How HGTV's Chelsea DeBoer Blends Modern & Rustic For A Cozy Aesthetic

Often the most stunning interiors are those which strike a careful and cultivated balance between old and new. HGTV's Chelsea DeBoer, host of "Down Home Fab" often combines modern and vintage elements in the homes she works on, including a recent episode she showed off on Instagram that combines the best of sleek and contemporary vibes with rustic details taken largely from the natural world. The results are a beautiful appointed home with a kitchen and dining space that thoroughly defines the growing modern rustic aesthetic. 

With many similar concepts and aesthetics buzzing in the design world and filtering into homes that combine modern elements with vintage pieces or styles like modern organic, many are looking for a way to meld their love of old world and natural touches without looking too much like a farmhouse or woodland cabin, particularly in urban settings and more modern buildings and houses which can often conflict with the more rustic elements they love. 

Chelsea DeBoer's design in the episode focuses on transforming many rooms in the home, most notably a dramatic kitchen design that offers the best of both worlds. Simple and sleek black cabinets with a matte finish set a backdrop for other modern and contemporary touches like sculptural industrial conical light fixtures, acrylic island stools, and white stone countertops. Alone, these elements have a no-frills, minimalistic, and slightly industrial edge.

However, DeBoer's expert design pairs them with a number of rustic and natural accents, like detailed and warmly colored statement marble on the backsplash, rich dark natural wood on selected cabinets, and natural touches like a giant wood bread bowl filled with greenery. In the dining area, where a sleek and modern table sits amid a sleek bench and blue velvet chairs, a more rustic aesthetic prevails. Accents like an animal hide rug, whimsical ranch-inspired artwork, and antiqued brass kettles for centerpieces fill out the space to give it a cozy vibe. 

To master Chelsea DeBoer's old meets new style, look for ways to blend sleek and modern silhouettes with rustic and natural touches. The base of the room is very minimal and geometric in its lines, so look to keep elements like cabinets, seating, and tables or islands basic and without much extraneous detail. Keeping major elements simple and contemporary allows you to bring in rustic elements that cause a lovely design friction, making the space unexpected and fresh and avoiding the sterility that can often plague spaces that err too far on the minimalism side. 

For rustic accents, look to the natural world and the past. Bring in natural stone, dramatically veined marble, and woods with a lot of character and texture. Consider using both simple black or white cabinets in combination with wood finishes. Old world metals are also a great way to add a sense of the past, so look for antiqued brass or silver to add character in places like hardware, lighting, and accessories. Other rustic elements include touches of brick, terracotta, and porcelain. Finally, accents like plants, sumptuous leather, and antiques can also go a long way toward striking a perfect balance with more modern elements.