What Is Contemporary Western Interior Design?
This new trend isn’t actually exactly new, but we’re revisiting it as we’ve seen it trending after Pinterest released their latest trend forecast for unique interior styles. This style combines vintage Americana with a darker and moodier color palette.
Western Gothic is the blend of old and new, breathing new life into timeless American classics. You might recognize Western Gothic decor in layered sheepskin rugs and a leather armchair, patina candleholders, and playing around with animal prints that add texture to your space.
Whether it’s studded detailing or a saloon style in black and gold complemented by richly colored textiles, you want to update that Wild West look with modern, edgy colors and updated accents such as foliage, additional textiles, and brassy finishes to get this look.
How Did Western Gothic Decor Become a Trend?
There’s been a resurgence of customers looking for ‘vintage Americana’, ‘country design ideas’, ‘Western bedding styles’, and ‘Western Gothic’ online. Many professional interior designers expect to see Gen Z and Millennials DIYing Americana chic with deep hues that add a sultry touch to a vintage style.
The contemporary Western interior design trend is especially popular among people who have an eclectic aesthetic but don’t subscribe to the globally inclusive boho trend. Instead of poufs from the Middle East and rugs from Asia, you’ll be seeing fringe, mirrors, and furs with a whimsical, gothic, and even ethereal presence.
Key Traits of Contemporary Western Interior Design
So we’ve already mentioned a few examples of this popular design style, but what else ensures your decor seamlessly blends Western styles with a Gothic aesthetic? Some of the most common elements of contemporary Western interior design include:
- Vintage Americana touches with darker, earthier color palettes
- Industrial elements
- Faux cowhide
- Ornate walls in dark colors
- Leather upholstery
- Wooden furniture or repurposed wood accents
- Wrought iron accents
- Eccentric decor
The main focus here is transforming the classic appeal of Americana into a Gothic paradise through the introduction of black, violet, indigo, navy, and other dusky colors.
As a style, contemporary Western interior design is all about mixing and matching aesthetics. You can completely personalize your space with unique additions that encourage DIY and custom creations.
How To Add Western Gothic Decor To Your Space
If you love this look and you’re ready to add this style to your space, Color Cord can help you achieve the Western Gothic aesthetic. Take a look at this breakdown and decide what you want to incorporate into your new interior design.
1. The Colors
We’ve already talked a lot about dark, moody colors complemented by gold accents. This can be one of the easiest transformations to make. All you need is a bucket of paint and some gold hardware! Whether you swap out your light fixtures for those with a gold finish or exchange faucets, door knobs, and cabinet knobs for that shining hue, it’s an easy fix to update your space with new colors.
Color Drenching
But gold can’t do it alone! You also need to bring in that rich color palette with deep blues, greens, and reds. If black and charcoal are too big of a leap for you, start with navy, forest green, burgundy, or purple. Choose one of these colors and color drench your whole space in its various tones and shades.
Contrasting Hues with the Boutique Collection
Color drenching isn’t the only way to modernize your space with a little bit of paint! When playing with color, you can also choose a single dark hue for your main color and then add in some softer shades, like beige, slate, and latte. These would work best in accessories, like grey pillows, cowhide rugs, pale curtains, and beige light fixtures.
Our Boutique Collection is an especially good place to find hardware finishes for your light fixtures that align with the Western and Gothic styles because you can opt for a single-color fixture in a neutral desert hue that fits your color scheme or shop color-blocked styles that blend two, three, or four finishes into one unique look.
2. The Textures
Contemporary Western interior design is all about natural textures, including jute, rattan, wood, and furs. The easiest route to try is to use textures inspired by the animals of the American West, like cows, horses, buffalo, and sheep. You can also use lamp shades to add texture to your space with woven drums and drops for chandeliers and pendants. Even fabric shades will work when you make sure to stick with the darker color theme and use materials that have a deep brown or black finish.
3. The Smolder
Sultry and subtly sexy, contemporary Western interior design achieves this vibe through accents that include lace, fringe, and velvet. Add a dark fringe detail to your lamp shade or throw pillows, choose a velvet upholstery for your couch, or opt for a rug made of luxurious faux fur to ensure your space smolders without letting go of that cozy feeling.
Custom Fixtures
You can also work in darker metallic hues for fixtures that are a bit more subdued than the brightness of gold. At Color Cord Company, we offer brass and copper finishes with matching cord colors, as well as raw metal, which you can paint in whatever color you want. Shop cord colors that blend with your custom design from a range of hues in whatever length you require.
DIYing Your Rustic and Gothic Touches
Since your lighting is a key element of the energy in your space, you should choose pieces that add to the gothic ambiance. Candles with mismatched candleholders are a great choice for accents, while a rustic wood beam chandelier can deliver your main lighting needs.
You can build your own wood beam fixture with a little guidance from us to work in rustic and industrial touches that call back to the Western theme.
4. The Cowboy Touch
We’ve brought in a lot of those gothic vibes with dark hues, gold metal, and luxurious textures. Now, it’s time to head back to the Wild West with leather, cow print, fringe, rattan, and denim. No matter which materials or accents catch your eye, keep the colors dark.
5. The Plants
Plants have become an essential part of interior design in recent years, and you can capitalize on this trend for your contemporary Western interior design by using Western-themed plants. Prioritize cacti, succulents, and other desert botanicals to bring the outside in. With these green accents, you’re also balancing the dark tones of your furniture and decor.
We recommend using swag hooks for hanging plants, so you can bring in more hints of gold and match the metallic finish to your other fixtures.
Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment!
Since contemporary Western interior design is based on blending two distinct styles, you shouldn’t be afraid to mix and match — get a little messy! You’re looking at a hybrid aesthetic that thrives on discord and dissonance, not seamless juxtaposition. You can get playful with this style. Blend rustic, weathered pieces with your modern style for an eclectic atmosphere that helps you further embrace the duality of Western Gothic.
