Farmhouse Everything: An awesome & easy trend for your home!

Written by Fashion, Style and Gifting Contributor, Deb Tangelder

So this “Modern Farmhouse” look we’ve all been hearing so much of….what really is it, and how do you achieve this sought after look for your home?

It’s a delicate mix between modern & aged with a common ground of clean lines, natural elements, neutral colored fabrics, and creatively re-purposing common items. It’s not entirely about less stuff (although this helps & is necessary). It’s about color palate, varying textiles, and grouping together the right combinations of decor. White washed woods , creams, linen, burlap, colors in nature (ex: slate gray), metal elements, and the occasional pop of color- maybe on a solid painted piece of furniture- this all contributes to the look.

The Modern Farmhouse decorating style makes you feel calm and orderly, yet amazingly cozy.

Surprisingly, you can actually have a neutral colored house and still live in it. IF you do it right. I made the mistake of buying a trendy cream couch a few years back. [And somehow my husband was crazy enough that moment to agree with it.]  I love it, but it’s been a challenge. Truly it would NOT have been a mistake if I pulled a “farmhouse” trick with it by elegantly draping a couple twill or braided cable knit cream blankets diagonally across it (that could be washed much more easily), or if I chose a less delicate fabric . But until I do it right the next time, my guests will have to see my lived on, “not so crisp anymore because the kids eat on the couch, fabric”. Or they could possibly be that extra special visitor that gets the flipped side of the cushions.

Aside from being creative with furniture, accessories are the glue that ties it all together. Many things you may even already own can be repurposed to bring out this look! White antique porcelain bowl? Grab it. Interesting metal basket? Throw it on the hutch or wall shelf instead. Anything neutral, for the most part, gets to stay. But not all your stuff is invited to this party. Some you may have to part ways with [I call this consignment shop cleaning], and some NEW things should be acquired also. But keep it simple. Like this line of cream pottery that is a fan favorite at The Perfect Gift in Clarence Center…called Rae Dunn.

This madly loved modern pottery makes everything that needs to be functional for a family kitchen look “clean”…even down to the dog dishes . From coffee mugs to canisters, there’s something about these simple designs and hand crafted pieces that make the kitchen calmer. Happier .

I also love this line of candles to accessorize with, available at  The Perfect Gift.  www.theperfectgiftbflo.com

Numbered 1 through 9 with inspiring word tags, these unique candles smell as good as they look . No. 3 is a customer favorite – citrus , and No. 9 is popular with the guys  – a smoky cedar scent. What I love most about them is they don’t even look much like a candle at all . Nothing sloppy, just a beautiful apothecary jar complete with a lid. And for those of you that get hooked on yummy scents like I do, they also come in travel size jars (under $5 too, a great value) !

A few other easy ideas to incorporate in: simple decorative throw pillows for the chairs, grain sack towels for the counter, and farmhouse style signs for the mantle with sweet messages like this one from The Perfect Gift, “Stay Awhile”.

And lastly, any Farmhouse Style home MUST come complete with a chalkboard. After being inspired by this look, I converted the entire wall in my downstairs bathroom to a functional chalkboard, using chalkboard paint. It now serves as a sweet way for us to write messages to one another, an inspiring quote, or simply say “Happy Birthday!”. Our guests love it too and often leave us a note. I’ll never go back to my proper bathroom with perfect curtains again, this bin of chalk is much more representative of who we really are. A family that loves.

Whatever decorating style you decide to do, your home should be a statement of who you are, what you love, and how you truly do life. And in the end, it’s the people inside of it that count the most ?! Enjoy!