You don’t have to live in the countryside to make farmhouse décor work for you. This charming style can add a rustic look and feel to any home, enabling you to create a laidback space that’s comfortable as well as beautiful.

Perfect if you love modern yet characterful interiors, this style embraces white walls, reclaimed wood, antiques and lots of cosy soft furnishings. From the bathroom to hallway, and the kitchen to the master bedroom, we’ve compiled a list of 31 simple ways that you can use to create that much desired charm with the farmhouse décor look…

1. Hang a Barn Style Door

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A fantastic way to instantly update your home to feature that highly sought after farmhouse look is to hang a barn style door. Ideal for spaces that can be shut off or left open, a barn door slides back so that you can create an open plan space in seconds. For your master bedroom suite, try separating your walk-in wardrobe with a barn door with glass panels on black metal runners. Barn doors can also work brilliantly where space is limited. Try a solid wood door for a small bathroom.

2. Add Character with Wood

Done in the right way, wood panelling can add a touch of rustic charm. Forget the orange stained pine of the ‘70s, try reclaimed wood to add warmth, or paint panelling white for a textured finish that’s subtle yet stylish. Wood panelling can be added almost anywhere - from walls to ceilings - and works well in most of the rooms in your home. You can add character to your space with wood in almost any area of your home. Whether you are looking to create an oak kitchen, living room or even a bedroom!

3. Use Palettes of Grey and White

Farmhouse décor requires a simple colour scheme - greys and whites. While this might seem stark, you can add warmth with wood and lots of soft furnishings. Go for white walls in spaces you need to be bright and airy, such as the kitchen, hallways, and bathrooms. Light grey is a great option for rooms you want to feel cosier, such as the living room and bedrooms. Introduce wood through furniture, add a touch of colour with artwork and layer up blankets and cushions, as well as paying extra attention to dressing windows and floors too.

4. Add Focus with a Natural Rug

Jute and sisal can work wonders in country style décor. Natural and simple, sisal and jute rug designs will add instant warmth to hardwood or stone floors, as well as adding focus to your room to pull the entire scheme together. Try a natural jute rug in the kitchen to soften stone or tiled floors, or in the living room under your coffee table to create a warm and cosy finish but maintain your farmhouse style.

5. Get Organised

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While the farmhouse style can be rustic and charming, it still needs a little polishing and fine tuning. Built in storage is a great way to help you keep your home organised and looking its best, but how do you achieve storage in a modern rustic style? Try shelving or built in cupboards painted grey with silver doorknobs and add woven baskets to keep the contents concealed.

6. Try Whitewashing Wood

Got an old piece of furniture that needs updating? Try whitewashing it for the perfect farmhouse look. A white washed bench in your entrance hall will give guests a hint of what’s to come. Soften any whitewashed seating with cushions in greys and whites, and add a wool rug underneath.

7. Hang a Gallery Wall of Mirrors

Farmhouse décor doesn’t have to mean minimal, it’s open to interpretation and it’s up to you how eclectic or minimal you go. If you favour a more eclectic style, consider hanging a wall of mirrors to create a statement in your home. A collection of antique mirrors with wood frames works best for country décor - hang a variety of shapes and sizes to add interest. This is great for darker rooms that need a boost of light too, as the mirrors will bounce extra light around the room.

8. Strip Back the Staircase

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These days a lot of people choose to carpet staircases, but an exposed staircase lends itself brilliantly to the farmhouse style. Try staining the top of each step in a dark wood finish and painting the front of each step white. Finish the look with a black handrail and a wool runner, alongside a wood bench dressed with simple white cushions if you have the space.

9. Install Wall to Ceiling Shiplap

Want to add more character and interest to a room, without using wallpaper or colours on the walls? Try adding shiplap to the walls and ceiling to create a subtle statement. This is ideal if you’d prefer to stick to white walls but want to add a touch of modern rustic style. Take the look further by hanging a black pendant light to create a contrast - this look works brilliantly in the kitchen-diner or dining table, with a black light hung over a rustic wood table.

10. Lay a Neutral Persian Rug

Traditional style rugs are generally quite colourful, often focusing on palettes of reds, but modern takes of this style mean there’s a lot more variety to choose from. While country décor tends to be quite simple, you might want to add additional interest with a pattern here or there. Rustic antique pieces work well with this look, so why not try a traditional rug in a neutral palette to add pattern, warmth and charm? Try laying a white and grey Persian rug in the living room or bedroom to add softness to spaces where you want to feel relaxed and comfortable.

