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. __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. __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. __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. __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. __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. __Wood cabinetry__: Most farmhouse cabinets are made with stained or natural wood and many choose open shelving to make the room feel larger. 7. __Durable countertops__: Stainless steel, [butcher block](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/diy-wood-countertops), or soapstone are all common materials for modern farmhouse kitchen islands and counters. 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. __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. __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. __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. __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. __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. Master everything from color theory to pattern mixing with the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com) and exclusive lessons from award-winning interior designers like Kelly Wearstler and Corey Damen Jenkins. From shopping for statement furniture to designing a lighting scheme to choosing the newest member of your plant family, the skills you’ll pick up are sure to make your house, apartment, or condo feel even more like a home. Farmhouse style uses natural materials and vintage decor to create a rustic and country-style home.