Put a Contemporary Spin on Your Western Decor in 2012

Western decor can get a really dated look but it is easy to add some fresh new style to your home furnishings. Get ready for a new look for 2012!

If you have a house full of western style decor why not try adding a few newer style accessories to perk up the look. There are several ways to do this and it depends on your budget and whether you are doing just one room or a whole house full of changes. Let's assume for starters that you don't want to replace your furniture, so lets start with some changes in your wall decor.

We discussed color in a previous article, so let's combine those ideas with some ideas for focal points in your wall decor. There are a number of large prints available for western decor that can help you determine wall color and add a fresh twist to your room almost immediately.

First lets talk about artwork. To get a bit of a contemporary look to your decor, generally it is a good idea to dispense with frames and go with a gallery wrap giclee canvas print. Gallery wrap canvases can be hung as is and don't require framing. You can select artwork that is only slightly contemporary in look or go all out with an abstract that pulls the colors of western decor together and gives the impression of landscape. You will see some choices in the video below.

In our previous article on colors for western decor, we talked about a bold black and white themed decor which included a black and white hair on hide rug, or you could go with a black or white faux fur rug and maybe some cowprint pillows. What better to go with that decor than a black and white large giclee print of barbed wire, a staple of the American west!

Area rugs are another accessory in western furnishings that can add an immediate contemporary flair to your decor. You can add an area rug in a different shape such as round under a small dining table or a rectangular rug under a coffee table or a larger area rug that will anchor an entire room.

Good choices for contemporary style include a shag type rug. These wonderful choices are much updated since the days of wall to wall shag carpeting in the 1970s. A shag style area carpet can add a lot of texture and color to your decor. Another selection that works well with western or southwestern decor is a muted stripe rug. If you like hair on hide rugs there are some really beautiful selections in browns, black, tan and white. See more of these in our video below.

You can change the look of a sofa or chair or add a contemporary look to your bed by adding some really nice throw pillows. Don't overlook the drama that pillows can add to your room. They can be bold geometric southwestern designs or animal prints or some design that will add some personality and eye catching appeal to your room. These small touches can really put the finishing touches on a room so don't skimp on price or quantity.

Like artwork, a mirror is a wonderful addition to wall decor. It can add reflected light and make a room look more spacious. It can reflect the out of doors if positioned across from a large window or sliding door. You can add an bevelled edge unframed mirror if you have a spectacular view that you want to remain unhampered by a frame or you can add a mirror with a contemporary frame that will go with your western style furnishings.