Comfortable, functional, long-lasting, and based on diligent work—these are just some of the reasons why we love vintage farmhouse design.
In interior design, vintage farmhouse contains a degree of both quality and love that we find inspiring. If you do too, here is what you need to know to make vintage farmhouse redecoration easier, more exciting, and up to date.
Vintage Doesn’t Mean Old
Vintage doesn’t mean old just like classic doesn’t mean outdated. It’s closer to nostalgia, timeless, historic, and priceless.
Every vintage farmhouse has that one item, which does not really fit with the rest. However, the owners would never part with it because of its rich family history.
When you are selecting items for the interior design of your home, you might also find something that you love, simply because it fits you. It can become a true centerpiece of your house thanks to the special vintage vibes.
Overall, a vintage farmhouse design implements the power of classics and treasured items. We embrace and find room for those specific items that grab a part of your history to fit right alongside:
- Refinished classic gas stove
- Cozy armchair
- Elegant sofa
- Beautiful log mantlepiece
Becoming a perfect fit for your lifestyle is an essential element of vintage farmhouse design.
When it comes to design, vintage doesn’t mean old. It means rich, powered by history, driven by special feelings, and sprinkled with a bit of nostalgia.
The Rustic Approach Works Every Time
Rustic is an old word that fits the interior design lingo perfectly. It comes from the Latin “rus”, which means “the country.” So rustic is synonymous with rural. But we think it means so much more.
Whether it is a weathered picture frame perfect for showcasing your wedding photos or a classic wood stove, the rustic design fits a vintage farmhouse home. According to Dictionary.com, rustic may be considered artless or uncouth. However, we know that rural and simple is anything but!
Rustic is northern European meets the North American plains at the foothills of the Rockies. The rustic design takes the rural themes of agriculture—of people in touch with nature and with the earth—and makes a livable home out of it.
When you are looking to design your home in a rustic vintage farmhouse style, think of earth-tone colors, natural woods, river rock, and a cozy fireplace with a large armchair.
ustic is an old word, and it fits the interior design. From Latin, rustic basically means rural, but we think it means so much more. Whether it is a weathered picture frame perfect for showcasing your wedding photos or a classic wood stove, rustic design fits a vintage farmhouse home. According to Dictionary.com, rustic may be considered artless or uncouth, but we think that rural and simple is anything but!
Rustic is northern European meets the North American plains at the foothills of the Rockies. The rustic design takes the rural themes of agriculture—of people in touch with nature and with the earth—and makes a liveable home out of it. When you are looking to design your home in a rustic vintage farmhouse style, think of earth-tone colors, natural woods, river rock, and a cozy fireplace with a large armchair.
Repurposing Meets Eco-Friendly
One of the best parts of farmhouse vintage design is that it can be eco-friendly. Farmers are always salvaging parts and supplies to keep costs low. That’s why we use this principle in our designs.
Great finds come from many out-of-the-way places. They may not be chic, but all thrift-shop, antique-store, and found items come with a little zest that makes your vintage farmhouse all the more special.
Here are just a few things that we can do:
- Take old lumber and repurpose it as a table
- Reuse various household items in our design and decorations
- Turn old ladders into bookshelves
- Take an old headboard and turn it into a picture frame
The options are limitless. However, it’s important to know when to stop. We once saw an entire bathroom created out of someone’s flower garden. While we respect the creative approach, we wouldn’t recommend this to the majority of our clients.
The key to repurposing the old stuff is making sure that it still looks elegant. Our goal is to give older items a new life so they can do the same for your home.
Staying Closer to Nature
Fancy words like vintage and rustic aside, when you think about a farmhouse, you feel closer to nature. No matter how modern and high-tech your life is, being close to nature is, well, in human nature. That’s where earthen colors come in.
A Scandinavian design may focus on neutral shades, but our modern farmhouse design loves the browns and russet reds, the off-whites and metallic grays of a working farmhouse.
If you are too minimalistic with colors, your farmhouse runs the risk of never looking clean. A dark slate floor masks the time children forget to take off boots after feeding chickens, an off-white counter hides the tell-tale signs of long baking, and so on.
Yes, we understand that many modern homeowners will not actually run a working farmhouse, but the color scheme should still match the design theme.
Adding the Comfort
While leaning close to nature, we never forget about comfort. That’s where blankets and rugs come in. In fact, they are an integral part of the vintage farmhouse.
This is because old farmhouses were often large and drafty. So, people have traditionally used rugs and blankets to increase the comfort and warmth of their living quarters.
We believe they add to the charm of a farmhouse design and often incorporate them into various rooms in the house. The bedroom is not the only room where you need to be comfortable!
Using Hunting Cabin Tricks for a Genuine Farmhouse Feel
Farmhouses and hunting cabins are functionally different, but much of the difference is based on location. We believe in design for any location, so we aren’t afraid of adding a little hunting cabin feel to the farmhouse design.
From trophy cases and beautiful throw rugs to a functional canning kitchen and a large family dining table, hunting cabin decor and vintage farmhouse really do fit together.
Many choose to decorate their homes this way not because they are hunters or farmers, but because they are attracted to the simple lifestyle that a vintage farmhouse reflects.
Family, hard work, and closeness to nature tie the farmhouse and hunting cabin together and inspire an impressively effective design.
Diving Into the Vintage Farmhouse Design
As you see, our rules for vintage farmhouse design are fairly simple, but we believe our work speaks for itself.
Feel free to stop by our design showcase or browse our vintage farmhouse-themed posts on the blog. Once you realize that you love everything vintage and everything farmhouse, book a design consultation at any convenient time.