Farmhouse kitchen style is everywhere. From the popularity of the Magnolia brand and shows like Fixer-Upper, everybody wants the farmhouse look.
But do you really want it? Is it overrated? Is it a passing trend? Let’s take a deeper dive into farmhouse style to see how it holds up.
There’s a fine line between “cute” and “too much.”
When you fall in love with a certain style, the tendency is to go overboard. With the widespread availability of options in this area, it’s easy to do.
However, incorporating some farmhouse style in with your kitchen theme—as opposed to “everything farmhouse”—can be enough to achieve the look you want.
An actual farmhouse kitchen is quite simplistic, but the popular trends we see on television are driving people toward a look that is almost generic in its ubiquity. This is part of the problem with farmhouse – it’s been very commercialized, so everybody has it.
Initially, when we first started seeing farmhouse kitchens, it was quite unique, and it felt more personal because people would use found items, old items that they’d pick up at garage sales and so on. They would add personalized signs that had meaning to them. Today, when you can buy this sort of décor everywhere, and everybody’s house has the same look, it takes away from the personal and individual nature of the design, and that’s where it hits the breaking point.
Enough, already. Do something different!
If you just love farmhouse style, of course, there’s nothing wrong with it. It can be really pretty, and it’s easy to understand why people want it – just resist the temptation to go overboard.
Keep some of your bigger pieces a little more neutral and incorporate your farmhouse as accents, things that you can easily change if you feel like you want to move on.
For instance, let’s talk about décor pieces and light fixtures. In two years, if you’re sick of seeing these things, you can switch all of it out for something different. Or, you could have an accent wall with pieces you can change up from time to time.
Do it in pieces; that way, at least it’s not your whole kitchen. If it’s only the back of your island, for instance, if you got sick of it, it’s going to be a lot easier to change.
Bottom line – you don’t have to do your entire kitchen in the same style when you could achieve the same look with three or four things. Mix it up with your own personal touches, that’s what is going to make it feel more personal and give your design some longevity.
What you think is “just right” might be too much
Coco Chanel once said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”
That’s an excellent analogy for farmhouse style.
Many of the best pieces you’ll find are so distinct and powerful in their own right. But, if you inundate your home with these items, it will quickly start to look like the Magnolia section at Target. A little goes a long way.
Choosing items like a farmhouse sink and shaker-style cabinet doors will get the point across far more elegantly. Even though the style is saturated at the moment, these are safe, staple items that could withstand the trend without overdoing it.
Mixed and matched styles: right or wrong?
Ultimately, you need to trust yourself. If items from different aesthetics look good together, if you’re drawn to a certain style, do what makes you happy.
However, if your kitchen is farmhouse, your living room is mid-century modern, and your bedroom is contemporary, it will probably feel a bit weird, and more like a showroom than a home.
You should be able to take your accessories and the décor around your home and move it pretty much anywhere.
That said, your accessories don’t have to be all the same color or the same type of wood. Your rooms don’t all have to have the same floor. But, the design should be complimentary from room to room.
Wrapping up the conversation on farmhouse kitchen, bear in mind that it’s your kitchen. You have to live with it, so make sure it’s a design that makes you happy. Lean toward a blend between farmhouse and traditional and think about adding some modern elements to make it your own.
Are you considering a farmhouse makeover for your St. Louis kitchen? We’d love to show you how we can help. Call us today to schedule a consultation and let’s talk about it!
