One of the most popular trends in homebuilding and remodeling today is farmhouse style. If you want your new or existing home to follow this style, you’ve come to the right place! Below, our farmhouse style 101 guide breaks down the core design elements homeowners must know to create their dream rustic home.

Natural Materials Create Authentic Foundation

Wood serves as the backbone of farmhouse design, appearing in everything from exposed ceiling beams to wide-plank flooring. Reclaimed barn wood brings authentic character to walls and accent pieces, while natural stone adds texture through fireplace surrounds and backsplashes.

Metal elements complement organic textures beautifully. Wrought iron fixtures, galvanized steel accents, and aged copper details introduce industrial touches that prevent farmhouse spaces from feeling overly rustic.

Neutral Color Palettes

Farmhouse color schemes draw inspiration from nature’s most calming hues. Creamy whites, soft grays, and warm beiges dominate walls and larger furniture pieces, creating a serene backdrop that allows architectural details to shine. These neutral foundations provide flexibility for seasonal decorating and make spaces feel timeless rather than trendy.

Subtle color variations prevent monotony while maintaining cohesion. Weathered wood tones, sage greens, and muted blues appear as accent colors through textiles, pottery, and artwork.

Statement Tables Anchor Living Spaces

The dining table is a core design element of farmhouse style 101. These pieces often feature thick wooden tops, with sturdy trestle bases or turned legs supporting them. The imperfections and wear patterns tell stories, adding character that mass-produced furniture lacks.

Coffee tables follow similar principles, showcasing reclaimed wood construction or distressed paint finishes. These functional pieces serve as gathering points while displaying curated collections of books, vintage finds, and fresh greenery.

Cozy Seating Invites Relaxation

Upholstered furniture in farmhouse settings prioritizes comfort without sacrificing style. Slipcovered sofas in natural linen or cotton fabrics offer casual elegance while providing practical benefits like easy cleaning and seasonal updates. Deep cushions and relaxed silhouettes encourage family gatherings and lazy Sunday afternoons.

Vintage-inspired armchairs and benches add personality to corners and entryways. Distressed leather, worn wood, and weathered paint finishes contribute to the collected-over-time aesthetic that defines authentic farmhouse style.

Accessories and Decor That Complete the Look

Authentic farmhouse style thrives on character and history, often incorporating antique finds that tell a story. Repurposed mason jars, weathered signs, and aged metal containers add a rich patina of age, connecting modern homes to agricultural heritage. These elements, along with handcrafted textiles like quilts, throws, and pillows made from natural fibers, soften spaces and introduce tactile warmth.

Beyond smaller decorative items, consider structural accessories, like your home’s doors. Barn-style doors are trending for homeowners as many love their vintage, rustic feel and space-saving qualities. Natural elements also play a crucial role, bridging indoor and outdoor living with fresh flowers, potted herbs, and seasonal branches.

Creating Your Personal Farmhouse Haven

Farmhouse style succeeds when it reflects genuine appreciation for simplicity, comfort, and natural beauty. The core elements of weathered materials, neutral palettes, substantial furniture, and meaningful accessories work together to create spaces that feel both refined and relaxed. Start with one room and gradually incorporate these timeless elements to transform your home into a sophisticated farmhouse retreat that celebrates both luxury and authenticity.

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A well-placed mirror can do more than reflect a pretty room; it can open up tight spaces, balance natural light, and add an intentional touch to any interior. From oversized hallway panels to subtle powder room accents, mirrors have the power to boldly enhance a space or quietly elevate it. Here are five tips for choosing the right mirror for your space.

1. Match the Mirror to the Purpose

Mirrors should serve a specific role, not just act as decorative filler. A bathroom vanity mirror, for example, needs to offer clarity and proportion. By contrast, a hallway or entryway mirror can afford to be bold and architectural, creating drama while visually expanding narrow areas.

Always ask: What is this mirror going to do for the space?

2. Frame Style Should Echo the Room

A mirror’s frame doesn’t need to match your fixtures exactly, but it should speak the same design language. Instead of focusing solely on color, think in terms of material, finish, and weight. A delicate vintage frame might look out of place next to a monolithic stone fireplace, whereas a simple metal frame or frameless design can offer just the right amount of contrast.

Ornate frames tend to work best in spaces with rich textures, layered fabrics, or traditional millwork, where they feel cohesive rather than overbearing.

3. Think in Layers

Mirrors shouldn’t always be a standalone feature. Layering mirrors with lighting, art, and furnishings can create depth and intention, especially in larger or more formally styled rooms. Picture a grand floor mirror flanked by sconces in a walk-in closet, or a pair of mirrored panels in a dining room reflecting candlelight.

This layered approach mirrors broader design trends, such as the resurgence of mixed materials, textured finishes, and warm-toned wood flooring.

4. Don’t Forget Wall Depth and Treatment

Wall surfaces influence how a mirror looks and how it’s perceived. Mounted on drywall, a mirror may feel flush and clean-lined. Against paneled wood or textured stone, however, a deeper or beveled design tends to offer better contrast.

