Can You Mix Modern and Rustic Furniture?

Combining different interior design styles can feel challenging to many people, especially when the two styles feel so distinct. However, it’s actually really easy to combine the natural ruggedness of rustic furniture and the sleek uniformity of modern designs into a cohesive home.

The key is to understand why we love these two distinctive interior styles and what about them resonates with you, then find the perfect pieces of English oak furniture that bring your vision to life.

Pictured: Windsor Bar Stools

The Surprising Similarities Between Modern and Rustic Design

You may be surprised by just how many similarities there are between modern and rustic designs. First of all, let’s unpack what we’re talking about when it comes to these interior styles.

What is Modern Interior Design?

Modern interior design, despite its name, is often rooted in a style most popular during the early 20th century (today’s trends are often called contemporary style).

A time defined by warfare and scarcity but also incredible technological advancement, the 20th century drew people towards styles that favoured functionality, simplicity and affordability. Modern design styles are often defined by their sharp, sleek lines that could be easily mass-produced at the time.

What is Rustic Interior Design?

Similar to ideas around modern interior design, the term rustic is used in a lot of different ways. Generally, it refers to a trend inspired by 19th-century US settlers and how they used local natural materials to build their homes and furniture as they traversed the continent.

As a result, rustic style furniture puts a lot of focus on natural materials like wood, stone and metal, letting them stand out in an unmanicured way. This often results in rugged and warm interiors filled with texture.

The Key Similarities Between Modern and Rustic Interior Styles

On the surface, the natural and imperfect shapes of rustic furniture sound like a direct contrast to the precise and manicured lines of the modern style. However, scratch under the surface and you’ll find instincts that connect both trends:

• Minimalism – As two styles born through scarcity, both modern and rustic designs favour a minimalist approach to furniture.

• Functionality – With minimal fixtures, a focus on useful, well-placed features is key to both looks.

• Monochrome Palettes – Due to their simple approaches, both styles enjoy simple colours with pale backgrounds.

By using these shared ideas as the central themes of your mixed interior, you can then get creative with incorporating the other elements of both these styles.

Ideas for Incorporating Rustic and Modern Furniture

By combining two interior styles with such clear distinctions, you can create some truly unique and inspiring spaces in your home. If you’re excited to start mixing and matching, here are some ideas you could try.

Remove Before Adding

The key to both styles is simple functionality. If you’re looking to add one style to another – for example, if you want to add modern elements to a rustic room – it’s crucial to avoid the space getting cluttered.

There’s a minimalist streak to both rustic and modern styles, so it’s often better to take away or swap features rather than trying to mash both styles into one space. Be frugal with your space and the pieces of furniture you choose to fill it with.