11. Be Consistent Throughout

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Farmhouse décor is a style you really need to commit to. If you think about living on a farm, or at least in a genuine farmhouse, it’s more of a way of life than it is a look, so you’re unlikely to see inconsistencies. If you love the farmhouse look, really go for it and continue this style throughout the home. Pictured here is the perfect modern rustic utility room. It’s perfectly organised, yet maintains the staple principles of this look, with wood worktops, a neutral colour palette and woven baskets for storage.

12. Embrace Reclaimed Wood

Nothing fits the country style décor better than the simple and humble reclaimed wood. There are lots of ways in which you can use reclaimed wood in the home, and best of all, this is a great way to take a more sustainable approach to your farmhouse style. If you live in a more modern house, or even a period home lacking original features, try using reclaimed wood to create mock-beams on the ceiling, or use it to create rustic shelves or picture shelves throughout the home.

13. Add a Cosy Finish

With lots of white walls, wood furniture and stone and wood flooring, the country style home can easily look and feel a little cold. The way around this is to embrace soft furnishings to add that all important homely feel that is also synonymous with the farmhouse style. One of the most effective ways to do this is to introduce a large fluffy rug to hardwood floors. Stick to a neutral colour palette and go for whites, creams, greys or beige. Mirror this in the rest of your soft furnishings, adding floor length curtains, blankets and cushions where possible.

14. Try Introducing Muted Florals

If you love patterns as well as a blend of modern and traditional style, why not try floral patterns but in a neutral or muted colour palette. Perfect for rooms where you want to add a bit more elegance over rustic style, try a floral wallpaper on a feature wall, or above the panelling. Opt for patterns with slightly larger blooms rather than busy styles and choose a paper in a palette or greys and whites for a sophisticated take on country style décor.

15. Update your Front Door

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Extend the farmhouse style outside and update your front door to give a nod to the home beyond. First impressions count, making this the ideal way to start as you mean to go on in creating that country style décor. Try a front door that mimics a barn style, with glass panels to the top and black door numbers and handles. A wreath isn’t just for Christmas either - today you can get stylish wreaths designed to be used all year round. Hanging a wreath on your front door will take that rustic farmhouse look one step further.

16. Create a Cosy Corner

Every home needs a few cosy spots to stop and think or for relaxing. From the landing to the kitchen, the living room to the study, a great way to make use of an unloved corner is with a comfy armchair. An armchair with a wood frame would work perfectly in rustic home décor. Or alternatively, transform an existing armchair by covering it with a white or grey blanket, tucking it in around the edges to create a neat finish. Take the look further by dressing the chair with a thick and fluffy faux sheepskin and finishing with a printed cushion in neutral shades.

17. Go for Open Shelving

Open shelving works fantastically well in farmhouse décor. Think a vintage dresser painted white, styled with speckled ceramic plates, books, vases of flowers, wooden storage boxes and chopping boards and a woven bowl filled with fruit. If you have an empty alcove, try creating statement shelving using reclaimed wood and styling with pieces in a neutral colour palette, as well as some warmer rattan and woven pieces. To add a touch of luxe style, try silver items. Silver is the best option as this colour will disrupt your neutral colour scheme more subtly than gold or copper might.

18. Add Interest with Patterned Tiles

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White units work perfectly in a farmhouse kitchen, especially those in a shaker style. When you’re going for white throughout the kitchen you can add warmth with wood accents, but how can you add further interest? If you favour an eclectic style, chances are a plain stone floor won’t be right for you. Instead, try a patterned floor in a neutral colour palette. A traditional patterned tile would work perfectly in country style décor. If you want to create a contrast for a more striking finish, opt for dark grey with a white pattern.

19. Incorporate Antiques

Antique pieces work wonderfully well in farmhouse style homes. The traditional farmhouse would most likely include a bit of a mix match of furniture, including antiques that had been there as long as the house had. The dark wood of antique pieces works wonderfully well against the traditional white farmhouse interior. Antiques can be used anywhere within the home. Try an antique console table in the hallway, a Welsh dresser in the kitchen, or even a glass fronted cabinet as extra storage in the bathroom.

20. Add Interest with Texture

Avoid too many hard surfaces in your farmhouse inspired home to avoid. Bohemian décor works surprisingly well incorporated into country décor and can instantly soften and add that all important cosy finish. Try a Bohemian style rug in bedrooms and the living room, add texture with woven baskets and dress beds and sofas with blankets, sheepskins and cushions to add as much texture as possible.

