The cowboy western theme is a great way to make your home
fun, comfortable, and functional. One of the reasons people
prefer the western home style is that it reminds them of a
favorite trip to a place where nature abounds, such as
Yosemite. It also brings to mind movies of old westerns
with tumbleweeds blowing around and rugged singing cowboys.
A home filled with western home furnishings is warm and
inviting, with lots of visual interest. Its a wonderful
way to welcome family and friends, and provides a relaxing
retreat from the distractions of a challenging day.

There are several ways to transform your room into a cowboy
western theme. Although some work will be involved in order
to achieve this, keep in mind that it will be fun and at the
same time very rewarding once you see the end result.

Color is very important to any theme. With western style,
the wood is usually a honey color and the metals should be
black. For accent colors, you may use terra cotta, brick
red, navy, or forest green, along with a neutral colored
background of creams, grays, and tans. You may opt for
two-tone colored walls or a single color for the wall.

For flooring, you may, for instance, decide on a checkered
floor with earth tone ceramic tiles for the game room. For
the home office or bedroom, consider hardwood or laminate
flooring in a dark color for that country western feel.
However, if you are not interested in changing the floor,
you can explore different western style rugs and arrange
them around the room. This way, you will have a fabulous
western look without going through the expense of tearing up
and laying down a new floor.

For wall art, look for western posters, prints and artwork.
Some of the best places to find this type of art are at
second hand stores and country western theme stores. You
may take it one step further and include branding irons, ox
yokes, antler pieces, and animal skins for that added
western feel. Its essential to have a vision of the kinds
of pieces you want so that you purchase ones in the right
sizes and proportions.

Lighting is an important component to creating a great
western theme that’s fun and functional. To bring lighting
into your room, add a couple of vintage western lanterns to
your tabletops. You may also include a wall sconce or two
with bulls or cowboys for ambiance since it is low lit. To
draw a lot of light into the room, you may need a bigger
lighting fixture, such as a chandelier or pub lamp. A nice
touch is an antler chandelier or one that looks rustic. Pub
lamps look great in game rooms. There are also country
western themed table lamps that look fabulous in just about
any room.

A common fallacy about western home furnishings is that some
believe it has a rough rugged look and feel. However,
western style furnishings are well-built and possess a
casual elegance of their own. There is some amazing looking
country western furniture made from wagon wheels. Its a
neat look, but not very comfortable. Other options include
pieces that are hand carved or log furniture. Wood carved
furniture gives the room a cozy log cabin feel. You can
choose from log furniture, twig and branch furniture, or
mission style furnishings. If you want to add an impressive
piece of furniture, try including an unpainted solid wood
coffee table. Unpainted furniture looks beautiful and is
quite eye catching.

For seating, western bar stools are wonderful because they
bring the feeling of the rugged outdoors back inside. You
can use these stools at a breakfast bar, pub table, or
around a pool table. The stool seats are either round or
square shaped, and the stools are made from a particular type
of wood, with some being made of wrought iron. Extreme attention
to detail is given when they are manufactured because of the
carved legs and feet, along with extras such as nail heads,
tassels, and saddle seats, which all contribute to the
western theme. The great thing is that these stools have a
real heavy look to them. The wood legs are thicker with
heavy seats and backs that give the look of a sturdy support
system to each stool. The leather and other hides used in
these stools make them fit for any western dcor. There is
a wide variety of western home furnishings that includes
sofas, chairs, tables, coat racks, and more.

Lastly, lets talk about accessories. This is like going on
a treasure hunt. You want to search for things that will
boost the overall western appearance. For instance, you can
incorporate boot spurs, an antler clock, or whisky bottles
as decorations. Its your chance to be creative!
Western decor is about inviting the outdoors in and there is
no doubt that a motif is essential with this theme. You can
include animal motifs such as deer, cattle, bear, moose, or
fish. Also, the use of antlers as a candelabra, candle
holder, or coat rack is an excellent way to bring out the
western theme. Other motifs are comprised of outdoor scenes
such as fishing, riding, hunting, lakes, rivers, pine cones,
oak trees, wildflowers, and grasses. This dcor will add an
incredibly comfortable feel without costing an arm and a
leg. The beauty is that you can use horseshoe sconces, twig
framed mirrors, old blue jeans, dried flowers, and quilts to
accessorize as well. You can also display horse figurines
on a shelf or place native pottery on side tables. Also,
leather is perfect for cowboy home decor, along with
anything that is rough and textured. Suede, wool tweed,
birch bark, fur, and even saddle blankets can be used for
that western look. Try to choose unique knick knacks that
are representative of your personality.

For a touch of softness, decorative pillows are an
attractive choice. Pillows put a charming touch to
bathrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, and kitchens. They
can be used in the kitchen or bathroom by arranging them on
chairs, shelving, or an area of interest. Placing pillows
on a chair or couch will help tie in the western dcor to
the furniture and room. For added interest and drama,
consider using pillows made from thick material.
You can also accent furniture through the use of a faux fur
throw that has white and black cow spots. This gives the
feeling of being in the company of cowboys and is a
welcoming form of comfort because it adds warmth and gives
the room a luxurious feel without the hefty price tag. You
can also add an eloquently designed tapestry throw
consisting of a band of running horses or a group of cowboys
gathered around to watch the sun setting. For this style,
it is always best to combine neutral colors with striking
designs inspired by nature. Although the western style uses
a lot of little details, be assured that most of these
things are simple to find.

Sometimes, we may not realize it, but the furnishings and
accessories we choose for our home are often a reflection of
our interests and personalities. Taking the time to
carefully find the right pieces will create the ideal home
environment that we can enjoy and feel extremely proud of
for many years to come.

Giorgina Devereaux is the creator of AskGiorgina.com, which features questions, answers, and ideas on home decor and furniture. For more information, please visit http://www.AskGiorgina.com