Bringing the Country Style Home to The Coast
Farmhouse Rules
Courtesy Kohler
Is country decorating back? No, now it’s farmhouse. Sure, the friendliness of the country style is still there, but there’s none of the clutter, roosters and dried flowers we remember from Grandma’s house. Instead, we have fresh, drool-worthy minimalism that fuses vintage and modern, rustic and sleek. It’s epitomized in Joanna Gaines’ “Fixer Upper” show on HGTV, blogs such as Yvonne Pratt’s Stone Gable, catalogs from purveyors like Crate & Barrel and Restoration Hardware, and even glossy magazines usually celebrating high glamour.
Emerald Coast designers call farmhouse a look made in heaven, especially because it’s so versatile.
“It adapts to practically any home except the most formal,” says Brooke Williams of Lovelace Interiors in Destin. “Condo, bungalow, cottage or ranch, traditional or modern. Farmhouse works anywhere. And it’s so easy to achieve.”
In celebration of EC Magazine’s 15th anniversary, Williams and other design pros have come up with a list of 15 top farmhouse elements but urge you not to change the whole house all at once.
“Let it happen naturally, over time,” recommends Susan Henry of Ava’s Attic in Miramar Beach. “You can’t rush this look. Besides, think of the fun of scouring shops and flea markets for things that warm your heart.”
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30ArtisanThe rustic farmhouse table is a natural for long talks, good wine and Saturday-morning waffle sessions. Consider it for the kitchen or dining room, suggests Karen Waterfield of Sugar Beach Interiors in Miramar Beach. Surround it with unmatched chairs or long benches. Want cushions? Think feedsack covers or classic ticking.30ArtisanThe rustic farmhouse table is a natural for long talks, good wine and Saturday-morning waffle sessions. Consider it for the kitchen or dining room, suggests Karen Waterfield of Sugar Beach Interiors in Miramar Beach. Surround it with unmatched chairs or long benches. Want cushions? Think feedsack covers or classic ticking.
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Isacks ImageryThe barn door is farmhouse-chic, whether made of aged timbers or new wood. Carolyn Simmons of 30A Interiors in Santa Rosa Beach calls it a great space-saver and likes to use barn doors for pantries and bedroom or home office closets. “It’s wonderful for our unpretentious, barefoot lifestyle here along the coast,” she says.
Look for a gloriously old-fashioned four-poster bed and dress it with the softest white sheets, fluffy pillows, dotted Swiss coverlet or handcrafted quilt. Always drape a comfy white duvet at the bottom of the bed. Four-posters are readily available at antique shops, auctions and even flea markets. Often they’re made of beautiful, no-longer-available mahogany, so if you adopt one, don’t paint it. Clean it up and polish it.
Waterfield is a big fan of repurposed wood for floors, in kitchens and elsewhere around the house. “We do a lot of time-worn, scrubbed finishes,” she says. “It adds great farmhouse presence, even in contemporary settings, and it goes coastal in a blink of an eye.”Isacks ImageryThe barn door is farmhouse-chic, whether made of aged timbers or new wood. Carolyn Simmons of 30A Interiors in Santa Rosa Beach calls it a great space-saver and likes to use barn doors for pantries and bedroom or home office closets. “It’s wonderful for our unpretentious, barefoot lifestyle here along the coast,” she says.
Look for a gloriously old-fashioned four-poster bed and dress it with the softest white sheets, fluffy pillows, dotted Swiss coverlet or handcrafted quilt. Always drape a comfy white duvet at the bottom of the bed. Four-posters are readily available at antique shops, auctions and even flea markets. Often they’re made of beautiful, no-longer-available mahogany, so if you adopt one, don’t paint it. Clean it up and polish it.
Waterfield is a big fan of repurposed wood for floors, in kitchens and elsewhere around the house. “We do a lot of time-worn, scrubbed finishes,” she says. “It adds great farmhouse presence, even in contemporary settings, and it goes coastal in a blink of an eye.” -
Isacks ImageryCeiling beams harvested from old barns or mills are natural farmhouse elements. The more knots and gnarls, the better. Painting them may seem sinful, but design pros say that white paint actually highlights the “warts,” so the space appears fresher yet retains an industrial vibe.Isacks ImageryCeiling beams harvested from old barns or mills are natural farmhouse elements. The more knots and gnarls, the better. Painting them may seem sinful, but design pros say that white paint actually highlights the “warts,” so the space appears fresher yet retains an industrial vibe.
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Isacks ImageryBead board for wainscoting is a DIYer’s favorite. “Easy to install,” remarks Yvonne Pratt, who provides clever DIY tips to 700,000 fans tuning in to her blog. “A little dab of chalk paint here and there and it’ll look like it came straight from an old plantation. It’s great for a kitchen, bath, dining room or hallway.”Isacks ImageryBead board for wainscoting is a DIYer’s favorite. “Easy to install,” remarks Yvonne Pratt, who provides clever DIY tips to 700,000 fans tuning in to her blog. “A little dab of chalk paint here and there and it’ll look like it came straight from an old plantation. It’s great for a kitchen, bath, dining room or hallway.”
