If your dream home strikes the perfect balance between cosy and functional, farmhouse decor might just be the thing for you.
Once reserved for the rural cottages nestled amongst rolling hillside, farmhouse décor is now one of the most coveted interior styles in both period properties and new-builds alike – and fans of the style won’t be surprised to hear that there’s a specific reason for its ongoing popularity.
Combining elements from rustic countryside barns with cosy textures and sturdy furniture, the farmhouse décor of today has evolved to become one of the few interior styles that manages to remain timeless and traditional, yet contemporary at the same time.
If this isn’t enough to convince you, we’ve pulled together some our favourite farmhouse décor ideas to give you some inspiration on how to decorate with the snug yet stylish scheme. From modern farmhouse kitchen decor to farmhouse bedroom ideas, keep reading to discover our farmhouse style guide, plus our pick of the best farmhouse decor ideas!
Farmhouse decor
What is farmhouse style decor?
Farmhouse décor is a type of interior style that’s characterised by its cosy, rustic charm. It takes inspiration from the slow pace of rural life and farming architecture, but while the style is functional and practical, it also prioritises home comforts.
Is farmhouse out of style?
Of all the décor styles out there, farmhouse is one of the ones that has kept an unwavering appeal over the years – but this doesn’t mean it hasn’t evolved. While in the past decade, farmhouse décor has been known for its use of chunky, rustic wooden finishes, shabby chic touches and industrial lighting, the farmhouse décor set to dominate the next few years is slightly sleeker, with fresh, light and airy colours taking over from the distressed look– think Studio McGee style.
What makes modern farmhouse decor?
Put simply, modern farmhouse décor is farmhouse with cleaner lines. Instead of looking rustic and homely, modern farmhouse schemes tend to combine glossy, luxury look textures with neutrals and contemporary finishes like steel. When compared to traditional farmhouse décor, modern farmhouse is more sophisticated and open, but it still brings with it the comfort factor that older farm style is famous for.
Farmhouse kitchen decor
If, for you, the kitchen is the heart of the home, there’s no style more fitting than farmhouse. If you’re lucky enough to have exposed wooden beams in your kitchen, make them stand out by painting ceilings and walls in a light reflecting chalk paint – country creams and off whites work particularly well.
If your kitchen isn’t bursting with beams and original features, don’t fret. You can add a warm farmhouse feel to even the most clinical space by swapping out your existing doors for those of traditional wooden barn style, or installing panelling on the walls. Vertical panel cladding will give you the most authentic, farmhouse-esque look, but really, any style of panelling will add instant depth and a cosy, country kitchen vibe.
When it comes to worktops, keep your kitchen feeling fresh and modern by opting for quartz countertops in light tones. If a quartz countertop is out of budget, you can achieve an identical look by vinyl wrapping your worktop surface with a marble effect material. To add character and charm, dress them with plenty of rustic accessories made from natural materials – think antique utensil jars filled with wooden spoons, copper teapots, chunky wooden chopping boards and terracotta plant pots styled with foraged country foliage.
If you’re low on worktop space and prefer to keep your surfaces clear, you can always install floating shelves made from raw, sturdy cuts of wood and style your rustic accessories on these. To finish the look, add stacks of firewood, country inspired pendant lighting and subtle gingham tea towels.
Of course, no farmhouse kitchen is complete without a sturdy wooden dining table or rustic china cabinet stacked with your favourite crockery. You can find plenty of these second hand and give them a new lease of life by upcycling them with your own homemade chalk paint - in fact, opting for pre-loved pieces instead of new ones will work towards giving your space that classic farmhouse personality. Again, if you’re working with a compact space that won’t fit freestanding furniture, you can easily achieve the same cosy charm by installing wooden peg rails and using them to display mugs and utensils.
Farmhouse living room decor
A farmhouse living room scheme is all about comfort. Although it might have some decorative elements, the key to creating an authentic farm feel is to prioritise furniture and furnishings that will make you feel snug, cocooned and protected from the elements.
Therefore, it’s best to start by choosing a low profile, squishy fabric sofa before layering on woollen blankets and understated but comfy neutral throw cushions. If you’re after a more modern touch, you could throw in a contemporary leather feature chair, as pictured above, but if traditional is more your style, you might prefer to opt for furniture from a matching set.
As traditional farmhouses would have typically had stone walls and floors, the décor style as we know it today will often see the use of large area rugs, particularly those with an antique effect, or those made out of woven jute. Adding a large rug to your space won’t just add cosy texture underfoot, it’ll help zone your living space, and this is especially useful if you’re trying to make an open plan living space feel more homely.
No farmhouse is complete without a roaring fire, and if you’re lucky enough to already have one in your own home, why not make it a focal point by updating it with terracotta or stone tiles? If you’re based in a more modern house, installing a freestanding log burner can achieve the same cosy feel – make sure to accessorise it with a rattan basket filled with firewood.
If your budget stretches, adding shutters to your windows is a great way to enhance the country farmhouse look, and depending on your taste, you can choose to have ones that are painted completely white, left exposed, or somewhere in between with a distressed, French country look. Want to create the look for less? If installing made-to-measure shutters proves too expensive, a great trick is to find affordable antique shutters at a flea market and use them to create a décor feature. You can fix them to your wall to create a faux window, position them either side of a rustic window mirror, or even turn one horizontally before adding coat hooks to create a decorative shelf.
Farmhouse bedroom decor
If there's one word to describe your typical farmhouse bedroom it's cosy, and one of the simplest ways you can ramp up the cosiness in any bedroom is by starting with layering. Although many farmhouse schemes will include a chunky wooden bed, the most authentic option is a vintage metal bed frame, so overlaying washed linen bedding with a tactile quilt and some throw cushions will work wonders at counteracting the cold look of the distressed metal. Patchwork, ditsy florals, and even tartan bedspreads are great if you want to achieve a traditional look, but if modern farmhouse is more your vibe, stick to a palette of solid neutral colours and layer, layer, layer.
The walls of your bedroom are another important factor to consider when creating your farmhouse scheme, and if you’re not living in a cottage with exposed stone or brick walls, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t be able to achieve the rustic look that farmhouse is famous for.
Again, installing wooden panelling is a great, cost effective way to add country charm to a space, but if that’s not your style, you can add a lived-in texture to your walls with a simple colour-washing technique – there’s a handy tutorial on how to colourwash a wall here if you need to get up to speed.
When it comes to furniture, wooden pieces are your best option. Untreated, raw wood will add traditional warmth, while pieces painted with white or light paint will add a contemporary Scandi-style edge to your farmhouse scheme. Accessories wise, you really can’t go wrong with anything that looks natural or handmade – think seagrass baskets and sprigs of lavender or eucalyptus styled in a hand thrown statement vase.
If you want to take it one step further and add a truly personal touch, you can even create your own dried flower bouquet and style it on your bedside table - here's how to dry flowers and three great ways to style them.
Explore some of our other style guides to find the perfect decor look for you.
