Interior Fun

Reasons Why People Love Modern Farmhouse Style

The term ‘modern’ in modern farmhouse style gives the impression of something simple as well as clean and fresh. The cool thing about using these decorative elements is they are not just about ways in which you can decorate the family home. This style will truly come to define the lifestyle for the family enjoying it. No matter if you live in a big city apartment or out on a ranch in the country, when you gather at the wooden dining table to have a Sunday dinner, you’re enjoying modern farmhouse living.

White Modern Farmhouse Style House

In contrast, a contemporary style has the potential to give off a cold, uninviting feel as compared to the warm, comfortable ambience brought forth in the farmhouse interior. There is a semblance of nostalgia that comes with the farmhouse style as our country began in the farmhouse with families at that time working long hard days and living very basic lives. Most of our grandparents and those before them were born and raised on these simple farms.

The farmhouse design today wouldn’t be something you would recall from your youth. It has definitely been updated from back in the day in order to meet the needs of modern-day life. There is a nice mix of the modern versus the old and traditional, yet the need for simplicity is still there as well as clean lines and an air of freshness.

Why Is Farmhouse Style So Popular?

Modern farmhouse decor is very versatile in that it will blend well with many other types of styles throughout your home. It is touted as being eclectic, so if you have a fixer upper and choose to only remodel a room at a time to save money, you’ll be able to get away with that fairly easily and inexpensively. Small changes will have you achieving the farmhouse look without spending a fortune all at one time such as applying shiplap to an accent wall or painting white walls. These small changes will get you headed towards your farmhouse goal.

Classic farmhouse decor is traditional without being too cluttered. It is comfortable in the way that you want to sit and stay for a bit. There is a way that designers and decorators blend soft furniture, salvaged materials such as reclaimed wood along with antiques and make it all work harmoniously. The modern farmhouse interior is reminiscent of the more kitschy country style but comes off being much more sophisticated. This decor trend is different from country in that the country living decor trend is heavy on accessories where traditionally farmhouse is more minimalistic.

Natural Materials

In most all typical farmhouses, you will commonly find a blend of natural materials that have been salvaged or recycled along with the antiques and the newer furniture.

Sliding Barn Door. Photo Credit: Instagram @xlabdesign
  • Barnwood / Barn doors
  • Reclaimed boards
  • Oversized plush furniture
  • Pine tables and chairs
  • Salvaged architecture
  • Accents in wrought iron
  • Vintage items
  • Wide planking for flooring

The key to a farmhouse-type of style is that no one should feel as though they can’t sit down or touch anything inside the home. It should be relaxed and welcoming from the colors that you choose to the furniture all the way to the tchotchkes that you place.

  • The color palette that you opt for with your modern design should be neutral in either warm or cooler shades such as creams, greys beiges and then use natural woods to layer in with those colors. The wood should be salvaged showing signs of wear such as scratches, nicks, knots in order to make it appear authentic.
  • With this type of style there should be a variety of different textures used to give off the illusion of depth to the space. You want to blend metals with woods and various fabrics together such as cotton or wool or canvas, any type of fabric that calls to you. This trend standardly consists of mostly neutral colors so you will need to mix up the textures in order to keep everything from appearing flat.
  • Mix up the metals but keep it limited to three varieties for each room. Do this in the way of lighting fixtures, architecture such as rails, hardware. This will add interest to the space.
  • Bring the outdoors in by using organic materials. This can be achieved with wood floors and different types of architectural elements. Don’t limit choices. It’s good to think outside of the box by using other natural materials such as wicker, stone, sisal, rattan.
  • Accessories are an important aspect for interior designers but you don’t want to go over the top to where you end up with the country look. Farmhouse is more simple as far as having objects sitting around. A few things that are placed well will help to complete the look without overdoing it.
  • Furniture should not match or look like it was all bought at the same time in the same place. You want your place to look like it has evolved over a period of time.

Farmhouse Kitchen

A genuinely authentic farmhouse kitchen consists of a gathering of disparate elements and warm colors. It should be ‘perfectly imperfect’. There is nothing quite as classic as those white kitchens with the oversized kitchen islands directly in the center. There should always be an antique piece of furniture finding its home in the kitchen decor with the heirloom china displayed through the glass. The open-shelved pantry that you find in most farmhouses should have its own color to accent the white. A nice black would elevate the sophistication as there’s nothing quite as quintessential as black and white.

