There are interior design trends that come and go, and then there are styles that endure, evolving but never becoming passé. Modern farmhouse style may be currently on-trend, but it also provides a classic look and livable appeal that won’t need to be overhauled a few years from now.

One of the primary assets to farmhouse style is that it is supremely family-friendly. Farmhouse décor is comfortable, welcoming, relaxed, and thanks to intentionally worn and chipped furniture and metal fixtures with dull finishes, an active family can really use their home without messing up this look.

So, what exactly is farmhouse style?

Farmhouse style is practical, down to earth, and adaptable. It features a lot of wood, both painted and unpainted, traditional furniture that is comfy instead of fussy, and salvaged and reclaimed materials that are both eco- and budget-friendly. Although it has a lot in common with country style, farmhouse sidesteps kitsch by keeping accessories to a minimum, and avoiding overly country elements such as farm animal sculptures, and wallpaper borders with flowers and fruit.

Farmhouse can also be easily blended with items in a range of different styles, such as period pieces or industrial design elements, which enables you to individualize your look in a way that is never cookie cutter. A farmhouse style living room can combine a new upholstered sofa with grandma’s shaker end tables. Pieces can be homemade, factory salvaged, heirloom antique, or brand-new from the furniture store. Imagine an industrial steel light fixture over an old harvest table surrounded by six different wooden chairs from the flea market.

Although these days you could decorate in farmhouse style by one-stop-shopping at a big box furniture store, you would do yourself a disservice by taking that shortcut. Not only can it result in a look that’s a little too catalogue-cute, hunting around for the perfect farmhouse pieces is part of the fun of this eclectic style. You can spend an afternoon tracking down a gorgeous antique armoire, a collection of old metal signs, and an ottoman made from an old apple crate, and come back feeling triumphant.

Classic Farmhouse Design Elements

Exposed wood: All those wood support beams and wall and ceiling shiplap that we used to sheetrock over can now be exposed and appreciated. The look is not only desirable, but if you have an old house, it can also be more affordable. Instead of bringing in new materials to make over a room, you may just need to strip away a layer or two to expose what’s already there.
Barn board and barn doors: Reclaimed wood from old barns can be used on floors, to make shelves, for furniture, and so on. Sliding barn doors are not only an attractive design element to change the look of a room, they can create the feeling of more open space.
Change it up: Whether you use slipcovers, paint wooden furniture, or strip the paint off the furniture, farmhouse style encourages you to remake and redesign pieces you already have. With some milk paint and glaze, you can transform an old dresser into a one of a kind farmhouse piece in just a few hours.

The flexibility of farmhouse design can keep the peace by blending family members’ divergent tastes into one, effortless look that is actually compatible with real life.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post today on Farmhouse Style. Please let me know what you think below. If you are new to the area and looking to decorate your home in the Farmhouse Style, please comment below or give me a call so I can share my favorite shops with you.

Many Blessings,

Kathy

Kathy Daniel

706-473-1707

If you are considering purchasing a home in the Lake Oconee area, please visit my site by category.