At Country Living, we're quite familiar with every possible variation on farmhouse decorating, whether it’s a cool and eclectic farmhouse, a colorful and collected farmhouse, or a neutral new-build farmhouse. (We even wrote a book on the subject of farmhouse style—it’s a good one, by the way!) The beautiful thing about a farmhouse—and country style in general—is that it’s refreshingly unfussy. Farmhouse style, at its core, is about practicality.
In recent years, you’ve likely noticed the farmhouse look has gained traction outside country circles, with the phrase “modern farmhouse” becoming as ubiquitous as the beloved mason jar. This ubiquity has some critics claiming the modern farmhouse style is overdone, or too one-note, but the aesthetic can actually be quite versatile, as demonstrated in the rooms below. The secret to making it yours is, well, making it yours with a one-of-a-kind finds and unique vintage collections.
“The thing about a ‘modern farmhouse’ is that it’s more a state of mind than a design style,” says designer and book author Max Humphrey. “It can be anything you want it to be, but one way to make the look stand out from the pack is to use furniture from different styles and eras, like a set of midcentury dining chairs around a farmhouse table or slightly more tailored living room upholstery rather than slouchy slipcovers.”
In addition to mixing pieces from eras, you may also want to consider rethinking the all-white aesthetic. “Contrary to popular belief, a modern farmhouse needn’t be all white with accents of black,” says Country Living Senior Homes & Style Editor Anna Logan. “In fact, a bold pop of color in a classically country silhouette—think bright red Windsor chairs or candy-colored enamel barn lighting—is a great way to add an unexpected modern edge.”
Here, a few ideas to get your started. Just remember: If you err on the side of things you truly love, the modern farmhouse aesthetic can be more timeless than trendy. You can bet the farm on it.
For more farmhouse decorating ideas, check out these related stories:
- So What is Modern Farmhouse Style, Exactly?
- These are Our Favorite Cozy Farmhouse Bedroom Ideas
- Try These Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas To Give Your Kitchen an Inviting, Timeless Look
- 20+ Farmhouse Living Rooms That Are Rustic, Cozy, Modern, and More
1
Paint Your Ceiling Black
Country Living contributor Holly Audrey Williams played up the architecture of her Tennessee farmhouse kitchen by painting the ceiling a high-contrast hue, which brings a little unexpected edge to the space while helping ground the airy room.
Get the Look:
Ceiling Paint Color: Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Wiliams
RELATED: See More How Singer-Songwriter Holly Williams Transformed Her Tennessee Farmhouse
2
Hang Mirrors from Pulleys
With a whopping seven windows, the primary bathroom presented a design challenge for homeowners Hank and Bonnie Miller, who worked with designer Laurie Furber on their 1870s California retreat. Laurie’s solution: she suspended mirrors from the ceiling using pulleys she purchased from a hardware store, painted black, and hung from thick sisal rope.
RELATED: 80+ Bathroom Decorating Ideas to Give Your Remodel Some Soul
3
Add Warmth with Beams
In the predominantly white living room of Mandy Reeves’ Tennessee farmhouse (designed by Julie Couch Interiors), rustic beams bring old soul to the overall mix. A tobacco basket over the mantel lends timeworn character and texture, while a more modern iron chandelier lends a contemporary touch.
RELATED: See More of This Rustic Tennessee Farmhouse That Does White Right
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4
Mix Eras of Furniture
Nothing sets a nostalgic, time-worn tone like vintage finds. In the open and airy living room of designer Christine Bridger’s Michigan home, midcentury Gold Medal suede chairs, a lucky discovery in a salvage shop, pair well with a new Poly & Bark sofa.
5
Embrace Industrial Finishes
The screened-in porch of Paige Thornton’s Alabama farmhouse boasts a practical galvanized roof, durable concrete floors, and a no-nonsense cinderblock fireplace covered in a sand wash. Two massive concrete boxes store firewood year-round.
RELATED: Dreamy Screened-In Porch Ideas to Inspire You Any Time of Year
6
Hang a Bed From the Ceiling
Yes, really! In the guest bedroom of musician Ronnie Dunn’s barn retreat, a novel rope bed designed by Rachel Halvorson anchors the space in a fun, unexpected way. Accented with a blue-and-white Swiss cross blanket, a seagrass rug, and a hanging tobacco basket, the room feels both pastoral and polished. Ample ivory curtains complete the look by framing the outdoor scenery.
RELATED: Take a Peek Inside the Stunning Tennessee Barn Home of Country Superstar Ronnie Dunn
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7
Try an Unexpected Wallcovering
Singer-songwriter Holly Audrey Williams added a metallic floral wallpaper to the kitchen of this 1820s farmhouse. In a black-and-white scheme, the traditional floral motif exudes more edge than traditional chintz.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint Color: Blue Daisy by Benjamin Moore
RELATED: 20+ Beautiful Ways to Decorate Your Kitchen With Wallpaper
8
Add Texture with Tile
For an updated take on the classic checkerboard motif, black-and-white mosaic tiles by tilemaker Clé —part of a collaboration with Anthony D’Argenzio of Zio and Sons—deliver visual texture and old-world soul in the Hudson Valley kitchen of Kurt and Lorenzo Rausch. Brass hardware and library lighting bring touches of modern refinement that balance out the wood ceiling and more primitive island.