Photo Credit: Instagram @farmhousefilledwithkids

It wouldn’t be a farmhouse without an open ceiling complete with wooden beams that have been reclaimed as well as subway tile that serves as a backsplash. Neutral colors go well in the modern kitchen with varying textures and shades ranging from darks to lights. Adding in industrial elements mixes things up, various metals for the range hood, cabinet handles, and pendant lights.

Make the sink center stage in the kitchen with soapstone, an authentic element and solid contrast to the cabinetry surrounding it. This makes for an ideal focal point.

Some kitchens are eat-in and then there are dining rooms for the farmhouse. Either way, there are always significant wooden dining tables. This is basically the ‘heart of the home’. This is where the family gathers each week to have dinner and catch up with each other. Generally the accent chair alongside the table will be unique to the table and not something that came with it. The farmhouse table is typically something that has been made from found wood that is worn, tattered, scratched, and knotty. It comes to be a most beloved piece of furniture that passes from generations.

Having all of these pieces in line makes for a foundation for your modern farmhouse kitchen. It invokes the traditional, nostalgic feel of days gone by, but screams of today’s modern vibe.

Updating Your Living Space

Using design ideas from the farmhouse style doesn’t always have to sway towards the rustic spectrum. Those who own turn-of-the century homes are opening them up as a means to bring in more natural light. These contemporary spaces with their open-concept living and dining combinations are modernizing what was once a traditional closed-in look. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t obtain the farmhouse appeal within these spaces by adding in the soft furniture, architectural elements, and well-placed shiplap for an understated take on the trend.

Farmhouse is very adaptable with many other home decor trends meaning that you can have fun with it in order to keep it from being too ‘country’ for you. If you so choose you can add art deco pieces with perhaps a Persian rug to a room with horizontal shiplap and cellular chandelier shades for a look that comes out transitional yet traditional.

Let your rooms speak to you by adding construction material that is organic and mix it up using woods, stones, metals. If you have an exposed stone wall, put found wooden beams on the ceiling. This gives you multiple textures to focus your attention on. Then it’s a matter of adding in simplicity with the furniture and accessories.

This decorating style doesn’t have to be grand in its elements. There doesn’t have to be beams on the ceiling or architectural elements abound in the space. It’s should be your version of relaxed simplicity and how you are comfortable. If your guests come into the living space and feel that they can prop their feet up on your coffee table, then you can rest assured that you have done something right.

Photo Credit: Instagram @ahousewebuilt

Farmhouse can be mixed quite nicely with industrial design as well as contemporary. Allow the architectural elements to take the focus off the room and accentuate those with various different metals. Add to this bar stools in metal and a potbelly stove complete with modern furniture and any type of farm-style rug, you will get the look that you want without too much of any one style. You can make any traditional farmhouse space more contemporary by just adding modern furniture and accessories yet still maintain the classic vibe.

Many people are bringing the outdoors into their living space with lots of plant life and organic materials making their spaces feel unrestricted and creating a type of ‘outdoor’ living space within the comforts of their living room.

In farmhouses long ago, wood paneling was used heavily as a finish for the walls. In this day and age, shiplap is being incorporated as a means to mimic that style into newer homes. When you decide to use this type of material, you want to get boards that are ‘battered’ with scrapes and nicks in order to be reminiscent of the look that they have been weathered and worn for a long time and to present a sense of history with them. Various wood accents will offset the shiplap on the walls to create contrast as with a fireplace mantle.

It isn’t necessary to paint the walls in your living space white. A good alternative would be grey or light blue as a contrast to the variety of woods and metals that you incorporate into the space. It is best to stick with neutrals for the farmhouse feel, though, in order to keep the appeal simple and uncomplicated.

When shopping for the living area, it’s a good idea to stick with thrift stores and antique or flea markets to get one-of-a-kind pieces that look aged, furniture that has a shabby chic appearance with the paint peeling off, unique textiles and linens that you can’t find anywhere anymore. These types of things will add charm and warmth to the living space but you also want to keep the space light and airy. Too cluttered is not a good thing in the farmhouse style.

