The farmhouse style is still in this year, but this interior design trend has become something more than just incorporating large sliding wooden doors in different types of spaces. Now it’s a little more refined, with natural materials and an array of elements to dress up corners in which light also plays a pivotal role.

In an article in Elle Décor that outlines the best ways to incorporate this style into your living room, Nina Magon from Contour Interior Design advises us to “stick with the simple sophistication of natural elements like exposed wood beams and stone accents that evoke a clean and relaxed modern farmhouse interior. Introduce accessories that are organic, irregular, or slightly imperfect to add personality and charm.”

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Wood, au natural

The world’s most devoted fans of the farmhouse style can be found in the US, which is also where the ‘bible’ for this look, the American Farmhouse Style mag, comes from.

In an article discussing what is going to trend over the coming decade, we are invited to leave wood au natural.  “I’m seeing and using lots of split-face white oak for cabinetry, islands, and interior doors.  I love this more polished, updated, take on the reclaimed wood trend. The look I see emerging is a little cleaner and less rustic than I have seen for the last few years,” says Mindy Laven.

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Colour makes an entrance

Something else that’s new in 2020 is leaving behind the idea of white as the only essential colour in a room.  Now we are seeing hints of intense colours that evoke the sea and fields of green.  However, experts say that we must use them in moderation.

“I’m loving a little colour for 2020. I still love white most of all, but I’m really attracted to some of the rich greens and blues I’m seeing popping up everywhere. Used in moderation, I think this will be a great departure from the generic all-white look that has been a staple for the last decade,” says Mindy Laven.

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Light-coloured floors and minimal fireplaces

As San Francisco designer Heather Hilliard explains in Elle Decor, “a great trick is to strip dark floors and refinish them in a light oak colour. This instantly makes a space feel more contemporary.”

In the same article, she also provides another tip that might help us triumph when attempting the farmhouse style: “Go with a minimal fireplace. This will offset the rustic ceiling features, which can be overpowering”.

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When it comes to designing your living room, Heather Hilliard insists that combining a rustic look with something more refined is key.  “To achieve an updated, more current modern farmhouse aesthetic, mix rustic elements with more refined furnishings, as well as antiques from many periods,” she says.

Painted cabinets and pantries

This is only natural given that the all-white look is fading into the background. Colour isn’t just being used for decorative elements, but also for furniture and fittings like pantries and cabinets that really stand out when painted.

Designer Holly Thompson, from Holly Thompson Homes, told American Farmhouse Style that “[this season] we’ll see a variety of colours of painted cabinets in interesting neutrals—colours with grey added in order to tone them down.”

And as we already said, there must be harmony between those touches of colour that attract your attention and the traditional background provided by this country-inspired look.

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Mixing styles

At its heart, the farmhouse style is really just a combination of styles, and this will become more obvious over the next few years as more and more trends start to be incorporated until the lines between styles disappear – or at least that’s what Instagrammer Jo Shetley is predicting.   “I think the whole labelling of doing one style is definitely on the way out,” she explains.

“We all have a mix of styles and I’m so glad to see more mixed styles come in our homes—that’s what makes you, you! Incorporating more styles into the farmhouse look: modern, eclectic, boho chic…”

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Now that you know the essentials for designing a space in the new farmhouse style, are you ready to see how it looks in your own home or in your upcoming projects?  Tell us all about it on social media using #ConnectionsByFinsa.