Style guide

Get the look: Farmhouse interior design

Feeling curious about farmhouse interior design? Wondering how to recreate the vibe at home and which type of furniture to use? Consider my article as your starter guide to creating the hugely popular country farmhouse look.

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What is farmhouse interior design?


Farmhouse interior design has been around for decades and still continues to be a popular interior design choice for homes, new and old.


Simplistic and rustic, farmhouse décor is, as the name suggests, commonly seen in traditional farmhouse properties in all shapes and sizes.


However, given its warm and inviting feel and timeless design, it’s long been a firm favourite in many other homes too.


Interestingly, farmhouse interior design is the result of necessity, not choice.


In the 16th and 17th centuries, farmhouses were built across Europe to provide farmers with some form of shelter.


They were often built using materials that were to hand, such as stone and wood, and cobbled together in a simple fashion.


Because these early farmhouses were purely there for farmers and their families to cook and rest, they were simple affairs, for instance, concrete floors, but still cosy.


It wasn’t until the late 20th century that farmhouse style went mainstream and became the traditional farmhouse design we know and still love now.


What are the elements of farmhouse style?


Wood is a staple material in traditional farmhouse interior design, in fact, it simply wouldn’t work if there was very little or no wood present.


Key features of traditional farmhouse design, include:


Lots of wood!


For instance: 

  • Exposed wooden beams
  • Panelled wood walls
  • Wide plank wooden flooring
  • Rattan
  • Wicker
  • Pottery
  • Rustic fabrics – e.g. burlap, homespun fabric and muslin
  • Leather
  • Pastel colours, such as grey (e.g. dove grey), blue (e.g. duck egg), cream and green (e.g. sage)

Such is the popularity of the farmhouse look that it’s had a bit of a revival in recent years in the form of modern farmhouse interior design.


It’s a trend that’s just as cosy and inviting as traditional farmhouse design.


Key features of modern farmhouse interior design, include:

  • Reclaimed wood
  • Large comfy tables and chairs
  • Pine furniture pieces
  • Vintage knick-knacks
  • Rustic fabrics and materials (e.g. wicker, rattan and cotton)

The only difference with modern farmhouse design is that it tends to be all about whites and creams and less about patterns (e.g. gingham) and pastel colours.


DIY farmhouse interior design – how to create the look for less


Redecorating your home, particularly if you’re giving an entire room or rooms an overhaul, can be expensive.


If you like the idea of having a farmhouse style living room or just elements of farmhouse interior design here and there, here are some tips for achieving the look on a budget:

  • Paint your walls cream or white in a matt finish for more of a natural end result.
  • Put covers made from rustic fabrics over your sofas and chairs.
  • If you have wooden flooring and it’s in a good condition, show it off.
  • Get rid of any bright colours. Aim for pastels (traditional farmhouse) or white and cream (modern farmhouse).
  • Paint old furniture pieces, so that they look distressed/well used.
  • Visit charity shops for any pieces of pottery you can use to put flowers, utensils and knick-knacks in. Also look out for wire, rattan and wicker storage.
  • Use old wooden and metal artefacts as storage or wall art.
  • Put some vases or mason jars of fresh flowers here and there.
  • Strip any painted wood back to its natural look.
  • Put pictures in chunky wooden frames, the chunkier the better.

Farmhouse interior-style items to inspire you

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Victoria Foster

Written by:

Stylist & Visual Merchandiser

at ScS

25th January 2024

Victoria is a stylist and merchandiser based at our in-house photo studio. Having been part of the ScS family since 2012, Victoria styles stunning home sets with the latest trends to showcase newly launched ScS products. With over 25 years of experience in styling and merchandising, she loves to keep an eye on the latest trends in the interior landscape. Victoria's favourite interior scheme is the Boho trend and loves to layer a mixture of different textures in her home. Her styling top tip is to always create a focal point in a room. Whether it’s a feature wall, a piece of artwork, or a bright patterned rug, having a focal point can help to drive the decisions on the rest of the rooms layout.