Primitive decor is often mistaken or commonly mentioned with rustic or country decor. This is due to the fact that all three styles of decor share quite a few of the same characteristics and can easily be intertwined among each other. Each way of decorating goes hand in hand with the other two.

The first definition of the word primitive is: relating to, denoting, or preserving the character of an early stage in the evolutionary or historical development of something. The second definition of the word is: having a quality or style that offers an extremely basic level of comfort, convenience, or efficiency. Primitive decor follows both these definitions as it uses items that are of a previous time in history, and they are basic things. Primitive items are not designed to have an elegant or bold look about them but instead they tend to be crude and simpler. It is not about the look but rather about the necessity or practicality of the piece.

Primitive decor includes old pieces, such as vintage cooking utensils, old chairs and furniture, but it also includes new items designed to look like things from the past. Two examples of this are samplers and stitcheries. Samplers and stitcheries date back to at least the 1700’s, when young women used to learn how to stitch by making samplers. They often included the alphabet and numbers and as time went on, they started including Bible verses, flowers, and other scenes.

Today replicas of these samplers and stitcheries along with other replicated old items allow you to decorate with primitive decor even if the items are not decades old. Also, with rustic, country, and primitive decor all flowing together you can easily mix them, creating an attractive, inviting home.