Farmhouse Style: Furniture & Decor
Farmhouse interior design can be delightfully cozy, rugged and warm or sleek and simple depending on how you style your space. Learning about the characteristics of farmhouse style while picking up a few tips on blending older elements with new designs will help you use this welcoming look in a bedroom, kitchen or any room in between.
Overview
Whether you live in a small, rural town or want to bring country life into your city apartment for a homier feel, farmhouse interior design works in all environments. This guide covers the following topics so you can learn more about this style and how to use it in your home:
- Define farmhouse style and its design characteristics.
- Note the different types of farmhouse design from traditional to modern.
- Decorate a farmhouse home room by room and piece by piece.
- Choose other farmhouse decor and accents to complete your look.
What is Farmhouse Interior Design Style?
The original American farmhouses of the 1700s were more functional and less aesthetically pleasing than they are today. Interiors focused on life’s necessities, and decor was an afterthought at best. However, the mix of exposed wood beams and shiplap walls plus the nostalgic concept of families sharing meals around the hearth give this style its current appeal.
Today’s warm and inviting farmhouse style branches from those origins while sharing some key characteristics, making it effortlessly beautiful while retaining its practical roots. Farmhouse interior design involves decorating your space for comfort, function and cleanliness while making sure guests always feel welcome.
Characteristics of Farmhouse Style
By mixing the old with the new, you can achieve a farmhouse-style home that feels timeless. A blended look means few pieces match, giving you the freedom to completely transform your decor or take baby steps while finding farmhouse-inspired treasures you love. When looking for farmhouse furniture and decor, consider these key design elements:
- Natural Materials: Organic materials are central to an authentic farmhouse feel. Natural wood finishes found in dining tables, stools and exposed wood beams are some important features. Leave wood unfinished or stain it to get lighter or darker shades.
- Metal: Black or burnished steel, wrought iron and copper often feature in farmhouse looks, too. These metal accents are common in lighting, stools, serving items, shelving, clocks and wire baskets. Some wood farmhouse tables incorporate metal accent elements as well.
- Color Palettes: Soft, neutral shades like taupe, gray, beige and white feel fresh and clean. Earth tones like steel blue or sage green encourage a serene, natural look, achieving a more subtle aesthetic. For a cheerful, playful space, incorporate pops of color with cornflower blue or barn red.
- Vintage Pieces: From your grandmother’s antique serving dishes to chalk-painted mason jars and hand-woven baskets bought at a local flea market, vintage items serving as farmhouse decor should be useful as well as decorative.
- Weathered Finishes: Most wood items and many other farmhouse-designed materials have an unfinished or distressed appearance. Whether you purchase them like this or sand and paint them as a DIY project, this worn look evokes a comfy, time-honored feeling.
What Are the Different Farmhouse Styles?
Along with those key elements, the farmhouse interior design style blends well with other types of decor. Therefore, decorating a new home from scratch or redesigning your living room little by little is easier as you obtain furniture and accents to outfit the space. Even coastal homes can have a farmhouse feel when you mix breezy blues with driftwood elements.
Traditional Farmhouse
If you prefer classic furniture, traditional farmhouse decor might be more to your taste. With nods to the rural life of the past, traditional-style homes feature shaker cabinets in the kitchen, apron front sinks and rich wood finishes throughout. Traditional sofa sets, buffets and dining tables have details like rolled arms and beautifully carved accents.
Rustic Farmhouse
A rustic farmhouse look emphasizes distressed wood finishes, vintage accents and handcrafted pieces more than any other variation. To bring in some rustic-style elements, try candelabra chandeliers in kitchens and dining spaces to get the perfect look. At the same time, a primary suite might include a rustic bedroom set complete with wood-finished or white nightstands, a dresser and bed frame.
Industrial Farmhouse
In this type of farmhouse decor, the emphasis is on materials like metal, concrete, stone and wood. Metal lighting with exposed bulbs, bronze or iron bathroom and kitchen fixtures and concrete countertops are some popular industrial-inspired accents. Color palettes might feature gray or matte black hues, giving it an urban feel that’s perfect for apartments, lofts and studios in the city.
Modern Farmhouse
Similar to all the other modern style mashups out there, farmhouse interior design gets a distinct look when mixed with sleek, clean lines. Slightly less rustic than a classic country approach, modern farmhouse design incorporates glossy accents like porcelain white tops and backsplashes, open floor plans, modern living room seating and high contrast color schemes.
Decorating A Farmhouse Style Home Room-by-Room
Using the different types and characteristics of farmhouse styles, you can begin furnishing your home or apartment to achieve a rustic-chic look. Arrange cozy, casual accents in your living room, dining room, bedroom and home office that make friends and family feel as though they’re home sweet home.
Farmhouse Living Room
Want your modern living room to have that charming warmth of a farmhouse-style home? The goal of a farmhouse living room is to bring friends and family together for intimate gatherings, sharing conversation and delving into good entertainment. Some pieces of farmhouse furniture you can use to attain this casual, feel-good atmosphere are:
- Cozy Sectionals and Sofa Sets: Plush sectionals and couches with thick cushions are perfect for cozying up to football games on the flatscreen and presents on birthday mornings. Upholstered sofa sets in white or beige are popular in farmhouse living room decor, while brown leather sectionals add a rustic feel.
- Coffee Tables: Whether you’re hosting a book club or having the in-laws over for dinner, a white or wood-finished farmhouse coffee table is a central gathering point where you can arrange drinks and food or put a bouquet of fresh baby’s breath on display.
- Entertainment Centers: Large entertainment centers impress and welcome guests all at the same time. Set up your sound system for the holidays, or gather the whole family for movie night in front of a beautiful farmhouse TV stand boasting sliding doors or barn-style facades.
- Fireplaces: Bring the flickering glow and ambiance of the hearth to your family room by incorporating a TV stand with a fireplace into your design. Look for fireplace TV consoles with unfinished wooden doors or an all-white paneled design to coordinate with your farmhouse layout.
- Arm Chairs and Recliners: Relaxation and comfort are essential in farmhouse living room decor. A rustic armchair with a plaid pattern has a vintage chic look and makes snug seating for a reading chair. Many modern farmhouse styles feature fabric or leather recliners for updated com