Themes from the American farm experience — from apple pie to farm animals and implements to the American flag — are making a statement in homes across America.

Americans know how to celebrate. When the time is right, it seems nothing can hold us back. Just walk through Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Or, try hunting down a pair of tickets to the All-Star Game or World Series, both celebrations of America’s favorite pastime. Or, simply head into your own backyard on the 4th of July and check out the pyrotechnic display coming from neighboring yards. Sofa Mart, Oak Express, and Bedroom Expressions have teamed up to create the following Americana inspired interiors.

Americans are good at showing their spirit. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the Americana Style movement that’s increasingly finding its way into people’s homes. In some cases, Americana can be found even before you pass through the front door. For example, rural-themed weathervanes, often placed on cupolas, are a reference to early American architecture often found on farms.

Showing Your True Colors
 As you may have gathered, Americana is a celebration of all things American. Utilizing the colors of our flag, homeowners find creative ways to make red, white and blue a central focus of interior and exterior design. Of course, the color palette doesn’t necessarily end there. Americana homes find ways to coordinate furnishings and fabrics with the three colors that make up our stars and stripes. Checkerboards, antique quilts, twill and denim fabrics are all good examples.

A Style Born of Hard Work
The casual, patriotic look embraces a simpler time in the American experience. Farming is a hallmark of Americana. Often a rooster or chicken will find its perch on wallpaper or folk art sculptures and paintings. Farm implements that once toiled in fields appear on walls, bookshelves and entryway tables. Apple pies, prized pigs and other items showcased under the tents of county fairs are also fair game. Thematically, these objects serve to remind us of a time when communities were closely knit — an age that found expression in the paintings of Norman Rockwell.

Once the center of our economy, farm life has always represented an honest day’s work. Owing to this fact, Americana seeks to downplay televisions and other modern conveniences. This can be accomplished by thoughtfully tucking electronics behind the closed doors of natural wood cabinets. Baskets and wickerwork often found on farms do double duty, adorning rooms while, at the same time, providing a useful place to keep items that would otherwise clutter a space.

Interior decorator Abby Manchesky, who maintains the design blog abbyminteriorsblog.com, recommends taking a resourceful, creative approach: “Shop your home and use what you have. For example, use an old trunk as a coffee table; woven baskets hung as art; a grouping of metal found objects; a gallery wall of vintage family photos. These all work well to tell your story of classic Americana.” By rethinking what you already have on hand you may have more in common with Americana Style than you thought.

The Past Never Gets Old
While Americana style celebrates a more primitive, farmhouse aesthetic, it’s not beholden to any specific time period. To embrace it, you need only to honor the spirit of the nation. No one will question the fact that a home will mix Colonial period pieces with early 20th century furnishings. According to Manchesky, “Mixing time periods keeps your room from becoming too predictable and theme-like.”

In the end, Americana is about bringing out a proud and storied past. Whether subtly paying homage to our country’s independence, or expressing our agricultural roots, or both, Americana is a style that pulls it all together under one roof. And, hey, who doesn’t like a good old-fashioned celebration?

From the Farm to the Table
LEFT: The honey-colored hutch and buffet is the perfect piece to showcase your favorite items — from heirloom china to antique books or souvenirs.

MIDDLE: Patriotic plates, vibrant flowers and even apple pie embrace a simpler time in the American experience.

RIGHT: The cream lamp with burlap shade, along with accompanying accessories, offer a mix of shapes, color and textures that utilize the recurring patriotic color and farm themes.

Featured Products:
Lone Star Wall Art – Bedroom Expressions
Evelyn Chair – Sofa Mart
Parkview Sliding Door Cabinet in White – Oak Express
Folk Art Painted School – Bedroom Expressions
Batik Vase Wide in Navy – Bedroom Expressions
Glazed Rooster Tall – Bedroom Expressions

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