Rustic Garden Inspiration (2024)

FAQs

How do you make a rustic garden? ›

Using weathered terracotta pots is a sure way to add a rustic feel to your garden. But if you can't get your hands on some, you can also add a weathered patina to new terracotta pots to lend them some vintage cachet using garden lime, like these DIY aged garden pots from My 100 Year Old Home.

Garden statues, birdbaths and urns can add so much vintage charm to any cottage garden. Look for old concrete garden fixtures at estate sales and flea markets with a bit of chippiness and patina for extra vintage goodness.

Rustic landscapes are relaxed in structure, using native plants and textured shrubs that reflect the randomness already present in nature. They often include edible and wildflower gardens. Hardscapes like pathways and pool coping are curvier and encourage both wandering and slowing down.

Old teacups become whimsical planters, while vintage ladders serve as enchanting trellises. Embrace your artistic side by painting rocks with vibrant colors or crafting DIY fairy houses to nestle among the greenery. Create pathways adorned with DIY stepping stones, each one a unique piece of art.

Rustic design is a style that's natural, aged, organic, and maybe even a little distressed. Design styles like farmhouse, Tuscan, or coastal can also be described as rustic. Rustic is the opposite of modern or contemporary design. Rustic decor also feels completely unpretentious or stuffy.

Utilize natural elements such as wood, stone and native plants around the house to add warmth to your design. Opt for materials with natural textures and finishes that reflect the rustic charm of farmhouse living.

Select a variety of flowering plants that bloom at different times to ensure you have plenty of pretty flowers mingling with colorful foliage for most of the year. Many perennials bloom more than once or have an extended bloom season, such as coneflowers, easy-to-grow roses, and salvias.

Rustic glam style is cozy and textural. Think sheepskin rugs and glittering candlesticks, or live-edge wood columns or countertops paired with modern dinnerware. Marble and farmhouse kitchen cabinets, with sleek, simple, metal hardware.

An emphasis on natural elements. Wood with a raw, unfinished aesthetic is heavily featured within this style. An organic foundational form augmented with sleek, geometric shapes for a more modern look. Earthy, neutral color palette - warm browns, creams, and shades of green form the base.

How do you decorate rustic style? ›

You can't go wrong with neutral tones, natural materials, and no-fuss furniture. Rustic decor is all about a no-fuss aesthetic that showcases the beauty of subdued hues, natural materials (think wood beams or touches of stone and clay), and comfortable furnishings.

Fairy gardens are miniature gardens constructed of diminutive plants and tiny accessories designed to lure fairies. They can be outside gardens with in-ground plants, or they can be mini container gardens intended mainly for indoors – at least part of the time.

To create a bohemian garden, mix various plants, including perennials, succulents, and hanging plants, to achieve a lush, eclectic look. Incorporate colourful textiles, like outdoor rugs and cushions, use unconventional planters, and add decorative elements like fairy lights, lanterns, and vintage furniture.

Add soil or sand, and build your garden using found objects such as pine cones, sticks and stones, or miniature decorative items you've made or purchased at a craft store. Stick with a certain theme, such as a cottage garden, the beach or the woodlands—or not!

Distressing Tools: Screws, a hammer, chain, nails, a nail set, an old saw blade, and a sander are a few of the tools you can use to mechanically distress wood. Liquids: White vinegar, stains, and paints are three types of fluids you may want to use for faux-aging wood. Vinegar creates a silvery-gray appearance.

Stab and Scour the Wood

Stab the wood with an awl to create small holes. Another method is to “sandwich” several pieces of gravel between two of your boards (the more pieces you add, the more distressed the wood will be.) Stand on the top board and “surf” back and forth to scour the surface.

This look is all about mixing the right elements like taking a traditional dining table but doing it in a light color with distressing for a rustic take on the look. Or paring rusty metals with a tailored sofa. Natural colored elements and high contrast are the secrets to success for a rustic traditional look.