European Farmhouse Fusion
Farmhouse design is a hugely popular trend in the United States and it’s coming this way. This farmhouse look can be used in any interior and has a variety of forms, but in essence it combines the classic home style of a European farmhouse, which exudes rustic elegance, and mixes it with the more relaxed and at-home feel of an American country home.
European farmhouse decor is neither garish nor opulent, but rather holds a more understated charm and elegance. It features luxurious natural textures such as marble, wood, linen, wool, and desaturated colours such as sage, antique white, sea salt, limestone, and misty greys often accented with crisp black. This style, though deeply-rooted in classic European styles, borrows from the simplicity and minimalism of an American homestead. Straying from the European look it has been ‘Americanized’ with features like porches or vestibules with storage for boots, jackets and for school and sports bags. It also emphasizes large open concept kitchens, which allow families to easily cook and eat together.
You can add touches of European farmhouse charm to your home quite simply if you follow a few basic rules. Your main focus should be to create a comfortable and chic space which can be devoted to gatherings of friends and family. Consider a comfortable sofa and accent chairs in light neutral colours with a classic shape, pair with a beautiful wool rug, and a rustic natural finished coffee table. Keep things loose, casual and relaxed with slipcovers or furniture upholstered in loosely woven fabrics.
Extend this style into your dining room with a large table, or if you don’t have the space or need for a large dining table consider a wooden table with extension leaves. Tables and cabinetry need not be old but should be rustic in nature and either painted or finished with a distressed style and it will look super paired with upholstered dining chairs. The look should be that of a room that has ‘grown’ through the years, so incorporate collected pieces and hand-me-downs that will give that timeless quality.
As the mood flows through to your kitchen you will see rustic farmhouse tables, free-standing kitchen islands with breakfast bars and rows of bentwood or rattan barstools for casual eating and socializing. Keep the walls white or cream and use wood on the countertops. The floors also should be wood or you could opt for an LVT in a rustic finish which will give you the best of both worlds, as it will look like wood but have the durability, warmth and soundproofing of vinyl.
In the bedroom keep the colours muted and low-key with cushions, quilts and throws in white, clay, charcoal and taupe. A simple wooden headboard or black iron bedstead will complete the look. Keep bedroom furniture to a minimum and add a simple vintage look rug for comfort.
In all your rooms consider landscape or portrait paintings for the wall. Old books create interest and colour on tables, mantles, and bookshelves. Adding in plants such as lavender, olive shrubs, or a windowsill herb garden can also be another way to suggest a farmhouse feel. Gather fresh cuttings of flowers or leaves from the garden, styled in a galvanized buckets or a watering can to add to the casualness… and remember with this style you can get away with scratches, dents and chipped paint, it all adds to the atmosphere of a cozy lived-in home!
Are you up for European Farmhouse Fusion? The look is simple, clean and nostalgic!
- 29th October 2021