If you crave rustic woods, wicker, checks and plaids, and distressed items, you love farmhouse style. From iron baskets to wood furniture, farmhouse furnishings are distressed and antiqued, even chipped, so the character of each piece stands out. The result is a comfortable, warm, space that feels lived in and loved!
Some of the key elements of farmhouse style are:
1. Benches. Whether they are at the foot of the bed or as seating for the kitchen table, they are casual, comfortable, and oh so chic.
2. Rustic wood. Wooden crates are fab for storage and display. Hang wood signs made from barn wood. Install shiplap on an accent wall or backsplash. Update a piece of furniture with white paint and distressed lettering to create rustic storage or display. Top it with aged lamps, a round wooden mirror, some wicker baskets, rustic ceramic pieces, and place it on a cozy sisal area rug.
3. In bathrooms, open. shelving looks fabulous with white folded towels and Mason jars that store toiletries and personal care items. Kitchens with rustic wooden shelves, stacked ceramic dishes, and patinaed copper pots are warm and comfortablek
4. Mix metal and glass in light fixtures. Create island lighting with mason jars or use colanders and buckets to create pendant lighting over your table or countertop.
5. Wire baskets are ideal for folded coverlets and throws, magazinnes, and even kitchen and bath items. Toiletries, napkins, potatoes, onions, and more store well and look great! I keep a "gift basket" in my guestroom with small samples of homemade soaps, hand cream, a face cloth, and some essential oil sprays that add a personal touch for each guest.
6. Use ceramic crocks for wooden spoons and even pantry staples. I’ve found fabulous ceramic pieces at thrift shops. If you're lucky enough to live near a potter, you might be able to get castoffs for pennies on the dollar. You'll think they're perfect but the potter won't!
Hadar Iron Work
7. Change your cabinetry. Switch out your center panel in cabinet doors to chicken wire, or even fabric.
8. Build your own wooden island or storage center. Already have an island? Clad it with rustic wood. You can create your own rustic wood by painting wood with a vinegar/steel wool/water mixture That gives a beautiful grey color.
8. Instead of traditional tile, opt for a more casual style. Create a beadboard backsplash. Using acrylic paints in a satin sheen will give you plenty of protection, or you can opt for more protection by adding a coat of matte sheen urethane.
Fern Creek Cottage