Cabin Decor Ideas | Log Cabin Decor | Rustic Cabin Decor

When thinking of cabins, a cozy, warm, inviting mountain retreat instantly comes to mind. Whether you live in the mountains or you're in the middle of a city, creating a cozy mountain-style retreat is possible with the right mix of cabin decor. Take stock of your current decor scheme and start thinking of ways to incorporate cabin decor ideas like these:

11 Cabin Decor Ideas

Barn Doors
Rustic Hardware
Warm Colors
Rustic Furniture
Natural Elements
Natural Light
Open Floor Plan
Handmade Touches
Concealed Storage
Textured Materials
Nature Prints

With the right mix of log cabin decor and modern cabin decor, you can create a cozy mountain retreat inside your home—no matter whether you're surrounded by pine trees, suburban homes, or skyscrapers. If you live in the mountains or want to create a mountain escape in the middle of the city, you might be surprised how easily you can transform your interior decor with a few simple design changes and style swaps.

11 Cabin Decor Ideas to Create a Cozy Mountain Retreat

1. Barn Doors

Barn doors are one of the best ways to bring the mountain aura into the interior of your home. These doors bring a unique look reminiscent of nature and the outdoors, and serve as highly functional rustic cabin decor. Since cabins are often on the smaller side, multi-purpose and multi-functional cabin decor ideas are ideal for maximizing space while incorporating a cozy mountain look.

Barn doors can fit in nearly any place in a cabin, from the master bedroom and bathroom openings to guest rooms, side rooms, and kitchen entries. They also pair well with any attached buildings, such as an in-law suite or bed and breakfast quarters. In addition to doorways, these beautiful pieces of functional modern cabin decor can also serve as a way to hide storage areas, such as closets and pantries, or conceal entertainment systems.

At Rustica, we have several types of doors that work exceptionally well in cabins and mountain homes. Here are some of our favorite doors that fit in well with log cabin decor, including rustic cabin decor and modern cabin decor.

Mountain French Full Wine Room Door – Get a feel of the alpine outdoors by installing this beautiful door in your cabin. Simple yet elegant, this door is ideal for upscale modern log cabin decor, whether you install it in the entry to a mountain chalet wine room or as the entry to your entire cabin.
Mountain French Half Glass Door – This metal, wood, and glass door is a perfect look that will complement log cabin decor ideas ranging from simple and rustic to modern and updated. This door can be installed anywhere in your home, but looks especially stylish as part of your cabin bedroom decor.
Mountain Scrap Metal Door – Want a door that harkens back to prohibition days in the Appalachia mountains? This metal door will fit in perfectly, reminding you of days gone by when stills were operated by locals in the backcountry and moonshine was sold to those in the know.
Mountain French Full Glass Door – If you're looking for a door that allows as much natural light to flow through as possible, look no further than the Mountain French Full Glass Door. The metal grid paneling creates a unique focal point, while the glass panels lend themselves to allowing light to flow through.
Mountain Modern Barn Door – If your mountain cabin decor has a more updated or modern feel, you'll love the way this door looks in your home. Made entirely of horizontal wood slats with a sleek metal frame, you're sure to love the look of sophistication it adds to your mountain retreat.

2. Rustic Hardware

Hardware is often one of the things in a home that gets overlooked when homeowners want to remodel and make a change. However, it's one of the easiest and simplest things to change out that can make a major impact.

Hardware includes door handles, drawer pulls, and knobs found on cabinets, doors, drawers, and anything else that typically gets pulled open. While most hardware comes standard when a home is first built, you can easily swap out these pieces to refresh and update your interior design.

For mountain home retreats, you'll typically want to incorporate a look that is more rustic than modern. That means you should look at hardware with finishes in rubbed bronze or matte black rather than stainless steel or crystal options. Brightly colored finishes should also be avoided unless you're going for a distinct pop of color in your home.

3. Warm Colors

No cabin home decor would be complete without an array of warm, inviting, and cozy colors spread throughout the home. Whether you're styling your cabin bathroom decor, cabin kitchen decor, or the rustic decor in your main living area, utilizing warm colors will create a cozy, inviting environment you'll enjoy.

There are many ways to add warm color palette ideas to your mountain or lake cabin decor, and it doesn't mean that the inside of your mountain retreat has to be dark. Warm colors are those that give you a cozy feeling.

You'll be happy to know that beiges and even some whites, along with browns, oranges, yellows, and reds, are all considered "warm" colors. Many whites have warm undertones, making it possible to create a light, bright, and airy room with a warm atmosphere.

