There are over 700,000 cattle farms and ranches in the US, with many home constructions forming part of large areas devoted to farming, feed yards, and other pursuits. Given that natural, sustainable living is booming in popularity, however, ranch-style living has also become more popular among those who simply wish to live in harmony with nature, while not necessarily dedicating themselves to farming. There is, indeed, something quintessentially American about ranch-inspired interiors, their abundance of wooden features expressing values like adventurism, a love of nature, and a passion for home life. If you have just bought a ranch or a home in a ranch-style community, the following interior design trends may add the appeal you need to turn your house into a home.
Floor-To-Ceiling Windows And Sliding Doors
Most ranch homes look out into the green beauty of pine trees, rolling mountain ranges, and stunning sunsets. To make the most of the magnificence of your views, large windows, floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and sliding doors will do a magnificent job of ‘letting nature in’, or better yet, blurring the aesthetical divide between the indoors and outdoors. Striking metal frames in colors like black and beige work well to create connection while introducing an urban feel into the equation.
Blended Materials And Textures
Although wood is a popular choice for ranch interiors, by no means does it have to be predominant. For inspiration, this Park City master-planned community features interiors containing a blend of rustic and modern materials. For instance, stained hardwood flooring (bearing light and dark hues) are married to lighter wooden ceilings, as well as heavily lacquered kitchen islands or countertops, steel stools, recessed ceiling lighting, and abstract art on the walls. The key to this contemporary look is the blend of influences and the use of accent lighting and geometric shapes, all the while maintaining the presence of traditional materials such as wood and bricks.
Designer Touches
You can usher your interiors into the millennium through the addition of designer elements such as hanging pendant lights, which look particularly heavenly when hung from high wooden ceilings and wooden-beamed features. Paneled lighting over elongated dining rooms, leather chairs with metallic accents, and designer lamps in strategic corners can all lend visual splendor to the warmth already provided by wooden fixtures. In bedrooms, you could forego traditional wallpaper and smoothly painted surfaces, and opt for a raw gray concrete look. The latter, when married to wooden beaming and designer ceiling accents, is just one of many unexpected features you can use to spice up your living spaces. Concrete can also be used for features such as the fireplace, in lieu of traditional stone, wood or marble.
Modern ranch living has perfectly married the human love for nature with a more daring choice of materials and furniture items. From concrete to metallics, trendy materials are lending ranch interiors a modern, designer touch that adds to their visual value. So, too, do glass features that banish the divide between the indoors and outdoors.