiration from nature when it comes to your rustic living room ideas. Team gentle neutrals on walls and floors with  accent colours in nature-inspired tones such as fresh green, then bring in lots of pretty woodland prints on wallpaper and soft furnishings.

An easy way to welcome warmth is by introducing classic country materials, such as worn leather, reclaimed wood and aged metal. From hearty leather sofas to a reclaimed wooden coffee table there are key staples that instantly signify a penchant for rustic style.

When dressing your rustic living room ideas consider the look from floor to ceiling. Living room blind ideas play a huge role in tying a decor scheme together, offering a coordinating pattern or colour to dress the windows to suit your chosen theme.

In this understated living space the custom-made organic, rustic textured brown roller blinds add the perfect finishing touch to windows – incorporating earthy tones and tactile textures to the look.

For modern living room ideas looking to welcome subtle rustic touches opt for thoughtful furniture choices. Simple organic shapes and imperfect wooden pieces add a hint of rustic charm to even the most contemporary of sitting room settings.

Handmade furniture pieces crafted from reclaimed materials by skilled joiners is at the heart of this look. A hearty living room console placed behind the sofa is the ideal place to pop lamps, on-trend dried flower arrangements and decorative objects of interest.

Grounding, earthy hues have become the new neutral for modern day living in rustic living room ideas - as we seek more warmth and comfort from a blank canvas of colour. Dulux's Brave Ground flexes in tone depending on the time of day and setting, meaning it's more than a flat neutral - it creates a sense of warmth at different times of the day. Creating a subtly responsive environment to the natural world around it gives a wall colour versatility in how it feels.

A colour with warm undertones pairs beautifully with so many different colour palettes, adapting to its surroundings. Perfect for rustic country living room ideas to feel content and comforted by the use of colour.

Wood-effect wallpapers are hugely popular to add interest to walls without the expense of wall panelling ideas and cladding coverage. Covering the walls with engulfs the room in rustic charm, in essence surrounding every design element within the room into the countryside scheme.

This idea is not for those looking for a subtle hint of rustic charm, this is daring. You could soften the approach by wallpapering to create living room feature wall ideas, to dip your toe in.

Create a stripped back rustic feel with plastered wall finishes. Whether you leave freshly plastered walls as they are to get the look or use creative living room paint ideas to get the look plastered pink walls lend a beautiful base to build a country-style decorating scheme over.

The muted colour and textured effect creates an effortless ground to build on with bolder accent colours, such as striking charcoal black or warming tones of rust or bootle green - all colours derived from nature.

A cosy fireside setting instantly becomes the focal point of a rustic living room ideas. For a traditional feel make all your decor choices focus around the living room fireplace ideas. A blazing log burner instantly makes the room feel warm and inviting with furniture arranged centrally around it.

Rich, earthy colours feel naturally at home for this look, so try a warm, russet red on the walls to set the mood. Expose original brickwork and treat wooden beams to restore them to natural glory. Team original surfaces with textured linens, chunky knits and accents of copper and burnished orange on sumptuous fabric choices.

This charmingly rustic living room has all the ingredients for a traditional cottage feel. The inglenook fireplace and exposed beams set a rustic tone, while modern design touches such as the squashy sofas, metallic side tables and a bold mustard velvet armchair bring the look up to date.

The dark furnishings and soft textures in this living room create an intimate space, ideal for entertaining on cosy nights in.

Look to add a rustic undertone to your modern living space with the simple addition of reworked classic design pieces. From a skilfully crafted wooden framed rocking chair to a plush button detailed sofa or footstool. Choose a cocooning dark colour palette for walls to create an ambient atmosphere. Add colours of nature with brick-coloured upholstery and olive green velvet soft furnishings.

Dress a mantlepiece or console table with living room lighting ideas like lanterns and assorted pillar candles to add a warming glow to enhance the tonal colour palette.

Cheat your way to a cosy rustic scheme. Fake an exposed brick or stone wall with a clever lookalike wallpaper that will give your scheme instant warmth and texture. Carry on the country-house look with plenty of tweed, tartan and wool on furniture and soft furnishings teamed with vintage-style leather armchairs and storage trunks.

Let the structure bear the rustic element to a living room, leaving freedom to opt for more modern design in terms of furnishings and furniture. Traditional British farmhouse style shakes off its twee image with this look, which mixes contemporary furniture, modern prints and cool greys with warm neutrals and rustic wood.

Combine pale grey walls, warm oak accessories and neutral fabrics in a mix of prints for a warm, country look.

Give a neutral living room idea some heat with warming terracotta tones. While neutral makes a great background colour for walls and floors, it can feel a little cool on its own, especially when you want to exude a rustic feel. Introduce a wash of warming accent tones through with furniture and accessories - perhaps a cheery rug, cushions, lamp and artwork.

Choose sumptuous fabrics for furniture, such as this velvet sofa to offer tactile appeal. Choose woven rugs in natural tones to add texture and depth to flooring.

Dress the best sofa with checked cushions and cable knit throws to instantly add a hint of rustic country charm. A plaid armchair is a great addition to compliment a co-ordinating sofa, or can be used as a standalone piece to make more of a statement of heritage country pattern.

Paint walls in a soft sage green to contrast accent touches of russet, brown and burnt orange within the patterned pieces.

In a more contemporary, polished interior look to add more subtle rustic touches. In this modern country living room idea the blue painted furniture feels elegant, while the raw wooden tops welcome just a dash of rustic charm. The lighter aqua tone on the walls paired with a country-style white sofa help to make the look feel sophisticated.

Welcome touches of floral pattern on soft furnishings and texture rugs to soften the look.

Mix mid-century-style pieces with contemporary furniture in unfinished wood and plain upholstery for an unfussy rustic look. Un-arranged displays of unusual accessories and books give the room character without being contrived.

To get the look team soft grey living room ideas with contrasting warm, textured neutrals. Choose simple furniture in weathered, grained wood and formal, tight upholstery - period and style don't matter here. Offset the simplicity with your own personal mix of books, china and knick-knacks.

A log pile is the definition of cosy, country style. Creatively welcome a stacked pile of firewood to make an effortlessly charming feature wall. Whether you have an open fire or log burner having dried fire wood on hand to keep the fire burning is invaluable during the colder months.