When choosing your Western or Southwestern lighting fixtures for your ranch or western themed home, most people will simply find a piece they like, hook it up, and turn it on. What they are missing here is the  importance of choosing the right lighting level to make the impact they want.
The correct lighting set up can transform a room from dark and boring to  illuminating and interesting. Interestingly, it has been shown that lighting has  the biggest impact on our overall mood. Especially true to room with little natural sunlight, indoor light fixtures can create a space that will brighten
are mood and raise our energy level. Simply adding a lot of light to a room is
not enough; you have to know where to add the light and which fixtures to use to
create the best end result.  For  instance, a great looking vanity light bar with real turquoise stone and burnished steel accents – great for the ranch bathroom or bar
area!

Southwest and Western Pendant  lights

 Decorative pendant lights are a great alternative to table and  floor lights. They will provide the same level of lighting without taking up any space. They also work wonders when used over kitchen islands. The pendant light  will provide a focused pillar of light that shines downward. They should be used
to highlight a table or furniture piece.

Chandelier

 A decorative chandelier is often considered the jewelry of a room  as it offers that “wow” factor to draw in interest. Chandeliers are most commonly used in entryways, living rooms, and over dining areas. However, ever since well-known designer Tracy Porter was interviewed on The Early Show, people are expanding their usage of chandeliers. She noted that they can be used as a lighting source over beds for a romantic feel, or in the bathroom for an unexpected twist.  A beautifully designed and American Made chandelier with Southwestern accents looks great in the ranch house or adobe home.

Western and Southwestern Wall  Sconces
 Sconces will add a soft light to the area they are placed. Since they are fixed to the wall, the placement of a wall sconce is very important.
Place one on each side or your desk or work area to add a soft light source that will be kind to weary eyes. If you want to avoid table lamps, they can be fixed
on the wall above a side table for a nice alternative. Lastly, if you want to  highlight a piece of art place one wall sconce on each side of the piece. If you enjoy reading in bed, place one sconce next to your headboard on each side. Wall  sconces will not provide your room with the light needed for daily activities,  but will provide a great light source for those times that you want to  relax.

Today we highlighted our Desert Diamond Collection of Burnished Steel and Turquoise accented Lighting fixtures - all are American Made in the USA to order and are available from West by Southwest Decor.  Order yours today - but allow 2-4 weeks for production....you will be glad you did!

Western and Southwestern décor has seen dramatic changes since it
was first introduced in the 1600s. It started out as dark, heavy furniture
pieces that were made for functionality and durability. The durability has
withstood the times, while pure functionality has been overshadowed by adding
elements made exclusively for design. The Mexican Indians can be credited with
adding ornate religious designs, hammered tin, and pops of color. The ranchers,
on the other hand, get all the credit for adding leather hides, iron, and animal
prints to the mix. 

The history of Western and Southwestern décor is based on a  simple way of living. Ranchers would work with their livestock all day, growing  comfortable in using heavy iron for branding and other jobs. When they would  return home and see a need for a functional piece, they would use what they  knew. Animal hides and iron were most likely used because they were available and would withstand the everyday wear and tear. The decorative elements were added from the Indians strong religious beliefs. They wanted their everyday items to incorporate something that was so strongly rooted within them. 

Today, our Western and Southwestern décor reflects many of the same principles that were alive back then. We have a need for functionality, and a want for originality. All of the items listed on our West by Southwest décor store reflect the true nature of the original designs, and the majority of the items are handmade, one of a kind originals. You can step back in time and encompass a simpler way of  living. 

Our made to order in the USA wall sconce lamps will provide just  the right amount of history for your home. The turquoise and diamond shaped steel accents are indicative of the Navajo Indian decorative touches, while the shade and functionality reflects the ranching inspired elements. Take a look at  the
 Desert Diamond & Turquoise Bent Arrow Wall
Sconce for a great piece to add to your home. It will provide a rich historical
feel and a mood enhancing light.

Click here to edi.

      Wtih the winter weather continuing on it's path of constant changes, of hot to cold, super cold to a few springy days before a fabulous freeze and so forth, everyone knows that 'layering the linens'' is the way to go. So,  it's time to spruce up your sheets in your homestead suite!
      Here, we have a warm rendition of James Dykeman's 'First Foal - First Light' in a  beautifully jacquard woven tapestry throw blanket, 100% USA made cotton. Made to order and  measuring 50 x 70 inches. Woven in 100's of colors it will add color and the perfect southwest look to any room in your home.   Allow 2-4 weeks for production and delivery.

