How To Incorporate Arts And Crafts Style Decorating Even On A Budget

By Phyllis Schroeder


There are many different ways in which a person can decorate their home. Some are more ornate than others. If you love the idea of clean lines without the stark look of modern styles, arts and crafts style decorating may be a good style for you to explore. Here is what you need to know about this style and what you need to do to bring it into your own home.

While it may look modern, this style is actually several hundred years old. Another design style, Victorian, that was popular when this movement was founded, was much more ornate. Some architects and designers didn't like it and wanted something that looked cleaner and more natural. This movement was the answer to that desire.

Furniture is not the only thing that is available in this style. There are also houses that have been designed in the Arts and Crafts or Craftsman style of architecture. If you are looking for homes that have been designed in this style, you will see that they tend to have exposed rafters, eaves that overhang quite a bit and columns that hold up the roof. Some excellent examples of this can be seen in homes throughout the United States.

If you are looking for ways to decorate your home in this style, be prepared to have a lot of wood in your home. Remember that artists working in this particular design style loved natural materials such as stone and wood. They wanted to find ways to showcase the beauty that these materials had naturally and used them in as many different ways as possible.

Color schemes should also use a lot of natural looking colors. These include greens and browns although other colors can work well also. You want to make sure that the colors you choose will accent and highlight the wooden elements such as trim that you have used in the room. Fabrics should look and feel like they are made from natural fibers even if they are not. Flooring is usually made of natural materials such as wood or stone rather than using carpets or rugs.

When you begin looking at this type of furniture and architecture, you may be amazed at how complicated some of the designs are. Some of these items can be decorated but it tends to be understated and show a lot of hand carving and workmanship. Just remember that this style tends to showcase the inner beauty that is found in natural materials rather than painting them or disguising their appearance with thick layers of paint.

If you are looking for inspiration, you may want to look at images of some famous Arts and Crafts homes that are designed and decorated in this style. One of the most famous is the Gamble house which is located in Pasadena, California. It is known around the world by fans of the Craftsman (or Arts and Crafts) style.

While originals are beautiful they can be quite expensive. You may want to start with reproductions of classic Craftsman pieces. Then, as your budget allows, you can start adding original pieces to your home. While pieces created by famous designers can be prohibitively expensive, you can still find original pieces in this style that will work well and which will not blow your budget.




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