Spanning a variety of styles and moods, the design style known as Americana is more than just stars, stripes and the American flag – although it can certainly be that too! In fact, the Americana design style encompasses everything and anything that deals with American culture and history.
What is the Americana design style?
Whether you are looking for something with a more serious and elegant feel, a design style that will allow you to show off your vintage collectibles or a whimsical, fun tribute to your favorite star – if it’s American, it’s Americana!
Americana is a look that can very easily become over-the-top or overdone, so you’ll need to make sure that you know exactly what to do – or better yet, make sure that you work with an Americana interior designer. However, there are many directions you can go with Americana, and there’s something in this style that could be suitable for just about anyone.
Some Americana Interior Design ideas and themes:
The Americana look for any given room is usually built around a specific theme or strain of American culture and history.
Some ideas of Americana themes and variations include:
Restaurant with Wild West Americana theme
- The American Flag and American Patriotism. The most well-know form of Americana design, a room with this theme would typically revolve around hues of the colors red, white and blue, or the motifs of stars and stripes.
- An American Icon. Be it a sports star, legend of the silver screen or a celebrated crooner, you can design a room to revolve around your chosen icon and their career.
- Colonial elegance. To recall America’s colonial past, this theme uses mainly rustic, down-to-earth – even homemade – furniture, earthy colors with bright accents and nostalgic accessories. This more serious variation on the Americana theme embodies homeliness and warm hospitality.
- The Wild West / Log Cabin. Drawing on the tradition of the great outdoors, cowboys and gunfights, the Wild West is a rugged yet charming theme. This style relies on rough woods, course textiles, and elements like animal skins, small rugs and wrought iron to recreate that old-time simplicity of living close to nature.
Americana: A design style great for every room
Let your own creativity, experience and common sense guide you in this decision. If your interior designer is familiar with the Americana design style, you can be assured that they will not steer you in the wrong direction.
That said, there are some themes that lend themselves more to one kind of room than to another. The Wild West theme, for example, would work extremely well in a lounge, bathroom or bedroom, while perhaps being less suited for something like a formal sitting room. The 50s diner style is obviously well suited for a kitchen or bedroom, but may be a bit difficult to pull off in a bathroom or garden.
Americana design – 50s diner kitchen.
For more information or Americana design ideas, browse Interior Design Pro’s online directory of design photos and ideas. You can also contact interior design firms in your area by browsing though our interior designer directory.
