In recent years, farmhouse design has enjoyed immense popularity, with its charming rustic aesthetic and cozy appeal capturing the hearts of many homeowners. However, as trends evolve, the farmhouse style is gradually fading into the background, making way for newer, more contemporary design preferences. But fear not! If you find yourself with a farmhouse-inspired home that’s feeling a bit outdated, there’s no need to start from scratch. With a few simple tweaks and updates, you can breathe new life into your space without breaking the bank.
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Ditch the Word Decor
The main thing I find dating the farmhouse trend, is all the dang decor with words on it. Get that stuff out of here! Donate it to your fave local thrift store, sell it on Marketplace, whatever floats your boat. My only exception to this rule is for things like cross stitch. I have to say it, because I’m a cross stitcher and I feel like I have some projects in progress that have words on it. 🥲 We’ll give you a free pass and call it kitschy decor if you have anything like that!
Unsure on what to fill your shelves with once you clean house? Check the items at the bottom of the post for some of our favorite decorative items!
Update Your Color Palette
If you went hard on the bright stark white for your space during the hayday of farmhouse design, it’s time to soften the space up. Painting may not be a low-cost or low-energy way to update your home, but it will be the most impactful step. White is timeless, but choosing a stark white along with all of that white furniture & decor can become a little much. If you’re open to the task, painting a space to a softer neutral or earth toned color can give the space a refreshed look without buying all new furniture and decor.
Here’s a link to my favorite color palette download I recommend for recovering farmhouse addicts.
Mixing Materials
Modern design often celebrates the juxtaposition of different materials to create dynamic compositions. Incorporate elements like concrete, steel, or glass alongside natural materials like wood and stone to add a contemporary edge to your farmhouse-inspired home. Consider adding a statement piece of furniture made from reclaimed wood paired with metal accents for an industrial-chic vibe.
Something else I notice my clients being worried about is the wood trim and doors of their homes matching the wood accents on their furniture – writing that out makes me wonder if that’s why we went so hard painting any and all wood furniture white. Don’t be afraid of this, making everything matchy-matchy just screams big box furniture, everything being the same makes our eyes bored. Go with high contrast finishes rather than trying to get pieces close, if you’re close but not matching it’ll look bad. High contrast is always in style!
Define Your Design Style
Unsure on where you style has grown? Take my free quiz to find your most aligned decor style.
