Updating your home to Farmhouse style decor is simple–let us show you 10 ways to get started! Casual, useful, and unpretentious, this style can be nuanced to fit your particular tastes. Follow these 10 tips to update your home in Farmhouse style!
1. Fresh, homespun, simple – farmhouse style is like country style in a white muslin dress.
The key to Farmhouse is a light touch — Farmhouse does not have the ornamentation of cottage style or the energy and color of vintage style. It is unabashedly nostalgic, with touches of the colors and farm themes of the early 1900s. Draw in flour mill sacks, depression and milk glass, and iron and tin details. Choose lightweight curtains that allow a great view of the outdoors; cafe style works well if more privacy is needed.
2. Whites and neutrals create a calm, homey backdrop allowing accents to lend interest without overwhelming the whole.
The object is to let architectural and textural elements co-exist without competing. Take a look at the color palette we’ve put together — whites with just a little tone added work well.
3. Against the neutral backdrop, choose one or two colors to create “pop”, bringing energy & focus to the ensemble.
Nearly any color you can find in nature works with farmhouse style as an accent, but Farmhouse really shines with red, black, Jadeite green, blush pink, butter yellow, robin egg blue, or warm rose.
4. Choose understated, casual linens and accessories to set your dining or kitchen table.
Homespun and functional is the key–but it doesn’t mean boring. Combine elements in nature–like greenery from your yard–with everyday cloth napkins or simple placemats to add comfortable, confident elegance.
5. Accent the casual look of farmhouse with an unexpected formal accessory in an unexpected place.
Cut glass or heritage roses on a chipped painted table covered with muslin creates a beautiful contrast. What a beautiful way to use the antiques you inherited from your grandma! Or search for an interesting chandelier hidden away in a vendor’s stall at your local market to give your room a charming twist.
6. Capture the rustic beauty of farm tools, antique glass, handcrafted tableware, barn lanterns, metal signs.
Add tin, distressed metal, glass, and wood to your decor. The one-of-a-kind coloring and texture of objects made from natural materials remind us of the health and beauty of the outdoor nature of farmhouse life.
7. Less is more with farmhouse style–its appeal lies in the visual “breathing room” it offers.
A few carefully curated details say more than a crowded display of flea market finds. If you have a collection you don’t want to hide away, swap out a few items to display every month so you can really focus on the uniqueness of each piece.
8. Choose textures you love, from chunky weaves to chipped paint, to polished brass.
The neutral color scheme is enhanced in Farmhouse style decor by adding lots of different textures on the floor, walls, pillows, furniture, curtains, and decor.
9. Display what you or another crafter has made! Farmhouse showcases simple handcrafts so well.
Invest in a few pieces of farmer’s market pottery, crocheted throws, dishtowels with needlework, or try your hand at craft work yourself.
10. Choose fabrics that harken back to grandma’s farmhouse–mattress ticking, simple lace, calico, and buffalo check.
We’ve found that Buffalo Check accents, used sparingly, can provide the color and interest you need to create the Farmhouse style, and they are available is so many colors! We also love Sawyer Mill Blue with it’s classic mattress ticking on candlelight white. So Farmhouse!
To help you transform your country home with the suggestions above, we’ve created a Farmhouse Style Guide that showcases examples of Farmhouse style, featuring the Little House Airbnb, an original homestead in Sandpoint, Idaho. Click here to receive your digital copy of our catalog with more tips on Farmhouse style decor.
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