If the kitchen is the heart of a home, then the dining room must be the stomach! Let’s face it, the style and ambiance of your dining room influences your guests’ dining experience and almost always makes your meals taste a little better, if decorated with a little TLC. Rustic decor almost always tells the story of a home well manicured and where old furniture is kept well and alive. The perfect dining room should evoke and inviting feeling while shaking up your appetite for a divine cuisine throw down! However, there are certain elements particular to a rustic dining room that guarantee your dinner parties will put Martha Stewart to shame.

Below are some fabulous HD finds by the eloquent styles of Roche Bobois, as well as some friendly tips to help you refine your decorating skills in a rustic dining space.

Tips for setting a Rustic Dining Room

The Rustic look is a perfect balance of masculinity and femininity. You take the simple and unsophisticated woodsy elements of country living and add a feminine touch by complimenting and giving each piece a voice.

Keep your walls and furniture light in weight and color, unfinished and whimsical in nature. Think bare essentials, and the more imperfections the better!

With dark wood or contemporary dining furniture you can transform the style with a nice weathered look by sanding it lightly or painting it a creamy pastel color first and then sanding it.

Add textural interest with a soft faux finished wall, an antique area rug, or by stenciling a simple pattern on the doors of your hutch and/or buffet.

If your resources are limited you can use whatever furniture you do have and accessorize with rustic objects. Throw a handmade crocheted or lace tablecloth over a buffet for an authentic touch or hang dried flowers in artistic way on the wall.

It’s OK to mix old with new objects like taking a colored glass bowl and filling it with acorns or pine cones. You can also fill a ceramic vase with wildflowers and set it on the dining table for a rustic tone. Just remember, thoughtful simplicity is key…

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When choosing furniture you would like to know that what you buy will last and be quality made. Leather furniture comes in different varieties, styles, and qualities. Many imitations or faux leather is also made. Depending on your budget and lifestyle you can determine what type of leather furniture is best for your home. Here are tips for buying the right leather furniture for your home.

• What is your family lifestyle: The beauty of authentic leather is that it’s a natural material that will get better with age. It will develop a ‘patina’ or a rich color and luster over years. If you have pets, kids, and a busy household, leather furniture can take normal wear and tear. Although, pet claws and certain markers and pens will ruin leather.  For families that aren’t as busy, faux leather furniture is a good option for cost, and wear and tear may not be as big of a concern.
• Choose a style: Leather furniture comes in a variety of styles to match your décor. Slim lined, minimalistic leather furniture fits a modern décor while large pillowed sectionals lend themselves to more traditional home décor.  Leather furniture will last for years into the future, so choose a style that will reflect your home’s decorative touch and tone.

• Understand leather qualities: Leather has natural imperfections, such as discoloration, veins and uneven surface pattern. When buying leather furniture keep this in mind that it is not a defect and rather a quality of the leather. When buying pieces of furniture try to buy them all at one time. If you order at different times they can have drastic color variations and won’t look good when paired together.
• Know how to care for leather: Leather needs to have moisture and care on a routine basis. If leather isn’t cared for correctly it can lead to cracking, peeling and lead to a breakdown of the leather. When buying leather furniture, moisturizer usually is given with it along with care and clean instructions are also given. Before purchasing, decide if you will be able to keep up with the care.

• Buy furniture from a reputable source: When purchasing leather furniture, ensure your source is a reputable furniture manufacturer. Often times the source can use a combination of vinyl and leather. Since vinyl is a man-made product it will most likely age faster than the leather causing your furniture to lose its appeal over time.  When you buy leather there should be paperwork or authenticity care for instructions along with the furniture.

When purchasing leather furniture ensure that you are on board for the reality of caring for it. Leather is a gorgeous material and when used in furniture, can bring your home years of comfort and beauty. Consider purchasing leather sofas that have zipper leather covers. This will ensure that you can replace the cushion at a later time, and not the whole sofa! Ask your furniture store if they have leather guidelines and instructions before you buy to help make your decision an informed one.

Freshome reader’s what do you think of leather furniture?  If you own it yourself, what factors should others consider before buying? We’d love to hear your comments!

Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !

Lama Leather Chair	How to Take Care of Leather Furniture	Italian Furniture: Modern Leather Round Beds by Prealpi	Low Profile Beds with Adjustable Headboard to Fit Your Needs
King Queen Sleigh Faux Leather Bed	Leather Furniture from Timeless Design

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Italian furniture company Presotto Italia is getting quite innovative with their ModulArt series of furnishing systems. They are offering magnetic decorative panels that adhere to the doors of the furniture system which allows you to redecorate it in multiple ways to suite your tastes. If this video is anything to go by, it does look quite easy too.

They also have a page set up on their site that helps you visualize how the different patterns will get mapped to the different units. And to seal the deal, they have put up some very enticing images that show off how beautiful this can be. Good stuff, Presotto.

Recommended Reading:
Karim Rashid Door Prints
Phototiles for kitchens and bathrooms

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