Urban Rebellion: Rustic Decorating Making a Big Comeback
Demand for everything “rustic” is growing
The return of “rustic” as both a decorating theme and a lifestyle has created a huge demand for information as well as furnishings and accessories with a rustic look and feel.
Many of us long for a rustic retreat… maybe a log cabin deep in the country or a lodge at the edge of a pristine lake. Some are able to make this a reality, while others capture the lifestyle through vacation rentals. Others convert their urban or suburban home into their own rustic retreat. In today’s hectic world, rustic charm is enjoying renewed popularity, as people seek a connection to nature and simpler times. The owners of Rustic-Lodge-Lifestyle.com, who are living their rustic dream, have created a website filled with information and products to assist those searching for just the right pieces to complete their rustic look.
Kim and Sandra Thornton had their own “rustic dreams” and now they have a country retreat for their extended family, and close friends.
Since purchasing their property in the rolling hills of northeastern Alberta five years ago they have fully adopted the rustic, or as they prefer to call it, the lodge lifestyle, at least part time.
In addition to renovating their cedar log cabin, they decorated, made log furniture, built enormous decks on the front and back, installed numerous bird feeders, cleared dead trees, split firewood, had a new red tin roof installed, got to know the locals, and… created a website devoted to “the lodge lifestyle”.
Why build a rustic website?
When asked why a website, Kim replied, “It’s the culmination of our passion for everything rustic or, as my wife likes to say, ‘lodgy’.
“We’re able to put relevant content on the site because we’re living it. When facing a challenge, like we did with mice, we write about how we solved the problem and at the same time invite our site visitors to share their experiences. We see this becoming a rich idea exchange.
“We’ve scoured the web for a wide range of stuff perfect for this type of living, from rustic window treatments to rooster decor, from log beds to lodge lighting, from bedding to bird houses. In addition to over 1,000 “rustic” products, the site has a wealth of information including rustic window treatments, recipes for country cooking, ideas on naming your cabin, a variety of country themes, and even a coffee lovers’ section.”
It’s a great resource
Whether you call it a cabin, cottage, log home, or lodge, if you embrace the rustic lifestyle, you’ll find some value if you browse this website.
Thornton says they continue to add information and products weekly and look forward to the website becoming a community for like-minded people to share their ideas, stories and even photos.
They are always interested in finding new suppliers to include on the site. “We’re still looking in some areas, for example, a supplier for custom signs,” says Sandra. “People love to name their vacation retreats and have a sign made for all to see. We’d love to provide site visitors with a supplier who can make quality signs.”
The site will likely never be “done”. They say there is just so much information to share and so many great products they’re finding. But for those looking for information about country living, rustic decorating ideas, a broad selection of rustic decor items, and discussions on all things rustic, it is already a rich resource.