 

Living The Farmhouse Lifestyle

The farmhouse look has been around for as long as anyone can remember. That doesn’t mean the look has to be reminiscent of grandma’s house or the days before her. There can be little reminders of those days for nostalgia sake because who doesn’t want to remember ‘the good old days’. But the farmhouse has gotten modernized and simplified to keep up with the times now and we can kind of make it anything we want in pretty much any type of space we want. If you live in a tiny apartment or a large newly constructed open-spaced home, you can incorporate this style into your design. It just takes adding the various different elements, textures, colors.

What Colors Go with Modern Farmhouse?

A modern farmhouse is beautiful. It’s a style that can add a lot of appeal and really show off that country feel. Finding the right colors to go along with the rustic wood can be one of the more enjoyable decisions a homeowner can make.

Modern Farmhouses bring us back to the days when life was a lot more simpler. A little bit more nature and little less technology. The mixture of wood tones matched with older pieces that exude character. With the right paint job, that modern farmhouse can turn into the tranquil living space you’ve always desired.

Shiplap

Magnolia Homes offers the color shiplap. It is a creamy white that has weathered the storm. White always opens up a home and makes it feel bigger and fresh. Whether the house is actually covered in shiplap or not, this white design idea from Joanna Gaines is the perfect place to start when figuring out a color to fit the modern farmhouse.

Raging Bull

Behr offers the color “Raging Bull”. In terms of sounding pretty awesome, Raging Bull looks pretty awesome, too. It is a warm, almost brick looking color that gives you the color you would expect to see when you pull up to a barn. The vibe that Raging Bull would give off would exude what a modern farmhouse would look like.

Many people have suggested that they use this color on accent pieces rather than on the walls. They feel as though the brick red would be a little too much on a wall as opposed to really letting it pop on an accent piece.

Repose Gray

Gray is becoming more and more popular these days because of the neutral tone it offers to the design colors used for other parts of the room. Almost every designer would most likely give the recommendation to use gray in any room, but especially as part of the modern farmhouse look. The warm tone that it gives off matches great with the wood used throughout the room. They are a perfect match together.

Misty China Rain Green

Glidden offers this really stylish Misty China Rain Green color. It is very soothing and is another great match for the modern farmhouse. People sometimes shy away from green because of how vivid it can be, but this particular green is about as smooth and light as they come. And, nothing says nature like the color green. This would be a paint choice that would make you a lot more satisfied than you might think.

Beigeing

Clare Paint offers a unique color of beige. Beige is another color very popular with people because it is not over the top and not too light. It gives the homeowner the opportunity to really go to work on the design of the room knowing that a neutral color is surrounding them.

In the end, it all comes down to your personal taste and style. Look at the wood that your modern farmhouse has to offer and build a color off of that. It is the wood that you want to eventually pop in the room, so allow yourself the opportunity to choose a color that can make that happen.

What Style of Furniture is Farmhouse?

Farmhouse furniture is often mistaken for country or rustic, but farmhouse furniture combines a couple styles to provide a cozy appeal with a unique look that is not found in any other style.

This gives those that appreciate the farmhouse style the chance to truly stand apart from their neighbors in the interior decorating department.

As the farmhouse appeal has gained popularity over the years, several different styles have managed to make their way onto the interior decorating scheme, giving farmhouse several different categories to fall into.

Thinner Wood

One of the primary differences between rustic furniture and farmhouse is that farmhouse furniture has thinner wood while rustic furniture is known for having thicker wood that appears chunky. This gives farmhouse furniture a slightly modern twist that many homeowners enjoy. Despite the twists that have been added to farmhouse decor over the years, the use of wood that is thinner than that used in a rustic style remains the same.

farmhouse kitchen
Farmhouse Kitchen

Classic vs Modern

Farmhouse furniture can come in many styles, including classic. This furniture style is known for elegant lines that instantly remind guests of romantic novels from long ago. It is the closest style of furniture to older farmhouses. Often, homeowners choose to use barn wood for accents instead of other natural materials, and opt for older, vintage furniture for an authentic farmhouse appeal.

Farmhouse does not have to mean vintage or appear rustic. As the years have gone by, interior decorators have combined what they love about modern decor with the country charm of classic farmhouse decorating for a unique style that has become known as modern farmhouse. Often, natural materials are still used for furniture, but they are covered in gloss for a magnificent shine. The lines are smoother, the accents are neutral, and this style is made to compliment modern appliances, such as stainless steel stoves and refrigerators.

