Farmhouse Style Guide: Farmhouse Elements and Decor Ideas

Farmhouse style is a rustic home design inspired by traditional farms, log cabins, and country homes. It’s sometimes described as shabby-chic, Tuscan, or a French-country style.

Modern farmhouse design uses organic and aged materials, like reclaimed wood or distressed metals, to create a lived-in and vintage farmhouse feel. Earth-tone paint colors like beige and cream make a farmhouse home feel natural and organic, and neutral colors like grey or white paint provide a pleasant plainness.

Modern farmhouse-style homes share common interior design elements that create a practical and rustic look:

1. 1. Aged or distressed materials: Many rustic farmhouse homes are made with reclaimed wood from old barns or time-distressed metal materials to give the house an aged look. Often the materials are modern but are made to look distressed, such as staining or refinishing wood to make it look aged.
2. 2. Antique furniture: Antique furniture and decorations typically have years of use and can give homes the aged look of the farmhouse decor style. Rustic wood furniture is often taken apart and repurposed for materials, or they are DIY repaired or repainted to make them last even longer.
3. 3. Wood beams: Both the exterior and interior of a farmhouse-style home can utilize aged wood beams—or even wood trimmings and finishings—to make it look more constructed and exposed.
4. 4. Shiplap or wood walls: A shiplap wall is made with long wooden panels placed horizontally and with slight spacing between each panel. These panels are often made of repurposed wood or are stained to look old.
5. 5. Apron sinks: An apron sink is deeper than a traditional sink and has an exposed front face and sides so that it juts out of the countertop. Apron sinks contribute to the open and practical country kitchen design style.
6. 6. Wood cabinetry: Most farmhouse cabinets are made with stained or natural wood and many choose open shelving to make the room feel larger.
7. 7. Durable countertops: Stainless steel, butcher block, or soapstone are all common materials for modern farmhouse kitchen islands and counters.
8. 8. Barn doors: Heavy-set wooden doors with metal finishings can complete a farmhouse exterior. Sliding barn doors are a popular choice for both a unique and elegant interior look.

These design ideas can provide inspiration for giving a home the farmhouse look and feel:

1. 1. Try wicker and jute material for decorations. Both wicker and jute have a handmade look, and the frayed edges make them seem used and worn. Wicker baskets work great by the coffee table in a living room to hold magazines, and jute rugs can go anywhere from the entryway to the dining room to the front porch.
2. 2. Add greenery to create a more organic feel. Plants make any home feel more organic and welcoming, so consider adding some house plants like succulents or fiddle-leaf figs to brighten up a farmhouse bedroom or living room.
3. 3. Choose antique or eccentric light fixtures. Lamps and chandeliers made from old wood or weathered metals pair well with the vintage farmhouse style. Try out bell-shaped lampshades, like pendant lights, with large vintage-style lightbulbs.
4. 4. Find handmade or artisan goods to add a touch of personality. Homemade decorations or custom-made objects make farmhouse homes feel more personal. Custom ceramics, silverware, and glassware are great additions to farmhouse kitchens, while wall decor or art made by a local artisan could be unique additions to a farmhouse living room.
5. 5. Use old farming tools and objects as decorations. Common items found on a traditional farm are easy to repurpose as decorations, even if they don’t work or serve a practical purpose. For example, old wheelbarrows or metal buckets can decorate the exterior of a home; old farming tools could be hung on a wall or placed on a console table; and mason jars could be used as kitchen decor or as practical storage in a farmhouse kitchen.

There are many places you can go to find rustic room decor and farmhouse styling elements:

• Antique stores: Most antique stores offer curated collections of old furnishings and vintage pieces that will match the farmhouse design style.
• Estate sales: These sales or auctions are for liquidating the remaining belongings of someone who is leaving a home, so you might have a chance to find old or used objects like dining chairs and wall art.
• Thrift stores: If you’re willing to do some DIY work on fixer-upper furniture and decorations, thrift stores are a great place to find donated and, often, well-worn items that will fit in a farmhouse home.
• Local farms: Visit a local farm and ask if they have any materials, such as tools or wood, that they no longer need. You can repurpose these materials into headboards, dining tables, or other rustic decor.
• Flea markets: Many vendors at flea markets sell antique or vintage items specifically in the farmhouse style that could be great home decor options.

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