A pot of coffee bubbles and churns on the stovetop. Just outside, songbirds serenade the rising sun. You peer out the kitchen window, and a whitetail buck slinks through the oaks, munching on acorns as it slowly slinks back up the hill to its daytime bedding area.
With a feeling of peace, you smile, and thank God for the blessing of your beautiful country home. It isn’t heaven, but that cabin is about as close as you can get down here.
Of course, while most people think about the exterior of cabins more than the interior, proper cabin décor can make it an even sweeter abode. Whether it’s a new, beautiful Morton home or cabin, or a history-rich creation from decades past, create the cabin experience you desire.
Cabin interiors, and choosing decorating ideas for cabins, might not be high on your list of priorities. But this effort can most certainly elevate such a space. Check out these tips for decorating the cabin.
1. Use Nature-Focused Paint Color Schemes
Cohesive, thought-out paint schemes can convey certain feelings, create specific atmospheres, influence people’s moods, and more. That being true, it’s possible to use nature-focused paint color schemes to decorate cabins. Color is the foundation for great cabin décor.
Generally, neutral color schemes are best. Additionally, certain greens can create a rustic, nature-like feel, too. Match the overall paint scheme to the season you hope to recreate. For example, think of spring, summer, fall, or winter when designing your plan. Or, in larger cabins, consider different seasons for different rooms.
2. Incorporate Rustic Shelving
Shelves are excellent for décor, and these serve as utility, too. A proper rustic shelving design can add to the nature theme. It can also create display opportunities, boost floor space, and decrease clutter.
When choosing a shelving design, remember that paint color, material, and texture should mesh with other elements of the room. This should be a cohesive part of the overall objective.
3. Add an Electric Fireplace
If your cabin already comes complete with a fireplace and chimney, even better. But if not, and you want the feel of one without the cost, upkeep, and fire risk (albeit minimal), consider an electric fireplace.
Everyone loves fireplaces. Adding an electric fireplace offers that without the smell of smoke, dealing with backdrafts, and fixing eventual leaks. While it isn’t as authentic, it still checks the fireplace box in an effective way.
4. Decorate with Cool, On-Topic Antiques
Antiques are cool, plain and simple. A neat antique offers allure, beauty, mystery, and more, all in one package. An antique tells a story, and sharing that story is important. If the onlooker (you and/or guests) don’t know the antique’s history, people commonly create one in their mind. They project their feelings and emotions (in relation to their life) onto that item. It’s comforting, in a subtle, subliminal way.
Of course, when decorating with antiques, ensure these items match the theme. For you, if that’s a nature-inspired flair, select antiques that fit that bill.
5. Showcase a Property Map
Maps have been around for thousands of years. In fact, the Imago Mundi is the first known map, and it dates to the 6th century (BC). People love maps, as they offer both an artistic feel and beneficial utility. Few things check both these boxes, making it an excellent selection for cabin décor.
Of course, hunters love overviews of their land, too. It provides a unique look at the property and can aid in choosing stand locations. It can even help direct guests to treestands and hunting blinds.
Whether you’re a hunter, or not, Hunterra is a great map-making company. Its array of map designs and styles certainly fit the nature-based cabin décor theme.
6. Deploy Some Deer (and Other) Mounts
Nothing creates the hunting theme better than a few deer mounts. Of course, choose the taxidermy that creates an on-brand feel for you. Whitetails, wild turkeys, waterfowl, upland birds — whatever you love, incorporate it into the cabin décor.
7. Use Quilts with Nature and Wildlife Scenes
Most cabins are served well with quality quilting. Those with nature and wildlife scenes are especially good for cabins and country homes. Displaying these on beds and furniture ups the design and adds to the overall effect.
8. Display Wild Game Furs, Hides, and Rugs
Those who enjoy certain types of hunting might display wild game furs, hides, and rugs. A bear hunter might display a rug from a harvest. Of course, furs and hides from deer, elk, moose, and other game, can also be tanned and hung on walls and placed on floors. If you happened to hunt that animal yourself, and can tell the story, it can add even more guest appeal.
9. Hang Incredible Wildlife-Focused Paintings
Those who love nature, love wildlife-based paintings. These beautiful creations are timeless, and fit nature-focused décor better than most efforts. Oftentimes, while a mix-and-match direction works well, decorating each room based on species themes (i.e.: whitetails, wild turkeys, etc.) is another popular method.
When it comes to artists, Ryan Kirby Art captures the wildlife theme. His paintings of whitetails, turkeys, elk, foxes, upland birds, waterfowl, and other animals are unmatched. His work is sure to elevate your cabin atmosphere.
10. Hang Beautiful Landscape- and Wildlife-Focused Photography
Beautiful landscape- and wildlife-focused photography checks all the right boxes, too. Landscape themes really set the mood, and can stir emotions within all of us that we can’t effectively articulate.
Wildlife themes can do the same. Wildlife photography is especially impactful for those who cherish specific species, such as bear, elk, moose, whitetails, wild turkey, and more.
Other Cabin Decorating Tips and Tactics
Cabin décor is multifaceted, and there are categories within categories. Within those, options are extensive, and wading through various styles can be challenging. If rustic, nature-based cabin décor is your jam, consider pairing the above tips with the concepts below. Of course, these are bigger tasks, and more time-consuming. But these can really amplify the feel you’re hoping for.
Implement stone into the design. This immediately speaks to the direction you hope to go in.
Use the right furniture designs. Done incorrectly, this can significantly change (or conflict) with the overall target theme.
Nature offers the best light, which can be difficult to capture and recreate. Adding warm lighting helps with this.
Use wood paneling. Choosing one that offers a bark-like design can add to the overall effect.
Use organic lines, textures, and designs. There aren’t many geometric lines in nature. Therefore, an overabundance of the latter can conflict with the nature theme.
Create accent walls. These pop regardless of theme, but a well-crafted, nature-based project can work wonders.
It’s difficult to “be nature” more than nature itself. Therefore, decorate with plants. This is an excellent way to elevate the cabin décor nature theme. Of course, if you rarely visit the cabin, or go long stretches without being there, this might not be a viable option. Select plant species based on how often you frequent the property, as watering might become an issue.
Decorate Your Cabin the Right Way
The only right way to decorate your cabin is the way you want. It’s your home, or home away from home. It’s your space, and whatever makes you feel at peace, is the right route. After all, it’s all about finding a place of comfort and tranquility. Combine your cabin décor ideas with good suggestions to find the right blend for making “home” what it is to you.
And remember, when decorating, it’s important to tell a story. For yourself, use your décor to create atmosphere and stir emotion. For others, create conversation opportunities that spark dialogue. If you’re an outdoorsman or woman yourself, maybe the cabin décor items come with legendary tales of your time in the outdoors.
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