Farmhouse

Alright … let’s talk Farmhouse!

I love this design style for it’s clean and casual feel. It incorporates lots of wood and soft fabrics, baskets and, of course, plants. I’m a thrift store shopper with an eye for unusual vintage pieces and they fit in perfectly with this decor. The trick is to not overload your space with these items. I would suggest you decide on 3 items to start collecting to incorporate into your space. Then you can build from there as you expand your designing to the next room. If you start in the kitchen, for instance, you could collect colanders or wooden spoons. Enamel wear is also great to collect. This sweet enamel pitcher instantly adds a touch of farmhouse.

Display your baskets and wooden cutting boards to add warmth to your kitchen. And nothing says Farmhouse more than a bright, white apron sink. Even the linens you choose will add to the style. Flour sack tea towels in a stripe or check are perfect. Baskets, when displayed on the wall, provide texture in themselves and also in how light plays off them.

Plants are great for all kinds of reasons. They brighten any decor and bring a bit of nature inside. Even if you can’t handle live plants, artificial plants can provide the same feeling. Or try air plants that draw moister directly from the air so no watering to forget. And herbs can be beautiful and useful for snipping and adding to your favourite recipe.

While working on my own home I created a beautiful Farmhouse element in my stairs to the basement family room. My dilemma was that there was existing ceramic at the bottom of the stairs and hardwood on the landing at the top. The stairs are below ground so covering them with hardwood would be risky. Plus, my challenge is that I am not able to purchase any kind of flooring. My solution was to strip the layers of paint from the treads, stain and seal them to match the existing hardwood. I left bits of the paint in the cracks and dents to add to the rustic look. Then I painted the risers the same colour as the walls in the family room. This connected the hardwood at the top to the ceramic at the bottom. What do you think?

Whatever room you are working on remember your “golden rules”. 1. Work in groups of 3. 2. Be sure to repeat a colour to keep your home cohesive. 3. (and most important) Rules are meant to be broken. If you love it … go for it! It’s your space.