6 Ways to Introduce Farmhouse Design into Your Home

If you’re looking for a hot design trend that you can incorporate into your home in 2021, look no further than farmhouse design. This is a design concept that is far from new, but it does go through periods where it's a lot more trendy than other moments. The farmhouse design, or classic farmhouse look is all about creating a space that is casual, comfortable, understated, natural, simple, and really quite neutral. And while you may be flipping through pictures online and in magazines looking for inspiration, that still might not offer enough direction on how you can bring elements of this design concept into your home.

Here we’ll take a look at some ways in which you can introduce classic farmhouse design into your home. You may wish to start with little touches and décor and slowly add more over time, or perhaps the time has come that your home is in desperate need of a total makeover project. Either way, these ideas can act as a blueprint as you plan out your steps.

The Colour Palette Plays a Huge Role

Before you start getting caught up in buying new decor updating your furniture, it's important to recognise how important the colour palette is in farmhouse design. Farmhouse design is all about the use of beige, cream, white, and warm light greys. There are no harsh or bright pops of colour; it's very soft, clean, crisp, and simple.

So, where does the interest come from? Don’t be afraid to layer the different the colours. There’s also the fact that wood is very predominant in farmhouse design, so that adds instant warmth and interest to the space. Any wood features you pull into the space should have their natural wood tone and, ideally, they should be reclaimed or distressed. It helps to really tie that casual vibe together. Anything new, shiny, and polished has no place in farmhouse design.

Those natural wood ties will play beautifully with the colour palette and help to bring a bit more texture into the room without adding the typical pop of colour.

Farmhouse Blinds Can Change the Feel in the Room

While many homeowners focus on décor and furnishings, you don’t want to overlook the opportunity that window coverings can present. Window coverings are functional of course, but they can also add to the overall design concept in a space.

Farmhouse blinds are extremely popular for those looking at farmhouse living ideas. Make My Blinds actually goes into a lot of detail discussing the various ways in which you can use farmhouse blinds, how to style them, the best fabrics to choose, the best colour and texture, and how to make sure they make a statement in the room. You can order free samples online and test them out in the space before you make any sort of decision on what you want.

Keep in mind that in order for this design element to feel cohesive, it’s best to carry this style of window covering throughout the house. It’s a beautiful and casual way to ensure you stay true to the farmhouse design, right down to the very last detail.

Sliding Barn Doors Can be a Beautiful Design Touch

Here's an element that can look simply beautiful in the home, and feel unique at the same time. Sliding barn doors are another staple feature of the farmhouse style, as they have a lovely rustic feel to them. They should be wooden doors, but then you have the option of leaving the wood as-is with its natural tones on full display, or if you prefer, you could paint them white, cream, beige (stick within the neutral colour palette).

The hardware you use for the doors should also reflect the farmhouse style, so think bronze and other, more rustic options. Chrome, gold, or polished silver won’t look right with the overall design.

But where can you use these sliding doors? In theory, you can put them anywhere you like. Because they don’t swing in or out, you don’t have to worry about that issue. There just needs to be enough wall space for the door to slide open. These are often popular as bathroom or even bedroom doors.

Give Furniture a Fresh Look with Slipcovers

As you start to make all these changes in your home décor and design, you may find that your existing furniture no longer works with the space. Rather than having to buy all new pieces, you can embrace another element of farmhouse design – furniture slipcovers. These are covers that you place over your furniture, breathing new life into them, and making them seem brand new. Just be sure to stick with the soft, neutral colour palette when shopping for slipcovers.

If you want to add a pop of colour to the furniture, you can do so with throw pillows and blankets. These can also be swapped out at any time, which means you can change things up on a seasonal basis if you choose.

Usher in the Shiplap - a Versatile Element for Any Space

One of the first things that come to mind when thinking of the farmhouse style may be shiplap. Shiplap is simply wood panelling that uses the standard tongue and groove style planks. Planks can be wide or narrow, whatever you prefer, and often you'll find that people paint the shiplap white. These can be placed on walls and the ceiling, and they really transform the space into something more casual. For homes that don’t have a lot of character or interesting architectural details, this is a great way to add some of those elements. Rather than painting a room a new colour, you may prefer to go with shiplap on the walls.

Gather Around the Harvest Table

The dining and kitchen table offers another element that you can make an impact with. When creating the ultimate farmhouse style, a harvest style table is a must. If you look up the definition of this style of table, it leaves a lot up to personal interpretation. It is described as a table that features skirting and four corner legs.

Typically, these tables are rectangular in length, and tend to be very long. The whole idea is that it makes it possible to have a casual meal at the table, allowing plenty of family to be seated because the table is often over-sized. If you want to create that kind of classic look, you obviously need the space to accommodate one of these long tables.

Another way you can add interest to the harvest table is to ensure that natural wood tones which show off the grain are used. You can consider reclaimed wood, and choose chairs that don’t all match. It’s all about keeping things interesting and unique, and building up the idea that there is a story behind each piece. As for the perfect centrepiece for a harvest table, freshly picked flowers and other natural elements are perfect.


By using all of these ideas and tips, you’ll be able to slowly transform the design in your home and create that lovely and trendy farmhouse look. The farmhouse design truly is a classic design choice, which means you’re not going to have to worry about changing everything again a year or two from now.