9
Consider Reclaimed Wood Cabinetry
In the Lake Tahoe, Nevada, home of neutrals loving fashion designer Jenni Kayne, clean-lined custom cabinetry covered in reclaimed lumber serves up the perfect balance of “modern” and “farmhouse.”
RELATED: See More of Jenni Kayne’s Rustic and Relaxed Mountain Home
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10
Swap Plain Doors for Barn Doors
Besides being a brilliant solution in small spaces (the doors slide, as opposed to needing to swing in or out), barn doors infuse an otherwise plain space with heaps of country character. And you don’t have to go with the classic X-brace route, because any door can get the “barn door” treatment when outfitted with the right slide-not-swing hardware. (Need proof? Just check out this bathroom of DIY-er Jenni Yolo.)
11
Get Clever with Cattle Wire
When Josh and Katie McCullock relocated from their larger home in the city to the Oklahoma countryside, they installed stairwell “railing” made from wire cattle panels (!) from the farm store. (Josh had originally planned to use rope, but with young children in the home, he thought it might be too dangerous.) For another money-saving measure, the McCullocks chose man-made rock, cast from stones from the Sierra Mountains, for the hearth.
RELATED: See More of How This Oklahoma Couple Ditched Their Big City Home to Build a ‘Not-So-Big House’
12
Think Outside the White Shiplap
To infuse his Portland, Oregon, home with more warmth, designer Max Humphrey utilized knotty pine planks. “I didn’t want a stitch of drywall anywhere, so I started adding tongue-and-groove pine paneling on the entry walls and went bananas from there,” he says. The 8-foot planks from Home Depot were so thin, he didn’t even
have to remove door casings. A large modern-lined linen sectional offers grand views of an assortment of old and new artwork.
RELATED: Go Antiquing Like a Pro With These Tips From Designer Max Humphrey
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13
Create a Statement Shower
Inspired by homeowner Christine Bridgers’ collection of vintage blankets, ceramics artist Erica Shirey created a bold pattern on the tile walls in a guest bathroom. “She hand-painted each 8-by-8 tile,” says Christine. “It’s like a work of art.” The installation is perfectly framed by the bold, black gridded shower wall.
14
Paint a Striped Stair Runner
In true farmhouse fashion, this home’s understated stairwell is tucked behind a doorway. To add interest—and to skip the cost of a runner—homeowner Christina Salway painted the steps white and then added brown (French Press by Benjamin Moore) and slate (Stonybrook by Benjamin Moore) stripes down the middle.
RELATED: See More of This Farmhouse That Went from Dilapidated Wreck to One-of-a-Kind Country Gem
15
Display Faux Taxidermy
In a nod to the many deer that populate her Texas property —as well as an annual skeet shoot held on site—homeowner Courtney Robertson (alongside designer Ashley Goforth) added a clay deer trophy above the striped upholstered bed. Fish-patterned pillows are another nod to the great outdoors.
RELATED: This Texas Farmhouse Can Sleep 27 People and We Want to Move In Immediately
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16
Hang a Basket Collection
Collected by designer and Elsie Green owner Laurie Furber on frequent trips to Europe, an assortment of baskets adds textural and tonal interest to the living room wall of this California retreat. A duo of handsome sofas—one leather, one velvet—anchors the living room. “A matching set would have had a decorated-in-a-day look,” says Laurie. “The different shapes and fabrics let the pairing feel much more organic.”
17
Repurpose Doors as a Headboard
When two bedroom windows proved too close together for a king headboard to comfortably fit between them, designer Laurie Furber resourcefully resolved the issue by mounting two antique doors behind the bed frame instead.
RELATED: DIY Headboard Ideas to Make Your Bedroom Extra Dreamy
18
Install Barn Light Flush-Mounts
In Coley Arnold’s colorful Arizona home, a set of old nautical light fixtures evoke the feeling of barn lights above a mismatched trio of boys’ beds. Coley spray-painted the moose, a HomeGoods find, with spray paint to give it one-of-a-kind quirk.
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19
Paint Your Hardwoods White
While the homeowners of this New Jersey dairy barn were able to salvage the structure’s original knotty beams, the walls and floors in the soaring 25-foot-high space needed to be replaced. Simple poplar planks painted white got the job done affordably.
Get the Look:
Wall and Floor Paint Color: Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams
RELATED: From Gritty to Pretty! You Won’t Believe the Befores of This New Jersey Dairy Barn
20
Get High-Contrast with Collections
Rachel Barrett
Rachel Barrett is the Editor-in-Chief of Country Living. She can't pass up a vintage seascape, drives an '89 Woody Wagoneer (that is, when it'll start), and hopes to buy you a lemonade at a future Country Living Fair.
