Farmhouse decor may be the most popular home decor trend of the 2010s and 2020s. It’s so gentle, well-appointed and un-fussy that even big city dwellers appreciate it for its clean and cozy vibe. As a style theme, farmhouse can make any environment feel warm, relaxed, and thoughtfully crafted because – at its origin – the farmhouse is the heart of a simple, family-oriented, homegrown lifestyle.
Colors that Go with Farmhouse Decor
You’ll see a lot of examples of farmhouse spaces – kitchens especially – that have totally white backgrounds with white walls, white cabinets, and sometimes white flooring, too. This is partially due to white being used as an all-purpose background for new construction and in rental homes and apartments. Although, that’s not the only reason.
We identify whitewashed wood with clean, old world, living spaces. The look comes from actual whitewash, a type of paint made from chalked lime that’s been around since as early as 16th century Europe. The look evokes a sense of cleanliness because of the chemical reaction that occurs when whitewash paint dries. As it mixes with carbon dioxide in the air, it becomes calcium carbonate and develops a slightly antibacterial quality.
Fortunately, living in the new ‘20s means we have many other means of cleanliness and infinitely more options of colors for paint. Modern farmhouse colors feel natural and organic, like bringing the outdoors in. Treat your canvas (walls, floors, large furnishings) as a whole, unifying them with creamy ivories, sandy beige, woody browns, earthy greys, or even leafy greens. Then keep the feel going with accessories in similar shades. Or, if you want to add some pop, bring in complementary muted shades that will infuse your space with color like flowers dot gardens of green with blooms of orangey marigold, golden honeysuckle, rose red, or even indigo. Colors are more than welcome here, but they’re not the focus. Think of them as garnish rather than the main dish.
Patterns that Go with Farmhouse Style
Farmhouses aren’t all walls and furniture, of course. The fabrics you add to soften your space add important depth of style. Modern farmhouse isn’t cutesy. Avoid the cloyingly cute ditzy prints and sweet calicos of the 1880s as well as the forced elegance of dramatic florals from the 1980s.
Continue a streamlined look with upholstered furniture, rugs, and window treatments made to resemble natural, undyed fibers like burlap, jute, cotton, linen, and other hardy textiles. Then accessorize with monochromatic or lightly contrasting patterns of toile, buffalo check, or ticking. These pieces are ideal for adding in those garden bloom-like colors.
Since the beginning of time on earth, farm living has been about making use of what’s available and decor in a farmhouse style reflects that. It’s simply a well-built canvas on which to add life, love, and laughter in whatever colors they may come.
