How to Decorate an English Country Home
- 1). Choose a color scheme. Take inspiration from colors found in an English country garden. Varying shades of pink, red, yellow, gold, purple, blue, peach, stone, green and white can all be used. Pastels create a fresh and bright look, and deeper colors feel warmer and cozier. Choose as many as four colors, with one serving as the main color.
- 2). Paint the walls the main color that you have chosen. Alternatively, use a floral or toile wallpaper. Toile wallpaper has printed images that were once used to tell a story. Today toile wallpaper is available in a number of patterns, including birds, fruit and bamboo. Choose a toile wallpaper that has a pattern you associate with nature and the countryside. Birds, farm animals and flower patterns work well. Make sure the wallpaper matches the color scheme you have chosen.
- 3). Visit antique stores or thrift stores to look for old furniture. Oak, pine and walnut furniture works well in an English country home. Choose pieces that look pretty but old and worn. Clean the fabric on sofas and armchairs or reupholster the pieces in a country-pattern fabric such as floral, jacquard or gingham. Alternatively, slipcover the furniture. Choose pieces and fabrics that complement your walls and floors.
- 4). Strip carpeted floors, and sand the floorboards to create a natural look. Alternatively, use neutral-colored carpet that matches the decor of the room. Keep the floor treatment simple.
- 5). Collect items to decorate your home. Visit antique stores, art galleries and flea markets. Pick up a grandfather clock, if you find one at the right price, and decorate the mantel with photographs and ornate candlesticks. Accessorize your home with vases and fresh flowers. Find old floral rugs that look worn. Look for watercolor and oil paintings of landscapes and animals. Use plump cushions to enhance the sofa, and decorate the table with a floral or gingham tablecloth and place mats.
