Everything You Need to Know about Americana or Heritage Interior Design

By Claire Nicholas

Oct 17, 2024

What are the origins of Americana style interior design?

How to Pick Furniture for an American Style Design Look

1. Shaker-Style Pieces.Shaker furniture, hailing from the late 1700s, is characterized by simplicity and practicality, local materials, distinctive ladder-back framing, and features like graduated drawers (when the drawers get bigger as they get lower). 
2. Legs with Detail. On tables, dressers, and other large pieces of wood furniture, look for legs with lots of grooves, carvings, and fluting — any detailed woodworking will enhance your overall look. 
3. Natural Materials. Look for wood species like oak, pine, cherry, and walnut. To add some variation in your textures, reach for canvas-feel soft furnishings and leather-upholstered accents like ottomans. Woven baskets and burlap touches are your friend. 
4. Approachable and inviting. For furniture items like chairs, beds, and couches, look for inviting and soft upholstery and no shortage of throw blankets, accent pillows, and even hanging textiles like quilts or tapestries. Design elements that emphasize coziness will give your living room the Americana design that you’re looking for.

Design Ideas for Creating an Americana Interior

• Antiques are your friend. Whether your take on Americana is more modern design or more rustic and retro, you’ll benefit from a trip to your nearest thrift store or antique market. For added coziness, line your shelves with old books, especially looking for items that match a color scheme of deep reds, greens and blues. Place antique lamps on your end table, add brass fixtures to your dresser, and get creative styling whatever reclaimed home decor pieces catch your eye.
• Let your linens take the lead. Fabric accents like window treatments, kitchen towels, and bedding can steer your apartment’s aesthetic toward the version of Americana or Heritage design that matches your vision. If you’re going for an elevated, classy look, go for dark linens in traditional patterns or bold plaids. If your style leans more towards the low-key side, reach for buffalo check or muted plaids. Bonus points for quilts and knitted throw blankets.
• Lean into symmetry. Look for matching pairs of furniture like armchairs or smaller items like candles and art, using the pairs to add symmetry to the space. Plus, a rectangular kitchen table with symmetrical seating arrangements will add to the sense of tradition and family history. Consider symmetry also when it comes to color, distributing your color palette evenly.