As the days lengthen and the snow disappears, folks in the Upper Midwest start thinking about summer getaways. We’re looking forward to the special cabin where we go to relax and leave the workaday world to worry about itself!

While we don’t furnish that cottage or lake cabin exactly the same way we decorate our homes in town, we’d still like it to be comfortable and attractive. Whether your cabin needs just a few finishing touches or an interior design makeover, starring cozy new lodge furniture, here are some elements to consider when you shop for furnishings for your home away from home.

Embracing Cabin Style

While it’s certainly possible to furnish a cabin in a modern or contemporary style, the rustic look is the one that makes cabin people happy to be there. Pieces can range from cedar beds and log bedframes to dining tables and chairs made of reclaimed wood.

Durability is key! We want cabin furniture that looks homey but is still of top quality. Items that will serve us year after year. Yet there’s no need to give up style! A leather sofa or other leather seating can fit as naturally in a cottage living room as sofas and chairs with performance upholstery.

Making It Roomier

Cabins usually aren’t as big as primary homes, and you should consider that when you furnish them. For example, a sofa should be size-appropriate. A large or overstuffed sofa might take up too much of the living room’s space. Instead, you may opt for an apartment sized sofa or even a loveseat as the main seating option. But don’t have a jumble of small pieces either! A reasonable number of moderate-sized furnishings make for a room that’s ample and comfortable.

“Leggy” log cabin furniture that people can see though makes a space feel bigger. Examples are ladder-back chairs, wood-frame rockers and accent tables with high legs. Also, vertical lines make a room feel taller! These could be floor-to-ceiling bookcases, long drapes and chests rather than dressers in the bedrooms.

Flexible Furniture

Since you don’t want to overload your cottage with furniture, it pays to have furnishings that can perform more than one function. Benches, side chairs and stools can be pulled around for multiple seating arrangement. Sofa sleepers, futons and klik klaks stay tucked away until they’re needed for those extra guests. Bunk beds and trundle beds are space-saving sleep solutions for when guests visit your home-away-from-home.

Storage space is at a premium in many cabins, and furniture that can double up in this way is a welcome addition. Storage beds provide extra drawers and sometimes headboard shelving. With storage ottomans, you can rest your feet on top and stash a few extra blankets inside! Storage benches offer a hideaway for those extras that can otherwise get scattered about.

Light and Color

The best cabin lighting scheme is one that’s versatile! You want soft light for afternoon drinks and conversation and strong light for rainy day board games and jigsaw puzzles. This calls for variety of illumination sources including table lamps, floor lamps and pendants. And of course, it’s a good plan to keep candles on hand, and not only for emergency outages. They can set a different cabin mood when the occasion calls for it.

Many cabin interiors are woodsy shades of brown. That’s just fine, but there are ways to add a range of colors! For instance, blue and white is a refreshing pairing that brings a surprisingly friendly touch to a country theme. A background of off-white and gray tweaks the personality of a roomful of rustic cabin furniture. As for accent colors, think deep orange, mustard and a few pops of green.

Texture

Nothing ups the coziness factor like texture! Quilts, throw blankets and fringed pillows all proclaim that this a place where people live and enjoy life. And don’t forget what a lodge style area rug can do to add both physical and emotional warmth!

Finishing Touches

The best cabin decor brings the outdoors inside or accentuates the rural cabin feel! Paintings of lakes, forests, sunsets and even that natural landmark a few miles down the road remind you of what’s right outside your door. Rustic mirrors or wall clocks fit right in with lodge-friendly chairs and tables. Woven baskets make great organizers on tables and surfaces. And those candles don’t have to be lit to become appealing decor; they look wonderful just standing in wait on a mantle!

Outdoor Living

The best cabin environments are found where there’s a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors. An inviting outdoor living area makes your cabin bigger! Grills and cookers bring food prep outdoors and ease congestion in the kitchen. A few Adirondack chairs and some outdoor tables let the fellowship flow under the sky as easily as under the ceiling. A hammock in the yard is bound to become a favorite lounging spot!

Whether you’re indoors or outdoors, the important thing about a cottage is that you’re away! A well-furnished cabin can be just as attractive as a home in town, and its emphasis on the rustic makes it place you’ll always want to return to.