What do you get when you mix mid-century modern furniture with beautiful rustic materials and accents? A perfectly modern rustic look! Kate, the founder of online homewares company Haus, delves into how you can achieve the look in your home.

New to modern rustic style? You’ve probably seen it before and just didn’t know it had its own name as a style. It revolves around comfortable but streamlined furniture, natural elements, earth tones, and reliance on rustic materials and decor. It's actually a great style for family homes as the overall look is relaxed and inviting. This style is all over Instagram and Pinterest, and brilliant designers like Amber Interiors and Studio McGee are geniuses when it comes to pulling this look together. 

Comfortable foundations

Comfort is key with this look. So, the largest pieces of furniture in any modern rustic room should be streamlined but never skimp on comfort. In living rooms, start with cosy oversized sofas or snuggle chairs. In bedrooms, opt for plush, upholstered beds. For a dining room, look for an oversized, rustic wood dining table around which big groups can gather.

But, while prioritising comfort, make sure the furniture lines are clean and simple to keep the look modern.

Add Mid-Century Modern Accents

Once the comfortable foundation is laid, introduce a more mid-century or eclectic vibe. At first it may seem odd to mix these styles—but the contrast they create is what makes this look so dynamic and fun.

An easy place to do this is with your accent furniture. Think of an eclectic woven leather armchair or a bedside table with a antique feel. In dining rooms, pair your farmhouse dining table with more modern seating, like Wishbone or Eames shell chairs.

Create Conversational Layouts

A family-friendly style by nature, modern rustic interiors often have more symmetrical layouts that are geared toward large gatherings and facilitate conversations (like a large, convivial rustic dining table we suggested above). This is where the look leans more rustic and formal rather than modern and eclectic.

Layer on Natural Textures

When bringing the modern rustic style to life, we love the opportunity to play with textures and different materials. This keeps a room looking liveable and approachable. Look for natural materials like seagrass, jute, ceramics, leather, and live-edge woods—then mix and match them together in one space, incorporating them in furniture, lighting, and decor accents! This helps the room feel dynamic and visually interesting.

We love introducing lots of texture with soft furnishings too - think of fringing and tufts plus artisanal products like the gorgeously tactile mudcloth cushions, with their handwoven texture and abundance of prints and patterns. You can see our selection of mudcloths here. 

Introduce Industrial Lighting

With modern rustic, light fixtures are often industrial with sleek, streamlined forms that are sculptural in nature. Look for matte black or antique brass options, or even rattan and include multi-level light sources.