21. Try a Mismatched Look

As mentioned above, farmhouse décor is inspired by the traditional farmhouse, which would often include a mix of different furniture styles. Generally bought at car boots, vintage stores and inherited, the authentic farmhouse would have little in the way of matching furniture. Today, many of us favour a more polished style, but that doesn’t mean you can’t embrace a bit of the mix and match look. Start with the dining table and introduce chairs in different styles. Choose one way to keep them cohesive - it could be the era that the chair is from so they are of a similar style, the colour - such as all painted white or all in natural wood - or the design/shape, with some chairs painted and some stained.

22. Add a Touch of Colour with Greenery

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While this style generally favours a neutral colour palette, a great way to lift the look is to include greenery in your scheme. While live houseplants everywhere blend themselves better to the bohemian look, vases of faux flowers or single stems of eucalyptus work brilliantly in country style décor. Try a vase of eucalyptus in your entrance hall, or on your dining room table. Vases of faux flowers work brilliantly on bedside tables to add a touch of soft colour.

23. Introduce Ladder Storage

Old ladders might seem somewhat useless, but they can actually be turned into really handy storage solutions in the home, not to mention they look super stylish in a farmhouse style home too. Old wood ladders can be propped up against the wall, making them easy to slot into your home without taking up too much space. Try using a wooden ladder as a towel rack in a guest room or hang baskets from each step for additional storage.

24. Add Country Charm to an Empty Fireplace

Many of us have open fireplaces in our home that at some point have had the fire taken out. Often, you’re left with an empty space that you’re not sure what to do with. An easy and cost-effective way to add additional country charm to your home is to fill your open fireplace with logs. Even if you don’t have a fire to use the logs in, this will enhance your country style décor and make a feature of your fireplace.

25. Try a Jute Runner

A runner is a great way to create a cosy entrance hall, making for a great first impression when guests first step through the door. A natural runner is the perfect choice - not only is it ideal for farmhouse décor, it’s also durable, hardwearing and easy to care for, and can be used in high traffic areas in the home. It’s also easy to pick up and shake off when guests bring in dust and leaves from the world outside.

26. Upcycle Unloved Pieces

It’s surprising how easy it can be to turn an old piece of furniture into something you’ll love and that will perfectly fit the farmhouse décor style. If you have any accessories in natural wood, such as a bench, chair or stool, try whitewashing them to spruce them up and add to the country character feel of your home. Other pieces can be painted white to fit in with your scheme - try also replacing handles on storage units such as chests and sideboards to enhance the country style.

27. Create a Collected Country Kitchen

If you love the authentic farmhouse style, then a kitchen straight out of a brochure probably won’t be the right way to go. Genuine farmhouse kitchens are made up of an array of freestanding items, which don’t necessarily match. Think a large range cooker, a Welsh dresser and a freestanding island table on wheels. Instead of choosing your kitchen from everyday brands, shop around and buy items from different places. Of course, your kitchen should be practical as well as beautiful, so you may want some built-in units, but don’t kit your whole kitchen out. Instead choose a few freestanding, upcycled or vintage pieces and build up an authentic look.

28. Expose Original Boards

If you’re lucky enough to live in a period property with the original floorboards, consider removing any carpet and exposing them. If they are in good condition they might just need a light stand and a wax - enhancing the natural grain of the wood compliments farmhouse décor perfectly, and will add warmth to neutral interiors. If you find your boards need more work, consider painting them white instead. White floorboards work well in a rustic country home, just add warmth with wood furniture and other charming home accessories. Large rugs work really well in the living room and bedrooms to cosy-fi the space.

29. Embrace Monochrome Tones

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When putting together your country style home, it can be all too easy to stick to pale shades like white, beige and grey. However, it’s essential to add depth to any space, including farmhouse style rooms. Farmhouse décor is all about creating a warm and welcoming space, so an entirely monochrome scheme wouldn’t work well. Incorporating some black elements however will add balance to the space. Think black curtain poles, lamps and picture/mirror frames. Just a few black details will completely transform the scheme.

30. Create a Barn-Like Bathroom

Extend your farmhouse décor into your bathroom, with style inspired by the traditional barn. Think barn style cupboard doors for your sink unit, with a reclaimed wood top and white basin. Clad walls in wood painted white and accessorise with a vase of eucalyptus, wood framed prints, silver wall lights and silver taps.

31. Make Furniture out of Pallets and Crates

Not just for industrial style homes, pallets and crates can work brilliantly in country homes because of their rustic style and warm wood tones and textures. There are lots of ways in which you can use them in farmhouse decor too. Try stacking crates for book storage or sit two side by side in your entrance hall for a shoe cabinet. Palettes can be used to make stylish and rustic furniture, such as a coffee table or media unit.

As you can see, there are lots of ways that you can introduce farmhouse décor into your home. If you love this look, why not take it throughout, for a home that feels cosy and relaxed, but is stylish and on-trend too.

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