Richard Romando () -

The word 'rustic' triggers an image of a rugged, bold, hearty personality. This applies to home furnishing and furniture as well. One can find rustic furnishings in a country house, a hunting lodge or a cabin in the woods.

These are mostly handcrafted out of authentic materials like wood, cane, or wrought iron. Rustic furniture is heavy, rugged and solid. Genuine rustic furniture is expensive because of the high price of such materials as hard wood, plush cushioning and wrought iron.

Though rustic furnishings are commonly found in country homes or in the woods, some people consider them fashionable even for their city dwellings, as they lend a country ambience, providing much-needed relief from the hustle and bustle urban life.

But it is difficult to find rustic furniture in large cities where many companies have started manufacturing furniture that resembles genuine rustic furniture. The pseudo-rustic furniture is often made of pressed wood and hard plastic.

Because of the high prices, many people prefer such furniture that is rustic looking, though it is not as sturdy as the genuine rustic furniture made of solid wood and iron.

Because of their rugged, handcrafted style, rustic furniture gives a warm and comfortable feeling, even in an urban dwelling. One can make a bedroom set attractive by having a solid pine bed frame and matching dresser installed in it.

Similarly, a heavy wooden rocker with a country style-cushion can pep up any room. Even the bathroom can be embellished with a wrought iron mirror frame, oak vanity set and a shower curtain with rustic themes.

There is a misconception that rustic furniture belongs outdoors. That may have been true 100 years ago, but it rustic pieces have moved from the backyard to the parlour and even to the bedroom. Besides bringing people back to nature, it's completely functional.

Comment #1 Cornelia from Furniture World -

I really like the rustic look. I think that it gives your home a very homey look if you know what I mean. My aunt's home is decorated like this and it is so warm and inviting.

Comment #2 Lee from North Pole -

I have a friend that lives in a log home and it is beautiful. Some of his furniture has the rustic thing going on but not all of it. Mainly the tables in his house are rustic and he has one of those big heavy rocking chairs that is really cool. Other than that he has normal couch and recliners. It really is a neat house. I can't really imagine this type of furniture in a city home, it definitely reminds me of a country home when I hear the word rustic.

Comment #3 Jo Jo from Tucson, Arizona -

We have friends who have a log cabin in Northern Arizona. Their home is truly rustic and I just love the way she decorated it...They even have one of those deer heads about their fireplace that always scares the living daylights out of me!!

Comment #4 Silly Sally from the middle of nowhere -

I had a friend who lived in a California city and had log furniture. It didn't seem at all out of place.

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