Other Styles

Although classic and modern farmhouse styles remain the two most popular styles, there are plenty of other styles that have captured the hearts of people. Some common farmhouse styles also include:

  • Cottage farmhouse
  • Country farmhouse
  • Urban farmhouse
  • Contemporary farmhouse

Each particular style is characterized by its different themes and accents. Often, decorators maintain the traditional elements of farmhouse decor, such as neutral walls and natural elements, but add elements of other decorating styles. For example, urban farmhouse décor often consists of adding more plants and antiques, such as a metal baking rack.

Farmhouse is a Style

Farmhouse is its own style of decorating. It is the perfect combination of the comfortable furniture that country themed homes are known for. It remains a bit rustic due to the natural elements that are plush in farmhouse styled homes. Farmhouse style is as comfortable as family, as warm as a freshly baked pie, and as modern as homeowners would like for it to be.

Country Style

Although farmhouse styled homes have their own twists to place them in the farmhouse category, this style can also be categorized as country. The warm, inviting furniture that begs a guest to plop down is not found in abundance in any other style, except for country. Farmhouse style found its origins in the country decorating style, hence why country farmhouse decorating remains so popular.

How to Decorate Modern Farmhouse Style

Modern farmhouse style decor has stood the test of time in popularity among interior decorators. This single decorating style encompasses the warmth and homey feeling of farmhouse country decor while appearing chic and modern thanks to modern accents. Modern farmhouse decorating is an old apple pie recipe with a new twist that makes it amazing. Homeowners can easily make a few changes to their current decor to adopt the cozy fashion of the modern farmhouse style.

Add Some Varnish

Farmhouse decor focuses on natural furniture, but homeowners can give it a modern twist with some varnish. This easy DIY decorating tip can be accomplished over one weekend and will instantly add modern appeal. Simply use the farmhouse furniture that is already in the house and give it a brilliant shine to enjoy a slightly modern touch.

Bold Hues Are Acceptable

Traditional farmhouse decor focused on neutral colors, such as a nice off-white tone. That same creme color remains popular in modern farmhouse decorating schemes, but homeowners can add bold and bright colors to increase the modern appeal. These tips are exceptional ways to add pops of color to an otherwise neutral room:

  • Pick up some accent pillows in bolder colors, such as turquoise, and tuck them into the corners of an overstuffed couch.
  • Picture frames. Pictures are more than just a display of the latest family portrait. Picture frames make wonderful accent pieces. Add pops from a modern color pallet with a few picture frames on the mantle or end tables.
  • Artwork is an instant way to add character to any room. Pick up a painting to increase the farmhouse vibe or to make a room look more fashionable and modern.

When adding accents in bold colors, it is important to remember that modern farmhouse style requires balance. Too much modern decor will take away from the comfortable feeling that the farmhouse style has become known for.

Old and New

Farmhouse decorating often revolves around older things, such as antiques and repurposing things. Modern decor remains a bit simplistic with clean cut lines and gleaming countertops. Combine both elements to pull off the modern farmhouse look.

For example, a homeowner can have beautiful gleaming countertops with a traditional farmhouse sink. Placing antiques on top of modern tables is another way to bring the charm of both styles together. Combine both older, repurposed things with newer fashions for the ideal look.

Sophistication

Modern farmhouse decor should be sophisticated, not cliche. Often, homeowners get excited about this decorating style. That is understandable. After years of being told that everything must be one style or another, it is a breath of fresh air to finally be able to add elements from various styles with a splash of personality to a home.

However, it is important to put thought into this to ensure that the house does not look like a cliche that homeowners will grow tired of within months. Avoid props, stay away from trends like barn doors, and put careful thought into items before purchasing them. Modern farmhouse decor is cozy sophistication.

Conclusion

As long as you have created a space that feels like a place where friends and family can come and they don’t want to leave; where they can sit, touch your things, prop their feet, eat a meal; you’ve achieved your goal. The only other important thing is that it has a perfect balance between being current, cozy, and feeling like home for you. When we get it right, there is no place like home.

And with that, we officially end this blog post. But before you go, can you do us a solid and spread the love (or laughter) by sharing this on your social media? Who knows, maybe we might even find someone who can relate to our content and benefit from it... Wink