If you appreciate the look of a light, airy interior, but you still want to create a warm, cozy feel, then you can utilize beige furniture and area carpets that have a mix of predominantly warmer colors with small pops of contrasting cold colors. Window treatments made from natural material will provide a light but warm feeling to any space. Contrast white curtains or bedspreads with a well-placed throw pillow and wall art.

When planning your color palette, your goal is to create an environment that feels warm and inviting, as opposed to cold and off-putting.

4. Rustic Furniture

No cabin is complete without the use of rustic furniture and rustic home decor to complete the look and feel of a rustic mountain dwelling. This is true of all types of cabin homes, from log cabins to lake houses to mountain retreats nestled among the pine trees. Incorporating rustic furniture is seen in a variety of cabin homes—from those with a vintage feel to those with rustic modern design.

While you may not want every piece of furniture to be rustic, it's a good idea to choose several pieces of cabin furniture to double as functional furniture while adding to the rustic cabin feel of your home. Popular furniture decorating ideas include a live edge wood kitchen table or coffee table, a rustic TV stand, and wood cabinets. Each of these furniture pieces can serve as functional decor that creates a focal point for the room it's in.

It can be easy to overdo how much rustic furniture you incorporate into your mountain home. In general, it's a good idea to use several larger pieces of furniture to serve as a rustic focal point. Items like kitchen tables, coffee tables, TV stands, and cabinets all get used on a daily basis and become ideal pieces when swapping standard furniture for more rustic options. You don't, however, need to switch every piece of furniture in your home with ones made entirely of wood, antler, or other rustic materials.

5. Natural Elements

Mountain homes are known for the natural elements they incorporate into their interior decor, and the sky is the limit when it comes to the type of natural elements you choose. These items can be placed everywhere, from the bathroom and bedroom to the main living area and game room.

What types of natural elements should you be looking to incorporate into your mountain getaway? Think of items that will bring the outdoors in. You might choose shower curtains that have a mountain scene or throw pillows that feature prints of bears, deer, or pinecones. A few well-placed real pinecones or a wood carving created by a local craftsman from local pine in your front room could also draw the eye and invite conversation. You might also consider bringing in a few small potted plants that are native to the area. Plants always brighten a room by introducing natural greenery. Keeping your selections local will tie your plant decor to the natural environment where you live.

Depending on whether you're starting a new build or remodeling, you could also choose to incorporate log walls for an authentic log cabin feel. Alternatively, you could install wood beams for added log cabin decor and a familiar mountain cabin style without modeling your home to look like a complete log cabin.

6. Natural Light

Though the amount of natural light varies from cabin to cabin, some of the best mountain retreats invite as much natural light into the home as possible. This is made possible thanks to skylights, floor-to-ceiling windows, large bay windows, and glass front and back doors. While some cabins are specifically created with a darker, cozier interior, most cabins take advantage of bringing the outside in with plenty of window space.

When you allow plenty of natural light to filter inside of your home, you also invite the outside in. If you love living in the mountains, then you undoubtedly get a thrill from escaping into the pine trees, hearing forest birds flit from tree to tree, and catching the occasional glimpse of larger forest creatures. One of the best ways to bring the outside experience in is through the use of large windows and glass doors.

Dutch doors that are half glass and half solid wood are also an excellent option for exterior doors and doors that serve as entryways into areas that require extra durability. If your home is a true mountain getaway, you can't do better than opening up walls and doorways to bring the outside in.

7. Open Floor Plan

If you're drawing designs for a new build or choosing a few rooms to remodel, consider making an impact by creating an open floor plan for your main living areas. An open floor plan combined with natural lighting results in a cabin vibe like no other. While this certainly doesn't have to be a rule, an open floor plan allows you to get the most use and enjoyment out of your space. Imagine hosting friends and prepping appetizers while continuing your conversation unimpeded. Or perhaps you'd like to keep an eye on the kids while the adults hang out at the same time.

There are many ways to utilize an open floorplan layout. An open floorplan where your kitchen is exposed to the living area and dining area is ideal if you do a lot of entertaining. Combining the living area with a game or multimedia room is perfect if your mountain retreat is a getaway for you and the kids.

It might be best to work with an interior designer or carpenter to determine how you can take an existing build to make an open floor plan flow. If you're working on plans for a new build, talk your concept ideas over with your architect so you can get it right the first time.

Tie in large, open spaces by utilizing the same set of rustic furniture in more than one area. Use throw rugs to create a cozy cabin vibe while bridging transition spaces. Keep your color scheme and the pops of contrasting color the same throughout the space, so the area looks cohesive and well thought out. Finally, incorporate furniture that makes sense for each area, install a light fixture or two that keeps your space bright when natural light wanes, and utilize wood furniture or wood walls to promote a sense of warmth in your larger spaces.

