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Did you know? The first recorded pair of cowboy boots ever made was in 1870 but there’s controversy on where the shoemaker was from. Most believe he resided in either Kansas or Texas.
TakeawaysAnyone’s brand of style can be incorporated while decorating with a Wild West theme.There are limitless Western possibilities when it comes to room design.You do not have to be a Cowboy or a Cowgirl to have a piece of the Wild West!Anyone can decorate using a Wild West theme. Depending on your Western style, your decorating design can be bold and wild, subtle and elegant or just plain playful and fun. This article offers some ideas for decorating with a Wild West theme that will leave your guests saying "Yee-haw!"
If your home improvement project involves new flooring, there are many color options out there in the different types available. For our theme, I suggest either hardwood floors or a neutral carpet in a shade of brown or tan.
Choosing the correct Western paint color for the walls is very important as it is the foundation on which all the other design elements will rest. If you are decorating a child's bedroom using a Wild West theme, then I recommend painting it a dark red. For the rest of your home, the colors of the walls depend on what mood you want to set. Use the same reddish tone if you want to be playful, a deep saddle brown if you want to be bold or a tanned leather color if you want a more subtle hue to work with. Personally, I would choose tan because it's easier to paint over if you ever change your mind and the accessories of the room stand out more against a lighter background.
Lighting sources are very vital in any room's design. Depending on the room you are choosing to decorate, make sure that the main light source is sufficient for whatever tasks are preformed in that room. Task lighting is also an issue such as reading lamps, display illumination (such as for highlighting artwork and up-lighting behind pedestals. For a kid's room there are light covers available that have the cowboy them already painted on them. They can be found in many hardware or home improvement stores. A great alternative to buying a lamp would be to make your own cowboy book lamp. (There is a "How to make a cowboy lamp" link in the resource field at the end of this article.) Now, brand new cowboy boots can get kind of expensive, but you can pick up used pairs at thrift stores, flea markets and garage sales in a variety of sizes, colors and styles. You can also make your own rope lamp by picking up a cheap lamp and hot gluing rope around the base.(There is also a link to "How to make a rope wrapped flower pot" in the resource field, which is the same premise as a lamp.) Trim out a lamp shade with fringe and you have a one of a kind creation made by you!
On the subject of fringe, I do not think that you can have too much of it while decorating with a Wild West theme. When you are picking out the fabric to use in your room, make sure to choose complementary fringe to trim it out in. For a child's room, you can pick out an actual print fabric, horseshoes, cowboys, and horses all work well with a bright colored fringe to match. This also works if you are trying to do a playful Western theme. If you want a more formal look choose a deep brown for the drapes, table runners, pillows, etc. and trim them all with a deep red or black fringe. To decorate somewhere in between, choose a lighter brown or tan and trim it out in black, red or dark brown. The type of material you use depends on the Western room that you are designing. Choose more durable fabrics for high traffic rooms and leave the more delicate, like real suede, for accent pillows. Leather (real or faux) always fits best into any cowboy room, so make sure to at least add touches of it here and there. Experiment with different fabrics and fringes and at the end of the day, just choose what feels good. All of your accessories will play off of the material used in the room, so pick out something that you really like, instead of just what you think "Western style" should be. Another option is to put a few horse blankets on the furniture around the room instead of the standard throws that are so in fashion now.
On the subject of furniture, to me there is nothing more Western then a huge overstuffed brown leather couch with silver or bronzed furniture tacks as trim. Throw in some heavy wooden end tables and an old aged coffee table and you can picture a cowboy coming home, getting comfortable and putting his feet up, spurs and all. Now these things may not be everyone's budget, especially such a sofa. That is were slipcovers come into play. (The last resource link listed is a pdf file that will show you "How to make a slipcover") You can add embellishments such as trim and tacks as you wish. As for end tables and a coffee table, these things can be picked up anywhere, just spend a few days bargain hunting. Any old furniture can be made new by re-staining, painting or decoupage. The only limit is your imagination. Finally, add an old-fashioned wooden rocking chair, to sit back in and read your favorite Old West tales.
Now we move on to picking out the artwork. There are so many Western style prints out there that the only advice that I can give you is to search. Look at art stores, discount stores, thrift stores, garage sales and online. There are specialty stores dedicated to cowboy items (heck, there are specialty stores dedicated to just about any theme!) where you may be able to find a larger print to work off of. These places, for the most part, are a little more expensive but might be worth it if you have a small amount of time to look for the perfect piece. For smaller areas, you can purchase some old postcards and frame them. Another idea for original wall art is to hang up old, non-firing, rifles and old-fashioned guns or reproductions. You can also hang up antique horse bridles, bits, whips, and lassos off of aged hooks.
My favorite part of decorating any room is choosing all of the accessories. There are too many Wild West themed items out there to list but I will give you some basic ideas to get you started. After all, half the fun of having a theme room is finding the perfect accessory to go into it and that happens over time, not over night. My father-in-law, a true life cowboy, has a few really elegant looking metal statues in his living room. There are plenty out there of horses, cowboys, cowgirls, saddles, etc. Almost any Western item you can think of has been immortalized in bronze, sliver or resin. Cowboy hats, whether hanging up or sitting on tables, can add an authentic touch. They come in a variety of colors and styles to fit any room. An old Western saddle, sitting on a pedestal or sawhorse can be a unique addition as well as provide extra seating if secured properly. The one important thing that I learned a long time ago is that with any accessories; make sure to display them in numbers of one, three or five. Odd numbers just seem to look better when it comes to groupings. Do not forget the details while shopping for these items, such as light switch covers, fan and/or shade pulls and curtain tie-backs.
After you set the last accessory in place, it is time to step back and admire your hard work. You have now decorated with a Wild West theme. The final touch, before turning out the lights, is to hang the proverbial horseshoe above the door. You will need the extra luck in convincing any "Cow-Folk" to leave in your future entertaining. |
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