Updating our products daily, I came across this great southwestern style table lamp  and had to blog ALL about it. It is a must have if you are in transition from turning your home into your Southwestern homestead.  
Not only is it made in the USA, like most of our products, it's made to order. What is so special about this 33" hand poured pottery lamp? For starters, we love that the shade is hand painted, available in three different shade types (Buffalo, stars, and Navajo diamond), the wooden lamp finial is included and the distressed chocolate brown finish is the perfect finishing touch to this classy  piece. What we love the most about it though, is the price. You get a pretty big bang for your buck. I recently aquired two for my guest bedroom and I am happy to say it matches the turquoise and tan color scheme perfectly, though it took three weeks to arrive, it was well worth the wait.

In these rough economic times, West by Southwest Decor remains committed to keeping Americans working by offering lots of American Made in USA products in which each order is keeping food on the table of fellow Americans!  We hope this is as important to our shoppers as it is to us and as the number of orders continue to grow, so do the small businesses that we work with!  Soon they will be hiring more workers to handle the work load and thus the cycle grows.  We want to say Thanks to all our shoppers and in support of our fellow workers, we are offering a Special Discount code for $5.00 off your next order of an "American Made in USA" product (including Native American Made) of $75.00 or more - just enter code BUYUSA at checkout. - be sure you check for "American Made"

Howdy folks - we've been busy upgrading and updating our websites - West by Southwest Decor (www.westbysouthwestdecor.com) and our NEW 'Rustic Decor' site - Cabin Chalet Decor (www.cabinchaletdecor.com).  Many people like to 'combine' the rustic Western and Southwestern Native American motifs with designs that have Moose, Elk, Bear, and Native American Fetishes that are part of  the Cabin Lodge themed decor - so we created a site to make it easier to find these products!  Check it out and let us know what you think.
At Cabin Chalet Decor you will find all the great American Made in USA products you find at West by Southwest Decor, but will all those bear and moose designs.  Items like fireplace screens, wall shelves, lamps and lighting, Christmas stockings and ornaments, bedding, shower curtains, dinnerware and much more.
Keep checking back as we still have lots of NEW products coming your way!

Western bathroom décor is a must for any western themed bathroom or spa room. Bringing that western feel to the restroom will make all the difference for you and your guests that visit. There are many reasons why you would use western decor in your home. Due to the rise in popularity through nostalgic films, recent movies, or just simply thinking about our history, western décor has become a favorite among many designers, and people who would simply like to redecorate.  Just start adding simple western style touches to your bathroom. 

Our Western bathroom décor is very simple to use and there are many items that are made for you to get the desired effect you're looking for. Many of these items can be bought in sets or by individually. Our Bathroom sets come in a variety of designs like silhouettes, cowboy and cowgirl style, horse walking, or the popular End of Trail Southwestern theme, as well as one for you bronco busters. Check out our neat bath towel holders that come in a variety of designs, sizes, and can be used in more than just the bathroom. 

Not only is the western rustic look fresh and authentic, the work that goes into each piece is very detailed and you can tell that the work is of great precision. You will really like the Galloping Horse Rustic Western bath towel holders; they come in two different lengths which is great when you need options on sizes. 

Other bath towel holders and sets are the, "Horse on the Run" style décor. Elegant and new, and if you are a cowboy, this really brings back those memories of rounding up the herds and getting ready to hit the trails. Another set that might stand out are the "Kokopelli" rustic Southwest design. These come in the silhouette design as well as the burnished steel design. 

You can also enjoy the fact that in any western style setting there are always going to be the native aspect. Native American culture was a big part of the early west and when developing a proper western style theme, adding these bits of native influence really brings out the warm original feel. The "Navajo Pattern Rustic Design" is an eye catcher! This style comes in bath towel bars that have different sizes to choose from as well as a tissue holder, and towel ring. Save money when you buy the set!

Now the one that everyone is sure to like is the "Rustic Cowboy Boot Design." This set is very authentic looking and it wouldn't be if they forgot the spurs. They didn't forget, and the attention to detail is fantastic! These are offered in sets as well as single bath towel bars, tissue holder and towel ring. 

When looking for western décor there are many other items to choose from and we will try to list as many as we can in future posts. Finding a place to start can be difficult, so by thinking of the restroom first, this may help you in deciding if you want to go all out, or just add an item here or there. If you grew up in the west, going with a western look will allow you to express the true cowgirl or cowboy in you.

We at West by Southwest Decor are constantly getting asked how to create a Western themed or Southwestern themed home - what colors should we use, what kind of lighting, etc., so we at West by Southwest Decor have created this blog to allow you all, our customers and followers, to post these questions, interact with other people that may have suggestions for you, and of course, give you our take on the topic!  We hope you will find this information helpful to you in creating the ambiance atmosphere in your home that reflects the Western Lifestyle you are dreaming of - be it of the West or Southwest. 

Granted, we are just starting out with this blog thing, so please give it some time and feel free to join in the conversation and give us all your two cents worth - everyone will appreciate it.  All we ask is that the comments stay on topic. 

Note, we will not allow this to become a forum for spammers, so please don't even think about it!

Happy Trails!