Both nostalgic and rugged, farmhouse decor is popular largely due to being approachable and comfy. Farmhouse style has several branches including French country farmhouse, industrial farmhouse and modern farmhouse decor. However, all these interior design styles share some of the same basic elements.
Here is a simple guide to the basic elements of farmhouse decor:
Neutral color palettes are essential to farmhouse style decor. Gray, white, beige, sandy brown and other light tones dominate most spaces along with light and dark wood. Other colors included muted yellow, sage green and pale blue. Bolder colors like red, turquoise and violet are more common in modern farmhouse style spaces. Accenting with black also adds a contemporary twist.
Textures are key in farmhouse decor, especially because of the prevalence of neutral colors. A variety of interesting textures keeps a neutral color palette from being bland or boring, and it also helps create a sense of casual comfort.
Textured fabrics like linen and chunky knit are popular, as are other rustic textures like canvas, burlap and wrought iron.
Both unfinished and painted wood are common in farmhouse interiors. Designers often choose a single, larger natural wood piece to serve as a focal point, such as a dining table or kitchen island. Wood furniture that’s been painted to fit in to the rest of the decor is also common in neutral colors like beige, taupe and gray.
Farmhouse design uses exposed architectural features like wooden beams, pillars and exposed brick to create a sense of rugged comfort. If these elements are not already present in your home, you can simulate them in a variety of ways. One great way to add to the farmhouse aesthetic is by using a sliding barn door to break up an open space.
Farmhouse decor doesn’t have to be all about exposed beams or the classic farmhouse kitchen, unless that’s what you’re searching for. In fact, farmhouse decor can fit in with any modern amenities or other components of your living space. These tips can help you achieve the farmhouse feel without giving up the pieces of your home that you enjoy.
I'm John Mahan, Sales Associate with William Raveis Real Estate, Harwich Port Office.
Throughout his childhood, John Mahan spent summers on Cape Cod at his parents’ home in Dennis Port. His intro to the Cape was, as he puts it, when his parents “carried me down the stairs at Sea Street Beach when I was a week old.” With a lifelong connection to Cape Cod, it seemed only natural for John and his wife, Mary, to move to Harwich – where they still reside – with their two young children in 1996.
Prior to moving to Cape Cod, John lived in the Worcester-Auburn area where he worked for Mass Electric for 10 years and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Utility Workers. When John and his family moved to the Cape, he worked at NSTAR for six years.
John began his career in real estate in 2002 when he joined Team Waystack Realty in Harwich Port. He has been a consistent top producing realtor in the Harwich area for the past 20 years. John’s approachable demeanor, combined with an integral understanding of the Cape Cod residential real estate market, have allowed him to build trusting, long-term relationships with his clients – both sellers and buyers.
