Design 101

The Ultimate Guide to Modern Farmhouse Style

August 29, 2024

Ask someone on a renovation show what design aesthetic they want for their house and chances are they’ll request modern farmhouse style. How come this look has become so ubiquitous? And what exactly is it? See how modern farmhouse style is the best of both worlds, delivering homey warmth and high style in one harmonious look.

What Is Modern Farmhouse Style?

An updated take on the classic farmhouse style, modern farmhouse combines both old and new influences. While farmhouse style is best defined as rural, cozy, and nostalgic, modern style is all about clean, minimalist, and functional design. The two opposing styles, when put together, tend to bring out the best in each other. A touch of modern accessories to a farmhouse space can add a bit of elegance. On the other hand, farmhouse furniture can soften the sharp edges of a modern home, providing warmth and comfort to an otherwise cold space.

How To Blend Two Interior Design Styles

If you’re looking to combine modern and farmhouse styles in your home, you may benefit from following the golden ratio of 60/40. This professional interior design tip helps designers figure out the balance of multiple elements, whether that’s balancing multiple styles or colors.

For modern farmhouse style, we often seen spaces divided with 60 percent dedicated to farmhouse and 40 percent to modern. For example, a modern farmhouse dining room would benefit from a large, weathered wood dining table that’s the centerpiece of the space. Then, following the 60/40 rule, you might pair it with more contemporary metal chairs and chandelier. Feel free to experiment and find the right balance of the two styles for your space and personal aesthetic.

Elements of Modern Farmhouse Style

Neutral color palette

One design element that both modern and farmhouse styles share is an affinity for bright open spaces. That’s why most modern farmhouse homes prefer a light base like white or beige as their foundation — usually found in the wall color as well as other larger pieces of furniture. To round out your color palette, pair it with a wider array of nature-inspired neutrals like dove gray, sky blue, sage green, and earthy brown.

Mixed metals

A simple way to integrate a bit of modern sensibility to your farmhouse-styled room is to add high graphic contrast. Because modern farmhouse’s signature color palette is dreamy and ethereal, you can easily ground the space with dark metals, whether that’s a black wrought iron coffee table or a copper chandelier. When it comes to choosing where to incorporate your darker elements, make sure to choose ones that have clean, architectural lines to add a sleek and contemporary vibe. To keep things looking cohesive, don’t introduce more than three metal types in a room.

Clean architectural lines

Neither farmhouse nor modern are particularly flashy styles. Instead, they skew more timeless and subtle, letting the architectural features of your home shine. Common modern farmhouse features include shiplap walls, exposed wood beams, large steel windowpanes, and barn doors. But if your home doesn’t have eye-catching characteristics, don’t worry. You can create your own visual interest with furniture that showcases edgy geometric silhouettes.

Natural materials

Every room and home can benefit from a dose of natural inspiration, and it’s no different for modern farmhouse styles. Farmhouse often relies on woven wicker and rattan, exposed brick, and common elements like wood and leather furniture for a natural touch. But to go the extra mile, make sure you choose weathered or reclaimed wood furniture and leather that’s developed patina — small details that exude a more homey, well-loved, and practical charm central to farmhouse style.

Cozy textures

To really dial up the welcoming comfort and coziness in your modern farmhouse home, it’s time to swath the home in cozy fabrics. Because this style is fairly minimalist, without a ton of decor cluttering up the space, it’s important to add touches of warmth and texture in through throw blankets, pillows, quilts, rugs, and drapes — especially in your modern farmhouse bedroom.

Modern Farmhouse Ideas by Room

Modern farmhouse kitchen

One of the most popular rooms for the style, modern farmhouse kitchens are all about balancing sleek stainless steel modern appliances with more old-fashioned, vintage touches that inject country warmth to every home-cooked meal. Common elements of a modern farmhouse kitchen include rustic butcher block counters, farmhouse sink, and open floating shelves that display your mugs, cookbooks, cookware, and plants. We recommend adding a bit of modern edge to the space through industrial metal stools and wrought iron pendants that still adhere to the 60/40 rule of balancing the two styles.

Modern farmhouse living room

Living rooms are a place of comfort and togetherness, and no style looks as inviting as a modern farmhouse living room. Create a focal point with a deep, oversized sofa or sectional that can provide a soft place to land for a large group — plus, you can dial up the coziness with throw pillows, blankets, and quilts. Layer in modern decor with clean and elegant light fixtures, contemporary art, and a geometric rug. Keep the color palette to soft neutrals so the room can look airy and bright.

Modern farmhouse bathroom

Usually, bathrooms are a sea of white and marble. But it’s time to add a touch of farmhouse warmth with touches of copper or brass hardware. We also recommend adding some natural elements in your modern farmhouse bathroom like a small handcrafted wooden stool, vintage cabinet for storage, eucalyptus or other greenery and plants, or woven baskets made of rattan or wicker. For an extra dose of modern graphic interest, consider adding some black and white subway tiles.