Creating a Cozy Contemporary Farmhouse Living Room

The modern farmhouse decorating style has soared in popularity over the last few years. This contemporary twist on rustic design blends comfort with sleek lines, creating a feel that is simultaneously bright and cozy. The appeal of this design is that it allows for a clean sanctuary while maintaining a comforting vibe. Combinations of brushed metals and antique patina create a welcome compromise between old and new, allowing for a celebration of history within the modern lifestyle. Here are some tips for incorporating the modern farmhouse ideas for a living room.

Start With a Neutral Palette

A neutral background of layered creams, whites, and light grays allows for the modern fresh look that the farmhouse style depends upon. The use of graduated colors or a variety of neutral shades from the same color group provides consistency between rooms.

Play With Darker Colors

Add interest by incorporating pops of contrasting dark colors with the neutrals. Black is a perfect complement to crisp whites, creating a striking background for accents and furnishings. Other farmhouse colors to try include ink blues, charcoal grays, and emerald greens. These colors add the modern touch you need in contrast with your neutral palette. Rich jewel tones, such as terracottas and ocean blues, or even pastel pinks or greens, add an unexpected shot of personality on accent walls, furniture, rugs, and accessories.

Layer Weathered Materials

Modern home design uses sparse materials like stainless steel and polished stone. The farmhouse look starts with the same palette but softens it with natural finishes. Adding a weathered finish to contemporary materials brings warmth and character with raw, untreated woods, vintage wicker, exposed brick, and aged tiles. Furniture and accents should include lots of texture, using tumbled linens, thick wool, and reclaimed wood.

Reveal Architectural Features

While many elements of contemporary farmhouse design can be added to a home, you can work with what you have in your existing home and tweak it to give off the farmhouse vibe. Here are some architectural elements that are central to the modern farmhouse living room:

• Barn doors absolutely scream farmhouse, and they have skyrocketed in popularity. The true farmhouse look comes from barn boards and vintage hardware. Vintage doors on rails can create a similar look on a slimmer scale. Barn doors also help to maximize space. Because they slide along the wall, they don't require floor space to open.
• Brushed metals are a hallmark of the farmhouse look. Oil-rubbed bronze, weathered iron, brushed steel, and copper on fixtures, accents, and railings all provide an industrial vibe that meshes beautifully with the clean lines and textures of the farmhouse design concept.
• Shiplap on walls has experienced a resurgence in recent years. There are many options for using shiplap and it's comforting aesthetic. It can be used subtly on a feature wall or as an accent for just a touch of farmhouse vibe, or it can wrap a whole room for a more intense look.
• Overhead beams provide visual interest in any room, but they have a special place in a living room. Dark stained beams create a log cabin feel, adding to the coziness while also drawing your eye to the lines of the room. If you have exposed beams in your house, celebrate them as another natural addition to your modern farmhouse style. If you don't have them, you can add them using reclaimed wood or even fabricated pieces that will save money.
• A stone or wooden mantel is another eclectic element that adds to a home's rustic charm. While the stone mantel is usually associated with French and English country designs, it is perfectly suited to a farmhouse-inspired living room. 

Don't Fuss With Furnishing

Furnishings and accents can make or break your farmhouse style. Chairs and sofas should be oversized, comfortable, and easy to clean. Slipcovers in crisp whites provide a practical canvas to showcase a few vintage pillows and throws. Antique furniture provides the perfect complement to comfy white seating options. A classic armoire offers valuable hidden storage space behind a stylish exterior. Stick with larger pieces that don't appear too delicate; love lines in the furniture add interest and fit right into the farmhouse aesthetic.

If you are looking to turn your home into a modern farmhouse oasis, Antique Farm House has what you're looking for. Check out their website for farmhouse-inspired furniture, accent pieces, and design inspiration.