The comfortable feeling of a ranch home in the Western U.S. has been a popular architectural and design style in the last half of the 20th Century and into the 21st Century. It might be viewed as the western equivalent of the eastern and Midwestern farmhouse style. But in contrast to the farmhouse style, which is more traditional in nature and is modest in scale, the elements of a Western Ranch are more bold, with less detail, and almost a “masculine” feeling.
In this design style, ceilings are usually either beamed or wood planked (or a combination of both), floors are either stone or wood, and walls are usually textured plaster or may have a faux finish on them. Upholstered furniture is often leather and metal hardware is usually in a dark bronze or blackened steel finish. Wood for beams, flooring, cabinets and even furniture may be distressed or reclaimed (repurposed from an old barn or shed). Colorful area rugs, whether Native American or Oriental, are usually seen on the wood or stone floors, and mounted animal heads may be featured on walls as decoration. Colors in general are earthy and warm.
