Down to Earth
DESIGN STORIES
Simple and rustic design — as exhibited in ceramics, rattan, and hand-woven textiles, among others — infuse warmth and character into your home. Pieces made of natural materials and crafted by hand connect you to the people and places behind them. They’ll bring soul to your space, not to mention look eye-pleasing in an effortless and laidback way.
Image: Petersham Nursery
Sophie Rowell, designer and founder of Côte de Folk interior design studio in the UK, shows how a mantle is the perfect place to display a wide array of rustic objects. This eclectic collection is perfectly complimented by the raw plaster walls and ceilings and rattan furniture.
An excellent way to approach rustic design is to collect really special and unique pieces over time and gather them in one place. For interior and textile designer Schuyler Samperton, that place is an intricate bookshelf affixed above a wooden table which is well positioned to enjoy the pieces day-to-day.
Nothing enlivens a table like handmade pieces, whether hand-blown glass, hand-painted ceramic dishes or hand-woven linens. Because they all have the qualities of authenticity and imperfect beauty, it’s easy to mix and match items with different materials and provenances.
Images: @angelickpicture, Nicola Harding and Co (photo by Horwood)
Rustic pieces work well across a variety of design styles. In this room designed by Octavia Dickinson, a trio of hand-painted bowls, along with a wooden artwork painted with colorful leaves, creates an eye catching contrast to the traditional crown moldings, built-in bookshelves and mantelpiece.
Image: Design by Octavia Dickinson. Photo by Paul Massey for House & Garden UK.
