How To Infuse Your Home With Farmhouse Style

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I'm going to be truthful here. I have been blogging for almost 8 years and I still am not sure what my style is! It has evolved tremendously since I bought our house and even before then. I loved Tuscan decor back in the day, then it went to white. Everything white. Then I started loving coastal. With the coastal, I started wanting to add more and more old character. Before shiplap was a main stream word, I started adding planks throughout my house to get this feel. I gradually started adding more and more rustic elements, woods and metals. 

 (Chairs: Ikea    Bench: Ross    Plaid Pillow Covers: Amazon    Tiered Tray, fan, clock: Gordmans    Round tray, white pillow, runner: Home Goods     Striped throw: Amazon    Galvanized buckets: Hobby Lobby     Wood Sunburst Mirror: Tutorial      Cedar Plank Shiplap wall: Tutorial)

So, how did I take my house from a traditional-tuscan-coastal-who-knows house to become a little more like a farmhouse? It's all in the details :) First, I got a chicken coop, 8 chickens and 2 ducks...:) Just kidding, well, I did, but really that's not what you need. For the decor, I have kept most of my same larger pieces and have decorated around them. Some things have cost more than others. Some things I bought not knowing I liked the farmhouse style, and yet they fit it perfectly. My style has obviously evolved over the years and my taste in things still changes, so this didn't happen over night but it probably could! So although my house isn't a complete 'farmhouse', it's a happy medium for me without changing out everything I own.

When decorating my house, these are the elements I'm drawn to that help add to the whole cozy farmhouse feel:

Metals: I stood clear of most metals back in the day. In fact my house was full of glass instead. But I have slowly started to incorporate metals into my decor. This can be done through trim on furniture pieces, baskets, galvanized buckets and accents. Different types of metals can be used from wrought iron to galvanized steel.

 

(Rug: Amazon     Clocks: Gordmans      Chair, lamp: Target     Wood table and card catalog: Hobby Lobby      Slip cover ottoman: Tutorial)

(Flowers: Michaels      Tray: Home Goods      Lantern: Gordmans      Dice: Tutorial)

Signs and Words: My husband laughs at me when I put signs in obvious places. But for whatever reason, it brings that farmhouse charm in when you put "kitchen" in the kitchen or "toilet" in the bathroom. You can also add words/signs in forms of pillows or stencils on crates like "No. 7". Or have your coffee mug say "coffee".

(Frames: Ikea      Sign: Gordmans      Barn doors: Tutorial)

Rustic Elements: Rustic elements can be anything from wall treatments to small things like old locks and keys you put in a bowl. I'm kind of paranoid about what 'rustic' elements are brought into my house. I know some people can bring in the oldest of things and not think twice about what's living in them, but I can't. So most of my rustic pieces are actually new things that just appear a little worn or old.

 

(Headboard: Tutorial      Bedding: Crane and Canopy      Nightstand: Tutorial      Lamps: Target      Plaid pillows: Target      Clock: Gordmans      Wrought Iron Decor: Hobby Lobby      Button pillow: Ikea)

Wood: The thing that made the most difference in my home was when I started to bring in wood pieces. The wood just jumps off the white in my house. But, it doesn't always have to be dark wood. It can be light wood and even painted wood too. It's the character of the wood that helps get the feel in most cases.  And I don't care if my woods match. I have dark woods and blonde woods in the same areas all the time.

(White Sweater Pillows: Ikea      Quatrefoil mirror: Target     Throw, lamps: Target    Plaid Pillow: Target) 

Texture: This goes along with the wood. Bringing in texture in forms of other things too like throws, pillows, books, plants, natural fiber rugs, and even wall treatments like shiplap and board and batten. I like to use lots of natural elements as well like sea grass, driftwood, firewood, antlers, and tree branches/twigs from outside.

Vintage: Vintage items like old fans or clocks bring a world of charm into your space and help give that farmhouse feel. My favorite place to find new 'vintage' clocks is on Amazon and Gordmans. You can also find some other great table decor like old lanterns, scales, and signs.

(Fan, clock, 3-tier tray: Gordmans     Coffee mugs: Home Goods)

Baskets/Crates: Look in almost any farmhouse picture and you'll be sure to find baskets, crates or buckets. These are great for layering decor, storage, and adding that farmhouse feel.

(Sofa Bed: Ikea      Striped Pillows: Crate and Barrel    Basket and wood box: Gordmans     Olive bucket: Amazon      Candle sticks: Hobby Lobby     Console: Target)

Simple Patterns: Most modern farmhouses don't have a ton of patterns going on in them. If they do, they are kept relatively simple like buffalo check and plaids but usually not coupled with a ton of other patterns. Some other possible patterns are vintage type floral or botanical prints.

(Tobacco Basket: Gordmans (similar Amazon)     Buffalo Check Pillow: Target      Bench, rug: Home Goods      Throw: Groop Dealz)

Muted Colors: Another modern farmhouse element is muted colors. Lots of pictures you see on Instagram or blogs right now are whites, neutrals and wood tones. Along with that are more muted tones of blues, greens, and yellows. I have kept my house mainly neutral and white with the wood tones since I just love seeing how the wood jumps off the white.

(Vintage Hamper: Amazon     Chevron Pillow, tray, black lantern: Gordmans      Clock: Home Goods     Shiplap wall: tutorial      Faux Fireplace: Tutorial)

Layers: Bring in the layers with lots of pillows and blankets. This helps to give a great cozy farmhouse feel. It doesn't have to just be on the couch or bed though. Layer pillows and blankets into totes or buckets. Also, layering in the form of adding decor to tabletops and walls. For instance, I could have just placed this plant on my table, but instead I placed it in this cute bucket, on top of some books, in a basket. Or place a vase in a tray with other elements on top of a table runner.

Wall Character: This can be in lots of forms from subway tile to shiplap and planking to board and batten. A lot of people like to keep their walls very neutral or white so that they items they put on them pop that much more which makes the shelves or decor give the character other than wall treatments. .

Greenery: There's usually some pops of greenery, faux or fresh, throughout my house. My favorite place to get my faux plants is from Ikea. I then plop them in a galvanize bucket or old vase, usually layered or mixed with other elements on a table or tray.

Barn doors: Barn doors are a huge thing right now, but if you don't have a door way to put them in that works, you can incorporate the idea into smaller scale versions like on a media cabinet. 

 (Barn door: Tutorial      Chalkboard: Tutorial      Bench: Target)

Specific items I have bought to infuse my house with farmhouse style:
Metal olive buckets

Tobacco baskets

Tin signs


Cotton stems

Green wreaths: Magnolia or Boxwood

Grain sack look pillows/throws

Jute rugs

White slipcovered furniture

Vintage Laundry Basket

Galvanized decor

Striped rug

Barn door (tutorial) and hardware:




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