Rustic

Where it comes from

Mountain and rural building, where local material decided the look.

Rustic wants weight and texture: beams with real section, stone with real depth, timber that is finished rather than perfected. A remodel that fakes it with thin veneers reads immediately, because the whole style is about mass.

Lighting

Warm, low and slightly uneven. Wrought iron, aged brass, and light that pools rather than spreads.

What breaks it

• Glossy finishes
• Cool grey palettes
• Delicate spindly furniture
• Chrome

Where to spend

Ceiling and hearth. Beams and a stone surround do more than every other surface combined.