Home. For so many people, it’s a place of comfort, a place for family, a place to gather around the big dining room table after a hard day’s work and laugh and play with friends. Home is a well-lived-in, well-loved place of coziness and relaxation.
This feeling, this idea, is what people often are aiming for when they decorate in certain styles. Remember “shabby chic” and its focus on things like antique furniture, distressed-wood touches and built-in cabinets? Or the “classic farmhouse” style with its sturdy, practical furniture, apron sinks and natural wood accents?
Lately, we’ve been seeing a number of customers with new takes on these classic decorating styles. They’re going for more of a “modern farmhouse” look, which in many ways is a direct descendent of both shabby chic and classic farmhouse styles. Let’s take a look at a few modern farmhouse elements. Maybe you’ll find yourself incorporating some of these in your home!
Farmstead elements: We’ve done a number of interior door installations lately in the barn style. It’s a classic look that evokes feelings of simple living and brings with it a practical touch. These sliding doors are great space savers, akin to the pocket doors of yore, for spaces where a large swinging door wouldn’t quite fit. This door was made from locally sourced recycled wood, but you can also purchase pre-made doors at places like Home Depot.
Rustic meets contemporary: In a nutshell, this is the core of modern farmhouse design. Distressed shelves and exposed wood beams paired with the clean, glossy feel of embedded windows create a look that is both sophisticated and traditional. More common examples of this pairing can be found in kitchens that combine stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and apron-front sinks in the farmhouse style. This kitchen even takes that a step further, with sleek appliances, modern lighting, shiny black granite countertops, bright wooden cabinets and, to add an extra modern touch to a classic kitchen centerpiece, a farmhouse-style sink in black.
Neutral palette, uncluttered space: The farmhouse look, whether classic or modern, is all about natural, neutral colors and fibers — leather chairs, natural wood furnishings, cotton fabrics, white walls. This 1909 logging bunkhouse in Lynden was brought into the modern age while retaining the classic touches that give the home its lived-in character.
What do you think? Are you considering the modern farmhouse look in your home? With its shabby chic and classic farmhouse heritage combined with contemporary touches, the style has become a comforting, inviting and modern take on interior design.