Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re likely familiar with the farmhouse design trend. While the style may have roots in the country, it’s found today in rural retreats and urban settings alike. There are many reasons the style appeals to so many people today. It focuses on a simple and welcoming lifestyle. The look is intentionally soothing and natural. It’s also extremely versatile, and works well with many of today’s relaxed, contemporary designs, while adding some nostalgic comfort from vintage-inspired pieces as well.

Whether you are designing a new build, completely remodeling your home, or simply want to infuse a few fresh updates to your current design, the farmhouse style has a lot to offer. Our latest Design Trend Board features a farmhouse living room design to serve as inspiration. Read on to learn more and get tips on how to bring the farmhouse look into your own home.

View the Farmhouse Trend Board.

What is farmhouse style?

The Modern Farmhouse style is meant to evoke a feeling of home and comfort. It’s simple and clean but should also be warm and inviting. How do you accomplish all this in a single space? Well, there’s a lot more to farmhouse style than shiplap walls and re-purposed mason jars. Here are just some of the common elements you may see in farmhouse style homes.

• A neutral color palette, often featuring white walls and white-washed furniture
• Wrought iron details and pops of black accents and décor
• Wide plank floors, often in distressed wood styles
• Reclaimed wood or distressed-style wood furniture
• Exposed wood ceiling beams
• Vintage-inspired furniture and décor pieces
• Open shelving, especially in kitchens
• Barn doors for main doors, closets and/or furniture such as consoles

The Color Palette

While white (walls! furniture! décor!) is often synonymous with farmhouse style, there are a range of earthy, neutral tones that can fit the aesthetic. For accent colors, you should also look to the great outdoors for inspiration. Shades of blue and green fit in with the style, bringing in some vibrancy and brightness. Pops of black accents can give a farmhouse room a finishing touch, such as wrought iron accent pieces and artwork. Our farmhouse trend board is inspired by the following color palette:

• Porpoise SW7047
• Agreeable Gray SW7029
• Accessible Beige SW7036

Take a (Farmhouse) Seat

Since one of the main pillars of farmhouse style is a focus on comfort, it makes sense that a cozy sectional is the center of our living room design. This neutral sofa just invites you to relax and unwind after a long day. Subtle, stylish details elevate your farmhouse design, while the spacious piece provides plenty of plush seating for the whole family.

We’ve paired the light-colored sectional with a darker, earthy chair featuring a beautiful transitional style with distinctive cutaway arms. The chair is covered in a soft flat woven charcoal fabric that is family friendly and easy to maintain.

Finishing Touches and Greenery

Once you’ve pinned down the seating for your farmhouse style space, it’s time to have some fun by adding accent pieces and artwork. Area rugs are an oft-overlooked item that can have a huge impact on your room. By pairing a neutral color palette with a softened geometric pattern, this area rug feels a little trendy, yet suits the earthy style of this farmhouse design.

A painted image of a barn owl pays homage to the country-inspiration of this design, but you could bring in a variety of animal-centric artwork to create a similar effect. Look to paintings of horses, cows, or stick with country-landscapes if it’s more to your liking. A white-washed sideboard and light-colored lamps and a throw blanket fit in with traditional farmhouse style, and a vintage-inspired wall clock adds some character and charm to the space. Don’t forget some greenery, which helps freshen up and finish off any designer-approved look.

Looking to create your own farmhouse style?

Do you want to bring farmhouse style to your living area, bedroom or another space in your home that’s in need of a fresh update? Start with a neutral color palette for your main pieces of furniture and add pops of blacks and distressed woods. You can personalize your space by bringing in wall art you love, or even vintage or heirloom pieces of décor. Then, finish it off by adding some potted plants and/or fresh stems in a farmhouse style vase.

Read more about farmhouse style:

Love Farmhouse Style blog.

Farmhouse Fresh blog.

Farmhouse Parade of Homes blog.