| When it comes to home decorating, it is easy to | | | | Today, American Country is more likely to mix |
| stuck in the same old rut. A traditional room with | | | | traditional pieces with modern and contemporary |
| traditional furnishings can become just too... | | | | furniture, but the baskets, quilts and red, white |
| traditional. Perhaps it is time to shake things up | | | | and blue color theme still provide the underlying |
| with a brand new look for your not-so-brand-new | | | | essence of American Country decorating. |
| home. Browse through these six home decorating | | | | The Lodge Look. This decorating style epitomizes |
| trends and see if there is one that matches your | | | | the concept of bringing the outdoors indoors. With |
| personal style. | | | | large, real wood furniture, including twigs, poles, |
| Modern Organic. And by organic, we mean natural | | | | and Adirondack chairs, the lodge look incorporates |
| looking. Modern furniture does not have to take a | | | | touches of the old West with accents of real |
| cubist approach with straight lines and hard edges. | | | | silver and turquoise, Navajo rugs, and thrown |
| The new modern look has plenty of curves, but | | | | pottery used either as lamp bases or as |
| these gentle life-like curves avoid looking curly-cue | | | | accessories for the rough hewn wood mantel. |
| or overly feminine. You can achieve the modern | | | | Mediterranean Country. This look can be either |
| organic look with a variety of materials including | | | | Tuscan or French, but it incorporates the colors |
| wood, plastic, leather or metal. The accent colors | | | | and styles of Mediterranean old country homes |
| will be almond, leafy greens, sand, tan and dark | | | | with the convenience of modern living. You will |
| chocolate browns. | | | | find deep organic colors of rusts, ochre and |
| Shabby Chic. Warning, a true shabby chic look has | | | | saffron, plenty of wrought iron accents and simple |
| a distinctly feminine look that is unlikely to appeal | | | | lighting designs that may include candle-based light |
| to the male gender. So unless you live alone, or | | | | fixtures. |
| the man in your life is extremely generous or | | | | Island Chic. Think Tommy Bahama meets Ernest |
| oblivious to his surroundings, you may want to | | | | Hemingway in Casa Blanca. We all know Tommy |
| avoid shabby chic altogether. But if you do decide | | | | Bahama was a fictitious character invented by the |
| to go for it, go for the gusto by placing all white | | | | imaginations of a marketing team, but the line has |
| furniture and accessories in an all white interior, | | | | come to represent elegant Island living, carried out |
| then distress the paint, fray the edges, and | | | | with simplicity and class. The furniture can run |
| generally give your room that lived-in cottage | | | | from simple wicker, to elegant carved wood that |
| look. If you grow tired of the all white theme, you | | | | reflects British Colonial styles. The main ingredient |
| can add a bit of color with cabbage roses and | | | | for Island Chic is the vivid color palette, consisting |
| pink and green paint. Just make sure you keep | | | | of tropical teals, salmon and yellows, usually |
| the distressed look intact, even when repainting | | | | played against a dark wood backdrop. |
| furniture or picture frames, or recovering pillows | | | | If any of these trendy new decorating styles |
| or lampshades. | | | | have your imagination spinning, then you have |
| American Country. The country look has evolved. | | | | definitely found your next look. Now it is time for |
| Previously, American Country took its cues from | | | | a trip to your local paint store and favorite |
| English furniture styles, dependent upon the | | | | furniture retailer, and you will have your trendy |
| romantic look complete with pastel colors and frills. | | | | new look in no time. |