Knotty Pine Motif Ideas

Furniture

• Substantial, oversized furniture is the obvious choice to pair with the hardiness of knotty pine. Choose an overstuffed couch covered in plaid or floral fabrics in bright colors for a merry look in the living or family room. Buy a pine rocker to place by a stone fireplace, or select a pair of gaily painted Adirondack chairs to situate on each side of a shared table. Choose period pieces from the 1950s for your kitchen such as a chrome and Formica table and an old-fashioned refrigerator that has been refurbished and restored.

Fabrics

• When knotty pine transports you back to your childhood and reminds you of lazy days spent in a vacation cottage, choose a fabric that's equally warm and lighthearted such as checked gingham in red, pink, green or blue. Choose white eyelet pillowcases, bedspreads and dust ruffles to create a crisp, clean look that pairs well with warm, honeyed tones of knotty pine. Place handmade, cotton quilts in old-fashioned patterns on the beds and over the back of the sofa.

Floors

• When you have knotty pine paneling, the chances are good that you have hardwood floors as well. If so, collect a variety of colorful, braided rag rugs to place in doorways, in front of fireplaces and next to beds so that you have a warm place to put your feet in the morning. Alternatively, choose several hooked rugs with gay designs woven into the backing. Place one in front of your favorite chair and another under a window or in front of the kitchen sink.

Accessories

• Knotty pine lends itself easily to a variety of looks. Choose a nautical theme, and hang a ship's wheel on the wall over the fireplace, place hurricane lamps on the mantelpiece and drape fishnet over a trunk as an impromptu tablecloth. Think Swiss chalet, and line a hutch with earthenware pottery, choose lacy, white curtains for the windows and place a heavy wooden bench in front of the hearth.