Little touches can give your home a Western feel.
You live in the West and you love the look of Western decor, it's only natural you'd want to bring a little of that wide-open feeling into your living spaces. Whether you're adding character to a new home or getting an existing home ready to sell, it's easy to invite the West inside. You don't have to spend a lot of money or be a professional designer to do it. All you need is to start envisioning a Western landscape as part of your home and then put the pieces in place.
Work the palette. One of the easiest ways to bring a Western feeling into your home is through color. The Western palette echoes the colors of nature: sunset reds and oranges, cactus greens, big sky blues, earthy browns and wet clay yellows. Though the simple use of paint, you can set the stage for other Western touches throughout your home.
Think small. You don't need a lot of space or a huge budget to pull off a Western look. Replace your kitchen cabinet hardware with wrought iron pulls; add Navajo-inspired pillows and baskets; hang photos and artifacts of the Old West on your walls--these types of small changes will take your home in a Western direction. Sometimes little touches can have a bigger impact than an overall transformation.
Think naturally. One of the unifying themes of Western decor is nature. Early settlers used what was available to make what they needed. Wood, where it was available, stone and mud when it wasn't; animal bones, hides and antlers; native plants and grasses and recycled objects are just a few examples. So keep your eye out for materials that are natural to your area and use them to breathe a Western spirit into your home.
Use native inspiration. Native American tribes in the West are known for their exquisite art and craftsmanship. Think of Navajo pottery, rugs and blankets; Zuni fetishes; Hopi basketry and kachinas; and transformation masks from the tribes of the Pacific Northwest. If budget allows, buy a few authentic Native American pieces and then feature them in your home. Nothing will bring the West into your home more evocatively.
Hang some art. The American West has long been a magnet for artists. Ansel Adams, Georgia O'Keefe and Maynard Dixon are just a few of the many artists we associate with the American West. Displaying the work of these talented artists is an excellent way to set a Western mood in your home. You can find originals, as well as more affordable prints and posters, online and in galleries close to home.
Rappoport, Michele. "How to Decorate a Home with a Western Theme." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/decorate-home-western-theme-1316.html. Accessed 24 April 2019.