Hi Friends!
Pretty soon, we will be celebrating Memorial Day (it’s next Monday, in case you have lost track of time!) and, likely, we will find ourselves living in a mix of red, white, and blue. From clothing to housewares, and everything in between, our every day lives will be donned in this classic trio of colors which we know to represent our country, the USA! During this season and the weeks to follow, often well into the summer through Labor Day, we will see flag inspired decor and bric-a-brac decorate our decks and front porches and accompany our side tables and couches in the form of figurines and throw pillows.
If you are having trouble viewing the images, click here.
While homes outfitted in red, white, and blue decor might the image we picture when we hear something like Modern Americana design, in actuality, this design style is so much more than a clever flag display or collage of the display of decor pieces sporting a red, white and blue theme. According to HGTV, “The entire (Americana) genre aims to celebrate the geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States” (HGTV Online Article.)
So today, I want to have us explore what it means to incorporate Americana style into our homes and challenge us to see that this style lives beyond flag-themed decor and tchotchkes. Rather, Modern Americana style has roots that run deeper and can serve to help us appreciate the nostalgia, beauty and history of our country. As you read on, we will draw out some elements of this style and share a picture of inspiration that includes these elements and then share where you can go to create this same design in your space!
Elements of Modern Americana Design
As I said, today, I want to walk us through incorporating this design into our homes, so here we go! First, before we begin with our inspiration photo, I have drawn out some style elements that accompany Modern Americana design to help guide us. Here they are:
- Nostalgia- using antiques, heirlooms, or even vintage inspired pieces that reflect history and heritage
- Simplicity- an overall style that is clean items are practical and not overwhelming to the space
- Artisan- incorporating special pieces that honor the artisan community, such as cross stitch, pottery, or hand paintings
- Craftsmanship- using natural elements in both form and function, such as baskets, urns, or crates
- Muted Colors – incorporating red, white, and blue is often standard but it is not forced nor firm
Our Inspiration Picture
I love this picture! It features so many of the elements that I have detailed above, conveying the overall Modern Americana design style. But more than this, I love how effortlessly this room depicts an air of national celebration while maintaining its independence from being stuck in an “all things red, white, and blue” mold!
Shopping the Room
Below I have curated similar items from our inspiration picture for you to shop with the idea you, too, could create a similar bedroom in your house. Please note that the items that have been selected below are not exact matches to the pieces seen in the photo. Rather, I have pulled together options you could use that are inspired by the picture. All products are linked to the source where you can purchase, just click on the image to shop. Enjoy!
Large Pieces
Decor Pieces
This Style Brings Me Down Memory Lane
Something that I find interesting as I write this particular blog post is that one of the first times I heard the term Modern America is when my husband John and I were on HGTV’s Flea Market Flip, Season 4, Episode 4, Happy Flipping Anniversary (you can watch on Apple TV). Long story, short. We were assigned 3 different categories for our design flipping projects: Stylish Storage, Mixed Textures, and Modern Americana. At the time, I hadn’t really explored this too much, so my instinct was to take something American made and vintage and upcycle it in a modern way. And that is what we did!
Check out my previous blogs about this fun experience here:
- What’s It Like to Be on Flea Market Flip – Day 1
- What’s It Like to Be on Flea Market Flip – Day 2
- What’t It Like to Be on Flea Market Flip – Day 3
This has been such a fun blog for me! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have!
If you are interested in learning more about our design services, check out our Interior Design Page to read about our 1 Hour Quick Help, our Design Board creation, 2D or 3D layout designs, or our Full Service design services. We would love to help make your space exactly what you want and need it to be!
Thank you all for following along! If you’d like to get this blog in your email once a week, please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture.
If you’ve enjoyed this post, please like FunCycled on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest if you don’t already. Keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. We share fun tutorials, great before and after, and new design inspirations.
We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do.
Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)
