Hey hey good lookin’! I am soooo excited for today’s post because I’m sharing 10 ways to get farmhouse style in your home. I actually had a question recently over on my Instagram feed that sparked the idea for this post. Someone commented on one of my photos and asked what I would suggest for anyone wanting to transition to a farmhouse look. That got my mind racing with lots of different ideas, so I put some notes together and came up with a little crash course on how to get the look in your own home!
In my view, farmhouse style doesn’t mean you actually live on a farm. However, it does mean you are decorating and styling your home with a simple and practical mindset that often comes with living the country life. Instead of bright and flashy decor, you’re looking for soothing color combinations, natural elements, and texture. Keep in mind, these are my personal opinions and definitely not rules. Farmhouse style is open to interpretation, these are simply the common trends I’ve found in my own little farmhouse.
1. Neutral Colors on the Walls
The first step in achieving a farmhouse look is definitely neutral paint colors. Avoid dark or bright colors and also try to keep from painting each room a different color. Choose a soft beige, cream, or even gray–it doesn’t have to be white. Having a light color on the walls sets the tone for the farmhouse look. And keep the walls all within the same color scheme is calming and helps blend everything together. I shared lots of great neutral paint colors ideas and a full guide here.
2. Incorporate Dimension
If you want a big change, find a way to add beadboard, shiplap, or wainscoting into your home. One thing you’ll notice about a lot of farmhouse style homes it that the walls are full of dimension and texture. In fact, many true farmhouses were full of real, rustic shiplap. Try starting small and consider adding beadboard to the walls in your bathroom, shiplap (or planked walls) in your living room, or maybe wainscoting in your dining room. You all know I love a good planked wall, like this one I recently completed in our breakfast nook.
3. Mix Old and New Elements
I’m a big fan of mixing old, vintage items with the new and fresh. For example, instead of using a standard vase for your flowers or greenery, try using something unexpected and vintage–like this old flour sifter. Incorporating the old and using it in a practical sense is a big factor in farmhouse style.
4. Avoid Bright Colors
Along with light colored walls, try to avoid using lots of bright or crazy colors in your decor if you’re looking to achieve a farmhouse look. Now I know this might ruffle a few feathers, but I really believe neutral colors will help create more of a calming and cozy feel in your home. Most of my decor is full of neutrals–and I generally avoid using things like red, orange, purple, etc. However, this doesn’t have to be definite rule. Of course you can always mix in pops of color as you wish! I’d just suggest using those colors sparingly.
5. Use with Wire Baskets
I recently did an entire post dedicated to decorating with wire baskets. I think wire baskets are a simple and easy way to get a rustic, farmhouse feel in your home. And there are so many possibilities! Try adding a few to the wall, or even using a large one to store a few pillows in your living room. Check out that post for more ideas and suggestions on great wire baskets like these on Amazon.
6. Incorporate Wood
Try adding wood in various forms into your decor for a more rustic, farmhouse look. I personally love antique washboards and spindles. Or you could even use old barnwood to make a farmhouse style sign, like the bakery sign I recently made using salvaged wood from my childhood home.
This DIY bakery sign was so easy and it adds so much charm to this space. You can see the full tutorial here.
7. Farmhouse Light Fixtures
One of the fastest and easiest ways to change the feel of any space is with a light fixture. It’s a guaranteed way to change the vibe in any room without a lot of expense or time. Really, I can’t stress this one enough–light fixtures are HUGE, folks. We recently changed out the light for this new one in our dining room and it made a gigantic difference in the overall style of this room. I have an entire post about farmhouse style light fixtures, which you can find here.
8. Paint Old Furniture
If you have any old furniture that is looking worn out, try freshening it up with paint. If you’re brand new to painting furniture, you will not believe the transformation. Now keep in mind, this doesn’t always work for everything, and some furniture is better left in its natural color. However, I’ve found that keeping your furniture within the same color scheme really pulls the entire room together–kind of like having your wall colors match. I painted this old dining table and the transformation was pretty darn awesome. You can see how I did it here.
9. Add in Distressed Furniture
You all know I love a good piece of distressed furniture. And one of my very favorite elements of farmhouse style is the use of old doors and windows. We have a few, but this old door is probably my favorite–it’s like we brought a piece of an actual farmhouse into our own home. From the old, antique door knob to the chippy white paint, I just love her.
10. Leave the Mall
Lastly, I would say one of the best tips on getting farmhouse style is to simply avoid shopping at the mall. I know, this one is a bit controversial. But hear me out. Instead of shopping at your typical box stores, I’d suggest checking out your local antique shops and thrift stores for unique items that will fill your home with personality and charm. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Target just as much as anyone, but I find my best home decor at unique places, even auctions and farm sales. So avoid decorating your entire home with mass-produced items, and instead use those stores to help fill in the gaps. If farmhouse style is your goal, collect old, vintage pieces with stories, history, and meaning. I promise, you will love the feeling of warmth it adds to your home.
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope this helped give you a few ideas on how to get farmhouse style in your own home. Let me know if you have any questions, I’m always happy to chat!
Be sure to check out these post for more inspiration and ideas:
How I Transitioned to Farmhouse Style
Farmhouse Style Shopping Guide
The LVN Farmhouse Style Shop
