In the early 1600s, when Swedish settlers brought building customs from their home country, log cabin influences came to North America. Today, log cabin furnishings and homes are still very popular in North America, and the style has been labeled as the “rustic” design. Rustic furniture was originally made from whatever natural materials were in the greatest supply, and often used by the less-fortunate as items of trade for food and even cash. The son of Frank Lloyd Wright, a famous American architect and interior designer who designed more than 1000 structures actually invented the popular children’s toy known as Lincoln Logs after the log cabin design, and in 1999 Lincoln Logs were inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.

The rustic style decor is prevalent within outdoor furniture and accessories located in mountainous and “woodsy” locations, but rustic designs, outdoor furniture and accessories can also be seen influencing many modern furnishing and decor designs as well. Some of the most popular and most noticeable rustic styles are seen in log furniture, log cabin outdoor furniture, cedar log beds, outdoor patio decor, and in other kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and outdoor furnishings.

The Rustic style is many-sided. Within many types of decor styles including natural, vintage, shabby chic, minimalism, industrial and feminine styles, you will commonly notice a rustic influence. Taken as the base of the decor, rustic style brings extreme coziness and warmness even in combination with industrial and minimalist styles. Wooden beams, floors, walls and ceiling provide a perfect rustic base, then add some natural wooden furniture, checkered patterns, antler or fur, and you have the perfect characteristics for adding a warm and cozy rustic style to your home. For those who want to visit places where they can see more rustic styles of furniture, they can visit the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. See this link for more references.