Your new is just around the corner
Sign up for insight into the latest design trends from our newsletter
You're on the list
By signing up, you agree to receive email marketing.
Design 101
The Ultimate Guide to Western Style
September 12, 2024
Nothing evokes a sense of adventure and nostalgia like the American West. Television shows and classic Western films have rekindled many people’s love of the wild frontier. Luckily, you don’t need to move to a ranch in Wyoming or become a cowboy to get a taste of this lifestyle. Western interior design lets you enjoy the rustic charm of the Wild West, no matter where you live. This guide covers everything you need to know to design the perfect Western-style house interior.
What Is Western Home Style?
The Western home style captures the spirit of the American West by blending natural elements with a rustic aesthetic. It draws inspiration from ranch life and Native American culture.
Western-style interiors are filled with natural elements to create a strong connection with the outdoors. Popular materials include leather, suede, stone, and weathered wood. Many Western homes also feature beautiful cowhide and sheepskin rugs.
This style includes earthy tones that mimic the warm hues of the natural landscape. For example, you could choose beige furniture to evoke the desert sand and turquoise blue accents to reflect open skies. You can also add Navajo-style blankets and rugs for an eye-catching contrast.
You might notice some similarities between Western and rustic interiors, but they’re distinct styles. Unlike rustic style, Western style includes many frontier elements, such as horseshoes, leather furniture, and wagon wheels that draw from its cowboy inspiration. By contrast, the rustic design is more subtle and doesn’t have explicit frontier elements. This style used weathered finishes and handmade materials to evoke cozy log cabins or old farmhouses.
Origins of Western Style
The TV show “Yellowstone” may have made Western culture trendy again, but Americans have always loved the frontier. Western interior design is one of the oldest styles in the United States.
This style originated in ranches and settlements in the American West. Early settlers had challenging lifestyles and valued practicality over luxury. They filled their homes with durable, handmade furniture and decorations made from available resources like antlers, leather, logs, and stone. Ranch hands often built these items during long, harsh winters.
In the 1930s, Thomas Molesworth founded the Shoshone Furniture Company in Cody, Wyoming. He created furniture and decorations inspired by the frontier lifestyle and Western artists. Molesworth sold his furniture to guest ranches, dude ranches, and other tourist attractions. His work helped define the Western aesthetic and move it into the mainstream.
The Western style has continued to evolve in the 21st century. Western Gothic design is one of the most recent developments. This substyle combines the ruggedness of the American West with the darkness and drama of the Gothic. Key elements include dark colors, moody lighting, rich textiles, and stone accents.
Elements of Western Style
Western style is instantly recognizable for its unique blend of natural materials and frontier symbols. Here are a few hallmark elements:
•
Cowboy-inspired accents
Western design transforms everyday items found around the ranch into eye-catching decorations — horseshoes, lassos, vintage saddles, and other themed accessories.
•
Natural materials
Early cowboys had to make do with limited resources on the frontier, so they had to get innovative about using, reusing, and upcycling materials. As a result, this style includes plenty of organic elements like cowhide, fur, reclaimed wood, and wrought iron.
•
Patterned textiles
Inspired by the Western landscape, this style incorporates bold colors and intricate patterns. Blankets, rugs, and other textiles typically have geometric patterns inspired by Native American and Southwestern art.
Characteristics of Western Style
Modern Western interior design allows you to indulge your fantasies and nurture your sense of adventure. Use these characteristics to guide your design choices.
Western-style homes
These days, the Wild West is a state of mind, not a location. You can find Western architecture across the United States and beyond. Here are a few traits of Western homes:
•
Exposed wooden beams
These charming features make Western homes feel more expansive and connected to the outdoors.
•
High ceilings
Lofty ceilings evoke the vastness of Western landscapes.
•
Oversized furniture
Huge sectionals, armchairs, and other large pieces let you indulge in worn-in and well-loved comfort.
•
Warm tones
Western architecture uses warm hues inspired by nature, such as beige, brown, rust, sandstone, and terracotta.
Western-style furniture
Contemporary Western furniture is typically made from weathered wood with dark stains or distressed finishes. This furniture often has handcrafted details and raw edges, which add to its rugged authenticity.
When it comes to upholstery, look for furniture made with distressed leather and durable, patterned fabrics. These materials are cozy but tough enough to withstand a cowboy lifestyle — or just everyday usage.
Western Home Decor Ideas
You don’t need to renovate your entire home to embrace the Western lifestyle. Here are five easy ways to create a Western-style house interior:
•
Add desert plants
Incorporate splashes of color with cacti, succulents, and other houseplants. You can even use cowboy boots as unique planters.
•
Hang themed wall art
Decorate your walls with paintings and framed photographs of horses, buffalo, longhorn cattle, and other animals associated with the American West.
•
Include vintage accessories
Go thrifting or shop online for old-fashioned decor like horse tack, cowboy hats, and Western movie posters.
•
Mix and match materials
Combine leather, fur, plaid, and other elements for an authentic, lived-in design.
•
Swap in Western textiles
Accent pillows and rugs are an affordable way to add Western flair to your home. Look for cozy textiles made from animal hide or with a Western pattern.
Hitch Your Wagon to Western Style
Unleash your inner cowboy or cowgirl with Western interior design. This fun style lets you experiment with animal-themed accents, frontier-inspired decor, and natural materials.
Is Western style not quite right for you? Consider cottagecore or farmhouse designs instead. These styles also embrace nature and simple living but create different atmospheres. You can also explore other popular styles to find the perfect fit.