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30ArtisanArepurposed coffee table is an easy way to add industrial chic to a living room. It could be a wheeled cart from an old factory, a packing crate, one or two tree stumps or an antique trunk. All would be standouts when paired with a modern sofa.30ArtisanArepurposed coffee table is an easy way to add industrial chic to a living room. It could be a wheeled cart from an old factory, a packing crate, one or two tree stumps or an antique trunk. All would be standouts when paired with a modern sofa.
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DXVWhat better place to start than in the kitchen, and Cheryl Kees Clendenon of In Detail Interiors of Pensacola singles out the farmhouse sink as a classic and timeless feature. “One of my favorites is American Standard’s Orchard sink,” she says. “It features solid walls and a deep bowl that hides everything you put in it.”DXVWhat better place to start than in the kitchen, and Cheryl Kees Clendenon of In Detail Interiors of Pensacola singles out the farmhouse sink as a classic and timeless feature. “One of my favorites is American Standard’s Orchard sink,” she says. “It features solid walls and a deep bowl that hides everything you put in it.”
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Painted kitchen cabinetry with glass-fronted upper cabinets and open shelves that lend themselves to orderly displays of china and glassware is farmhouse-perfect, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Wood countertops, black hardware and white subway tile on the backsplashes complement the look, adds Brooke Williams.Painted kitchen cabinetry with glass-fronted upper cabinets and open shelves that lend themselves to orderly displays of china and glassware is farmhouse-perfect, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Wood countertops, black hardware and white subway tile on the backsplashes complement the look, adds Brooke Williams.
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The Mason jar is every farmhouse decorator’s friend. “Plunk flowers in it, fill it with marbles or pods and twigs, dip it in Epsom salt for a frosted look, put a tea light in it,” says Pratt. “A flock of Mason jars can even become pendant lights for the kitchen.”
Accessories can be useful as well as interesting. Pratt likes trays of all kinds, from primitive low crates or baskets to silver versions with edges. They are excellent for arranging pretty tablescapes and corral collectibles that would otherwise create clutter, she says.
In a recent show, Joanna Gaines demonstrated how found items can become fascinating art. An old bicycle was cleaned up and hung on the wall of a home office, and a section of picket fencing, paint peeling, became a sculpture hanging over a sleek sofa. Other found items to adopt as farmhouse art: wooden or iron tools, advertising signs, game boards, antique wooden windows and shutters and textiles with character.The Mason jar is every farmhouse decorator’s friend. “Plunk flowers in it, fill it with marbles or pods and twigs, dip it in Epsom salt for a frosted look, put a tea light in it,” says Pratt. “A flock of Mason jars can even become pendant lights for the kitchen.”
Accessories can be useful as well as interesting. Pratt likes trays of all kinds, from primitive low crates or baskets to silver versions with edges. They are excellent for arranging pretty tablescapes and corral collectibles that would otherwise create clutter, she says.
In a recent show, Joanna Gaines demonstrated how found items can become fascinating art. An old bicycle was cleaned up and hung on the wall of a home office, and a section of picket fencing, paint peeling, became a sculpture hanging over a sleek sofa. Other found items to adopt as farmhouse art: wooden or iron tools, advertising signs, game boards, antique wooden windows and shutters and textiles with character. -
The painted, distressed cupboard is another farmhouse classic that can go into the kitchen or dining room. “It’s such a good way to bring law and order to collectibles,” notes Susan Henry. “At Ava’s Attic, we make our own paints to give both old and new, custom-built pieces the right distressed finish.”The painted, distressed cupboard is another farmhouse classic that can go into the kitchen or dining room. “It’s such a good way to bring law and order to collectibles,” notes Susan Henry. “At Ava’s Attic, we make our own paints to give both old and new, custom-built pieces the right distressed finish.”
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30ArtisanRustic furniture pieces and accessories such as the ones handcrafted by Michael Nation of 30Artisan in Santa Rosa Beach help create the juxtapositions that are the trademark of farmhouse decorating. A good example is one of 30Artisan’s TV stands made from rough, vintage packing crates, with stenciled product information intact. Perch a sleek flat screen TV on it and every designer will say the contrast is just right.
Keep white paint on hand. “Remember, farmhouses aren’t fussy,” notes Carolyn Simmons. “Materials in them are very textural, yet neutral in color, with a light patina. Interiors are often 50 percent or more white and 25 percent or more natural wood. Also, some of our favorite accessory finds — such as industrial wheels and farm tools — stand out against white walls.”30ArtisanRustic furniture pieces and accessories such as the ones handcrafted by Michael Nation of 30Artisan in Santa Rosa Beach help create the juxtapositions that are the trademark of farmhouse decorating. A good example is one of 30Artisan’s TV stands made from rough, vintage packing crates, with stenciled product information intact. Perch a sleek flat screen TV on it and every designer will say the contrast is just right.
Keep white paint on hand. “Remember, farmhouses aren’t fussy,” notes Carolyn Simmons. “Materials in them are very textural, yet neutral in color, with a light patina. Interiors are often 50 percent or more white and 25 percent or more natural wood. Also, some of our favorite accessory finds — such as industrial wheels and farm tools — stand out against white walls.”
Categories: Decorating