On richly layered walls, ultra-thin mirrors may disappear altogether. Choosing one with enough presence keeps it from getting visually lost.

5. Be Strategic With Sunlight

Mirrors can enhance natural light, but careful placement is crucial. A mirror positioned opposite a window will brighten a room, but it can also intensify direct sunlight, bouncing rays onto nearby flooring. Over time, this added exposure can lead to fading or discoloration, especially with wood surfaces.

To avoid issues related to sun damage and hardwood floors, track how sunlight moves through the room at different times of day before committing to placement. Try propping the mirror up temporarily and checking for strong reflected light in midday or afternoon hours. Even a slight angle adjustment can help preserve your floors while still amplifying natural brightness.

Style That Reflects Intention

Mirrors shape the energy, proportions, and flow of a room, particularly in larger homes where design decisions are highly visible. These five tips for choosing the right mirror for your space will help you move beyond basic choices and into design that feels deliberate.

When you’re stuck between two sizes, choose the larger one. A mirror that’s slightly too big generally looks more refined than one that’s too small.

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Inviting guests over to your home can always be nerve-racking. Thankfully, you can use a few decor ideas that can break the ice and make your guests more comfortable. The key to starting a conversation is initiating curiosity. You can easily do this by adding decor items that naturally stand out. Here are some eye-catching decor items you can add to your home to spark conversations.

Statement Mirrors

Statement mirrors are more than practical necessities; they can also be a work of art. A bold and unique mirror set can spark curiosity and conversations. For example, a mirror with a baroque design in the entryway can make it feel dramatic, while a geometric-framed mirror can give a room a more stylish and contemporary feel. Try placing the mirror opposite to a window or artwork, as this can amplify its visual impact.

Oversized Wall Art

What better way to catch your guest’s eye than with oversized wall art? Large statement pieces are a great way to redirect focus and attention in a room. Consider custom pieces that have meaning to you, which you can then use to captivate guests and invite them to ask about its story or creator. Additionally, you can dedicate a wall to a single artist’s work, bringing cohesiveness to the design.

Antique Silverware

Antique silverware adds historical charm and sophistication to your decor. Some essential antique flatware items, like forks and plates, can evoke a sense of nostalgia and spark conversations about family heirlooms and craftsmanship throughout history. Adding a display of antique silverware on your kitchen wall or sideboard can also give a touch of elegance to your home.

Unique Lighting and Furniture

When it comes to lighting fixtures and furniture, functionality is not the only thing they are good for. A sculptural chandelier, a mid-century modern floor lamp, or a quirky velvet chair in a bold hue can double as statement pieces for your home and entertainment for your guests. To make unique and bold furniture truly shine, make sure to pair it with a more neutral or subtle decor.

Style That Speaks Volumes

A welcoming and stylish home can create a lasting impact on your guests. From statement mirrors to precious antiques, these items can initiate big conversations. Adding eye-catching home decor items to spark conversation makes your guests feel more comfortable and eager to visit again.

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People are always wonder what’s in and what’s out in home decor. Paint colors may change yearly, but key ins and outs center on how we live our lives.

What’s in and what’s out for home building, home improvements and home decor?

What are today’s pickier homebuyers seeking?

What are Realtors and decorators and savvy home remodelers suggesting to their clients?

• WHATS IN:
  Natural flooring: Think (certain) woods, stone and removable coverings (area rugs).
  Elevated water faucets. It’s the way we cook and live.
  Deeper earth tints and hues throughout.
  Water elements/fountains in the north and southeast sections of the home (nod to compass Feng Shui).
  Climate-appropriate garden plantings.
  Wine cellars.
• WHATS OUT:
  Stainless steel appliances are high maintenance.
  Bamboo flooring: Much promise, poor wear-ability.
  Staircases that face front door: Bad Feng Shui.
  Wood laminate flooring: Too clicky.
  Wall-to-wall carpeting throughout the home.
  Wet bars.
• Care to add to these lists?

I find more and more buyers welcoming clean surfaces that are easily relieved of dust and dirt.

They want floors that can be thoroughly cleaned, sinks that can accommodate both mop buckets and pasta pots, and area rugs, especially in the kitchen and dining areas, that can be sent out for cleaning–or better yet, washed and dried at home on a more frequent basis.

Wine storage is in; wet bars are out. Homeowners have tried bamboo flooring and found that it warps and lacks in wear-ability. The ubiquitous stainless appliances? Fingerprints and smears are a nightmare. These finishes, unless newer ones that resist prints,  are NOT meant for real cooks and families!

Moreover, more and more people are discovering allergies to dust mites. They wish to avoid all conditions that invite their habitation and reproduction. Dusty draperies and musty carpeting are quickly losing favor with many buyers.

Finally, it only makes ecological sen$e to utilize native plantings that thrive in native conditions. Our San Diego gardens bloom best with plantings that require little water and lots of sunshine. New Orleans, Houston or Dayton, Ohio would naturally offer different blooming conditions.

What home decor trends are you seeing in your area of the country?

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