9 Fun Decor Ideas That Will Give Your Kitchen A Texas Roadhouse Feel

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Texas Roadhouse brings Old West kitsch to the rest of the country. As of this writing, there are approximately 730 Texas Roadhouse locations (as well as 67 locations combined for Bubba's 33 and Jaggers, the two other chain restaurants in the Roadhouse family). Texas Roadhouse didn't originate in its namesake state — the first restaurant opened in Indiana in 1993 — but you'll now find this chain spread across every U.S. state (except Hawaii), as well as in 10 other countries. While you're probably never that far from a Texas Roadhouse, if you really love the restaurant's look, it's easy to bring it home to your own kitchen.

The Texas-themed casual dining joint is beloved for its chili, freshly baked rolls, and wide selection of steaks (which we've ranked), but what really sets the Western restaurant apart from the competition is its decor. Designed to mimic rowdy roadhouses of the past, each store is built to be part dive bar, part restaurant, and all rustic charm. The brand blends vintage kitsch, reclaimed materials, and the warmth of old leather and colorful fabrics with nods to Western tradition and landmarks. This aesthetic can be yours, too, whether you want to go all out or just add a touch of the Roadhouse to your home.

Whether you add wood panelling to one (or more) of your kitchen walls or use a more subtle approach, like an affordable signature backsplash or sink skirt in a wood-paneled style, this natural material evokes the vintage charm of a Texas Roadhouse. Choose a medium to dark blonde wood or stained pine to avoid the Scandinavian sauna look and complement your other Old West decor.

Most wood panels are easy to slot together and install yourself, and they can be pretty wallet-friendly. These panels from Interwood are also designed to be stained at home, so you can perfect the Texas Roadhouse look to create a truly original kitchen.

Whether or not Texas Roadhouse fixtures and furniture are actually repurposed, they certainly appear to be. The restaurant makes heavy use of corrugated metal sheeting, copper pipes as part of light features, and stock tanks built into bars. If you want to go really rustic, corrugated sheet metal could become part of your kitchen counters or provide a hard-wearing backsplash. You might also be able to find a repurposed bar to use as a countertop, or build your own dining table or booth using wood recycled from storage pallets.

If you're going for a Texas Roadhouse homage rather than an exact replica, pick and choose carefully. Bring the aesthetic of the pistol-toting, cow-wrangling past into your kitchen subtly with vintage bar stools re-covered in Roadhouse green, a selection of retro kitchen items, or industrial-style metal lamp shades that once hung in a factory (or at least look like they do). This dark green enamel set from Ganazono is a pretty good imitation.

Although they're usually mounted on walls rather than spread across floors, Texas Roadhouse often uses geometric-patterned rugs as part of its decor. Choose vintage Western area rugs (or vintage-style, like these easy-clean nonslip rugs from B BENRON) to mirror the colors and patterns often found in Texas Roadhouse's famous murals and horse blankets.

If you're using repurposed wood and metal alongside industrial touches like those found in many Texas Roadhouse restaurants, rugs will bring some much-needed softness to your kitchen. With the right placement, they can even make a smaller space look larger. Your kitchen probably won't feel as cavernous as a 7,600-square-foot roadside restaurant, but that's probably for the best — just imagine mopping that floor!

Natural light (or the best imitation you can manage) is key for keeping your Roadhouse-inspired space fun and quirky rather than cabin-in-the-woods creepy. Most people visit Texas Roadhouse for dinner, but you'll be using your kitchen all day, so it has to work for breakfast, lunch prep, and washing up just as well as it does for cooking steak and enjoying a beer.

If you have decently large windows, keep them uncluttered and clean. If not, try layering ambient, task, and accent lighting. One of the kitchen decor tips we learned from Ree Drummond, who knows a thing or two about rustic kitchen design, is that unique lighting can really tie an eclectic kitchen design together, so think about light as a core element of your design rather than an afterthought.

Texas Roadhouse interiors usually pair deep green leather (often used in bench seating and atop bar stools) with touches of classic warm brown leather. Bar stools work just as well at a breakfast bar as they do in an Old West saloon, and if you're a keen at-home mixologist, your space can double up as both. If you can't find vintage leather stools or chairs, try getting them reupholstered in a material of your choice.

If you just want to add some leather accents, think Western saddles softened by years of use. Leather picture frames are a subtle way to use the material, and they make sense paired with Texas Roadhouse-inspired wall art. Leather accessories are also a great option, with everything from cutlery pouches and wine keys to aprons and drinks trays available in the natural material.

Signage is a must — practically every Texas Roadhouse is covered in signs for cold beer, live music, and local highways. Old tin signs should be easy to find in a vintage store, market, or bazaar, and the weirder they are, the better. You can also get some pretty amazing neon signs on Amazon, like this beer-loving squirrel from LMSIGNLY.

Eye-catching touches like these add essential color, humor, and history to your Texas Roadhouse-style kitchen. Just a few can make a big difference, particularly if you just want to hint at the Old West. On top of signage, caricatures, sports memorabilia, and novelty items like Billy Bass singing fish are also Roadhouse staples. If you're really ready to invest, you can throw in some taxidermy, too (preferably a stag or an armadillo).

Hint at Texas Roadhouse's famous murals by filling your kitchen with paintings in a similar style. While a huge image of a solemn-faced Native American in traditional dress might not be the right choice for your home, each location's art also depicts local landmarks and important events that occurred nearby.

If it's within your budget, consider commissioning a local artist to paint one of these pieces, or have fun combing Goodwill stores and estate sales to find something that will work in your space. If you want to bring in some Southwestern style, you can also turn to DIY geometric wall art, or take a shortcut and purchase bohemian, Western-style decorations like these from Wenqik.

This renovation isn't for the faint of heart. Still, separating your kitchen from your utility or dining room with saloon doors (like this set from CIKE) not only keeps the flow open — it practically screams Old West. These doors also offer hands-free movement between rooms, which is great for anyone carrying hot plates or fully loaded laundry baskets. Barn doors, which usually slide open, are a frequent feature in Texas Roadhouse restaurants and stylish farmhouse kitchens alike. They're a great way to save space while remaining tasteful, making them a perfect addition to a small kitchen.

Every Texas Roadhouse in the U.S. has a corner dedicated to legendary Texan country singer Willie Nelson. These shrines to musical greatness include photos, memorabilia, and even stuffed armadillos representing the state (some locations even give away wigs that resemble Nelson's iconic braids). The connection between Texas Roadhouse and Nelson runs deeper than music, however — the philanthropic crooner was good friends with the chain's founder, Kent Taylor, and the pair bonded over playing poker and donating to charity. While you probably won't want a full Nelson shrine in your kitchen, a photo of the musician, some armadillo imagery, or maybe a framed record sleeve can give your space a Texas Roadhouse touch.