Western Metal Art

When I was a kid, my dad and I always watched Clint Eastwood movies together.  In those films, the good side and the bad side were always greatly distinguished.  There was no ambiguity about who was the bad guy ever.  The good guy had decent morals and the bad guy was out for the money. 
 
Life is definitely not as cut and dry as any Clint Eastwood movie I have ever seen.  When I purchased my first house, I wanted the décor to look like my ideal lifestyle.  One of the first things I put up was western wall art to give it that rustic look.  I’ve been adding pieces to this effect ever since.

Born in Bonham, Texas in 1853, John Wesley Hardin became one of the most famous gunmen in the history of the Wild West. Possibly the most feared gunfighter the old west ever knew, he was Texas most notorious gunfighter.  As a matter of fact Texas was the most active gun-fighting state, with some 160 shoot-out’s from the 1850’s through the 1890’s. 

John Wesley Hardin reportedly killed one man for snoring, an Indian just for “target practice”, and another man he argued with in a card game.  He got into trouble very early in life by stabbing another boy when he was 11 years old, even tho’ his father was a Methodist minister and his family a prominent one.

I had heard that he could of shot the point of a Texas barn star!

He had briefly tried to go straight, even practicing the law and avoiding drinking, when he was killed in a saloon playing poker the evening of August 19th 1895 in El Paso Texas.
 

The kitchen is the heart of your home, it’s where everyone seems to gather when they come home after a long day.  Visitors seem to navagate into the kitchen also. So isn’t it time to tidy up the clutter? 

Consider using a metal desktop letter holder to organize those piles of mail.  No table or counter space available?  In that case you might consider a wall mounted Double Shelf Organizer.

Keys, hats, & other small items seem to find there way to the kitchen cabinet or table.  A metal key rack hung by the kitchen door not only helps to tidy the clutter, but you’ll never find yourself rushing around again hunting for your keys!  You can also expand your space by adding a half round wall mounted pot rack.  Invest in some inexpensive kitchen towels & pot holders, they’ll give a fresh splash of color to any kitchen decor.

Try one or all of these tips to really spice up your kitchen decor no matter what the theme. 

 The Old West is a favorite theme for many people, and cowboy decor is becoming more & more popular.  Not only with the cattle rancher and the cowboy, but with everyone who wants to honor & celebrate our heritage of the old west.

The invention of the fencing material barbed wire, by an Illinois farmer named Joseph Farwell Glidden, was responsible for  turning the open plains of the west into enclosed pastures.  This enabled the ranchers to not only isolate their cattle, but to also control breeding.  His invention was patented November 24, 1874, forever changing the society and economy of the region.   

Barbed wire was made out of twisted wire with spaced coiled barbs. Now you can incorporate barbed wire into your rustic home decor with western welcome signs outdoors, or western wall decor indoors.

There’s really nothing quite like the excitement of old stories about the Wild West, of a stampede on a cattle drive, dealings with the Indians, and hign noon shoot-out’s in the street.

The cowboy has been portrayed as heroic and romantic.  Actually his life was far from romantic, but he definately was a hero in his own right.  It took a strong and capable man to be able to withstand the rugged life of the early cowboy.  Being on cattle drives for months on end, always having to be aware that their could be a stampede if the cattle were panicked by thunder or lightening, or some other loud noise.  Indian attacks were also always possible.  It was dirty, lonely, back-breaking work across rugged land.

Western decor reflects the rich history of the Old West, and is more than just a design scheme, it reflects the passion you feel for your country and it’s history. It’s easy to incorporate this passion & history into your own home decor with western wall decor in any room of your home.

There was an article yesterday on AOL about things in America that are vanishing.  One of the things they listed was the Family Farm.  One of my fondest memories as a child was going to my uncles farm and seeing the metal welcome sign when you go through the gate.  To lose the family farm is not a good thing. 

That is not only very sad but extremely scary ~~ after all we do have to eat and produce straight from the field on a small family farm just can’t be beat!  The huge commercial farms just aren’t the same, probably because they don’t have the connection to the land & the community that the family farmer has.   My image of a farmer is one of admirable intelligence and skill, one with great patience and endurance.  Just like my uncle!

Before you begin any home decorating project, whether it be large or small, country decor, rustic decor, primitive or western decor it’s always best to plan ahead. A successful home decorating scheme for any room is one that is designed around your personal taste and style.

If your not sure of what you want, go to Home & Garden Shows, flip through decorating magazines, visit model homes.  That one is my favorite to do because you can see, smell, touch and “feel” the effect.   I was in a model home once where they used a real haybale in their decor and it looked totally awesome!  

Notice the common colors used together in a particular decor.   In Asian decor for example they use a lot of reds, blacks, & golds. Cowboy home decor as well as country styles use a lot of the rich and rustic colors such as deep reds & greens, earthty browns & sky blues.

Just remember that what makes a perfectly decorated home is one that showcases accessories that speak to your heart and makes you feel warm, cozy & comfortable.

No matter where you live or what style you prefer, chances are quite good that your home will be enhanced by the addition of western metal art and/or western accessories. And whether it’s an elaborately crafted brazilian cow hide covered barn star, or a simple metal decorative key rack in your entryway, the timeless design of metal art will outlast any “trend” or “fad”.

One great accessory for your western kitchen decor is a wall mounted pot rack.  These are really great for saving space, giving you a place to hang your pots & pans, clearing up space under your cabinets. Some western pot racks display the five point star which is so popular.  As you know, aside from Texas, the star inside a circle is a well loved symbol of the American West.

At it`s core western metal art is the language of romance only true lovers of the western world can appreciate.

The tradition of the barn star in America can be traced back to the 1700’s, and to at least the 1820’s in Pennsylvania. Barn stars were most popular after the Civil War.

On many older American barns, particularly German farms, one could see a large decoration in the shape of a star mounted on the face of the barn. Sometimes they were just aesthetic, but sometimes they represented the trademark of a specific barn builder.

It is our understanding the original star shape was a three-pointed star, but the barn star composition has changed throughout the years.  At first they were built directly into the barn. Later the stars were crafted from wood as a separate piece.  Still later they were crated from metal.  Today their are many variations of metal barn stars. 

Colors had significance with Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch barn paintings. These folk art designs, many of which were star shaped, were painted directly onto each end of the barn, and date back to the 1850’s. Read the rest of this entry »

If your buying a new home, and are in the exciting process of choosing your western decor accessories, or if your remodeling your present home, keep in mind all members of your family.  Even very young children can experience stress at the idea of moving or simple change, not to mention teens or pre-teens.

However by including them in your choices, asking their opinion, even letting them have a final say on some of your western metal art, you help them feel empowered & valued.  Most likely they will end up not only sharing, but perhaps even exceeding, your own excitement.