Rustic rules

You can bring in some rustic charm with objects of decor on an easy budget, says Deepa Gupta

The surest way to bring a warm inviting look to your living room is to go rustic. You could go all out and have the theme running through the whole decor of the room or use certain facets to highlight the earthy element.Wall texture is one such element. A brick wall adds a rustic touch very effectively. Stay with this finish on just one wall, or if doing the whole room, coordinate all the other furnishings to blend. The furniture should be comfortable and warm shades like orange and yellow look perfect in this setting. Rugs and durries are essential to soften the roughness of brick. It is easier to texture just one wall in the room. Apart from brick, you could use stucco or any other roughly hewn finish. Or simply paint one wall in a different colour. Terracotta and yellow are hues to consider for a rustic impact. Once you have used the finish of your choice, build the decor around it. Wooden furniture, especially pine, cedar and walnut is ideal. Dressers and corner display units build on the rustic theme and what better place to display your collection of plates.Blue pottery is both earthy and attractive and comes in a vast range of designs. In fact, given the variety of art and craft in India, there’s a delightful choice for decorating. Take the furniture from Rajasthan and Gujarat. Chairs, tables, boxes and chests, some intricately carved, others more roughly hewn, bring on the rustic flavour. Kashmiri carved furniture in warm tones of walnut is another good option. An endless array of artifacts can sit prettily with the furniture. There are papier mache statues and boxes, brightly hued cloth birds and animals, Warli paintings and Kalamkari and Madhubani works. Terracotta is truly rustic and there are many ways to use it. Erect a jaali wall as a room divider and display your books and bric-a-brac. Planters and urns set off the greenery in the room and a collection of pots and jars can be built into an interesting configuration.Terracotta murals are a simple yet effective way to dress your walls. Set off the earthy notes with cushions in myriad hues. Lamps made of terracotta add a warm glow as do the leather crafted shades from Andhra Pradesh. For a more colourful effect, opt for the fabric hanging lights from Orissa. Or simply throw a scarf over an ordinary shade to bathe the room in soft light. For a different kind of country look, invest in a couple of comfortable sofas. Upholster them in tweed or floral prints and dress round side tables with matching fabric. A traditional fireplace would fit right into the scheme of things.You don’t have to go for the real thing, a faux one will do.Top the mantelpiece with photographs and flowers. A painting would sit nicely above that too. Picture frames made with rope and wood add the right notes. Wicker and cane make for good rustic settings especially when combined with checks and stripes. A rocking chair is another piece of furniture which enhances the homely look. The kind of flooring also adds to the rustic effect.A stone or slate floor is ideal for that rugged look. Terracotta tiles also serve the purpose. You could also use ceramic tiles in earthy tones. These are all easy to maintain and too.To make things easier you could go in for floor seating and large cushions. TNN, 10 Mar07