8. Handmade Touches

Cabin homes are typically replete with handmade goods and home decor. This is because many living in log cabins and mountain homes passed down homemaking skills, such as sewing, decorating, quilting, and crafting. While you certainly don't need to take up a new hobby to fill this gap, if you want some cozy cabin home decor, a few handmade touches will do quite nicely.

Handmade items can easily be purchased at local shops, crafts markets, and even online, making it easy to incorporate this home decor without having to pick up a needle and scissors. Consider adding a few hand-sewn pillows to your couch, a handmade quilt on the guest or master bed, a few pieces of artwork from a local artist on your walls, or a wood carving of a bear to the front porch.

Which handmade goods you decide to add to your log cabin home or mountainside lake house is a matter of personal taste, style, and design concepts. You might choose just one or two small elements, like a pillow or throw blanket, to complete your rustic cabin decor. If your home has more modern cabin decor, then you'll want to look for updated crafted goods to match the feel in your home accordingly.

9. Concealed Storage

Anyone who lives in a cabin knows that you need to be prepared for all seasons. That means you probably have a plethora of summer gear, fishing supplies, hunting gear, rain supplies, ski gear, BBQ supplies, holiday decor, emergency supplies, and extra food.

With all of these items, you could easily go from a cozy mountain retreat to a cluttered, uncomfortable cabin. In order to solve this issue, the key is maximizing your storage space and concealing any storage that is open to observing eyes. No one wants to see fishing rods, life vests, kayak paddles, and ski poles cascading into the main room from your understairs storage nook.

Concealed storage will be your best friend when you want to keep your home looking neat and tidy while still managing to store all the pieces you need for year-round activities. This goes for storing seasonal cabin bathroom decor, cabin kitchen decor, an extra cozy blanket or two, cleaning supplies for your stone fireplace, and more. One of the best ways to do this is by using multi-purpose furniture, such as a steamer trunk that can serve as a coffee table for storing seasonal pillows and decor. Maximize closet, pantry, and open storage space by covering these areas over with sliding barn doors. Utilize outdoor furniture, such as benches and tables, that can double as storage space.

10. Textured Materials

One thing that will work with multiple cabin decor ideas, like fishing cabin decor, vintage cabin decor, and modern cabin decor, is the use of textured materials. Textured materials are an ideal fit for cabin bedroom decor, living area, and guest room decor.

What types of textured materials work well for cabin decor? Think of options like burlap window treatments, kitted throw blankets, and hand-stitched quilts. Pillows, live edge wood furniture, and antler decor also mix well when it comes to spicing up cabin decor ideas.

Mixing textured materials into the rooms of your mountain retreat will provide your space with visually appealing contrast, a warm vibe, and a unique look that is distinctly all your own.

11. Nature Prints

While this one may not be for everybody, nature prints are popular in many cabins and mountain homes. You might decide to go with animal prints, like silhouettes of moose or deer on throw pillows. You could select furnishings with scenic carvings that complement your rustic style. You might even go with window treatments or shower curtains that feature a natural theme, like pine trees, rivers, fishing, or animals.

Tailor the nature prints you choose to reflect what elements of mountain life or mountain hobbies you enjoy most. Add some fishing-themed items to complement fishing decor, animals for the animal lover in your life, birds for the avid birdwatcher, or stick with nature themes, like mountain or river scenes, to create a home filled with the natural elements you enjoy most. When it comes to creating a unified interior design scheme, choose one predominant theme rather than multiple concepts so your cabin decor doesn't become too overwhelming, messy, or disjointed.

Cabin Decor for a Mountain Retreat

Whether you live in a log cabin or want to incorporate lodge decor into a mountain-themed home in the middle of the city, the options are nearly endless. As with any interior design, while there are always guidelines to follow from the pros, it all comes down to what you like the most and what will bring you and your family the most enjoyment.

Barn doors and rustic hardware are two options that provide an easy and affordable way to update the interior of your home quickly. Swap out interior doors, such as your master bedroom entrance or the doors over your kitchen pantry, entertainment center, or laundry area, for an instant upgrade and mountain home appeal. Incorporate plenty of warm colors, rustic furniture, and natural elements to bring a sense of the outside in. Allow plenty of natural light to filter into your home to give the interior a warm glow. Finally, handmade goods, concealed storage, and textured materials will put the finishing touches on a homey, comfortable, bright, and well-organized mountain retreat.

If you have limited time or a strict budget, keep in mind that you don't have to incorporate every element to create a mountain getaway. Simply swap out a few elements for their more rustic counterparts, and you're sure to create a mountain home you love.