One of the most misunderstood words in home decorating is rustic. Rustic incorporates touches that help create a feeling of simplicity, and is a style that is artless or unpretentious, and has a warmth and sincerity that transcends being categorized or limited to any particular time period. Rustic furniture brings elements of nature close to us, and can be created by utilizing recycled barn wood and standing trees. Craftsmen use special tools to create functional furniture pieces.

Folk art pieces are excellent examples of rustic style, like the Cigar Store Indian or a childs wooden pull toy. During Colonial times, homes often contained objects or useful items like quilts, tin wall sconces or earthenware jugs, which can now be considered rustic folk art pieces. Some Victorian homes had touches that today would be termed rustic or countrified.

Rustic pieces add warmth and individuality to a room. Rustic pieces can be used with various home dcor schemes, like contemporary, country, classic, and art. Rustic decorating adds charm and uniqueness to any style.

Rustic log furniture is one of the hottest trends in home decorating, and it's not likely to change any time soon. While pine and cedar are two primary woods used to manufacture rustic log furniture, other types of wood, such as teak, may also be used. If left unfinished, rustic furniture will age to a barn wood-style gray when left outdoors.

To preserve the natural color of the wood, you may finish the furniture with waterproof finish or any outdoor paint color. Rustic log furniture is the antithesis of most conventional furniture, which emphasizes knots, diseased patches and even tree bark.