How to Style Vintage Farmhouse Décor in Your Home
You don’t have to live on a 30-acre plot of land to surround yourself with vintage farmhouse décor! If you’re looking to fill your home with more intentional, stylish, and functional pieces, then this style is the one for you.
But where did the vintage farmhouse style originate? Why has it remained so popular over the years? What design elements should you keep in mind when shopping for antique farmhouse décor? Answer all these questions and more with our complete guide to this beloved aesthetic.
What is Vintage Farmhouse Décor?
Vintage farmhouse décor is inspired by rural living, combining beautiful vintage pieces with a rustic, lived-in charm to create something straight out of yesteryear. Compared to the magical vibe of fairycore or the timeless style of grandmillennial, the aesthetic prioritizes comfort, nostalgia, and utilitarianism above all else. While real wooden furniture, functional décor, and family heirlooms are often featured in antique farmhouse décor, there are no exact guidelines for what fits into the category—but believe us, you’ll know it when you see it.
Why is Vintage Farmhouse Décor Trending?
Vintage farmhouse décor has never really gone out of style. Drawing inspiration from early design choices seen across Europe and colonial American farmhouses throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, modern farmhouse furniture and décor continue to remain a popular choice for interior decorators everywhere. But why?
3 Reasons Vintage Farmhouse Décor is Popular:
Nostalgia
Cozy atmosphere
History
1. Vintage Farmhouse Décor Triggers Nostalgia
For some people, their love of antique farmhouse décor stems directly from their nostalgia for simpler times. Even if you didn’t grow up galivanting on your grandparents’ farm, there seems to be something deeply sentimental about the style. You don’t need to learn how to tend to a flock of sheep or churn butter–when you decorate with vintage farmhouse décor, you can live your Little House on the Prairie dreams!
2. Antique Farmhouse Décor is Meant to be Cozy
If you, like so many, feel like the world around you is becoming more overwhelming and overstimulating by the day, then decorating your home to be as comforting and cozy as possible is a must. With its muted color palettes, soft textures, and practical design choices, vintage farmhouse décor makes your spaces feel welcoming and inviting, as if every room is asking you to sit down, put your worries at the door, and stay awhile.
3. Vintage Farmhouse Décor Encourages You to Connect with History
Decorating with vintage farmhouse pieces is the perfect opportunity to connect with your roots. Whether it's featuring paintings inspired by the land you live on or showcasing treasured family heirlooms on your mantel, the vintage farmhouse aesthetic demands that every small detail in your spaces should be placed with intention and care.
Do You Have to Live on a Farm to Decorate with Antique Farmhouse Décor?
No! Anyone, regardless of where they live or where they’re from, can fill their homes with antique farmhouse décor. City slickers, suburbanites, and rural locals alike have embraced the aesthetic over the years. If vintage and modern farmhouse furniture calls to you, then why not give it a chance?
Can You Achieve a Vintage Farmhouse Style with Modern Pieces?
If you’ve been dedicated to the aesthetic for years, you’ve probably managed to curate quite the collection of antique furniture, vintage decorations, and handmade textiles. But that’s not the only way to bring your vision for vintage farmhouse décor to life! One of the more accessible methods for decorating with this style is mixing and matching secondhand designs with brand-new farmhouse-inspired pieces.
Though it is made using more contemporary techniques, modern farmhouse furniture boasts all the same styles and color schemes as vintage and antique equivalents, often at a lower price point. So, if you don’t have all the time in the world to spend scouring flea markets for a guest bedframe or your favorite Ohio vendor mall for a pair of wooden side tables, don’t worry! Using a combination of new and old is just as acceptable.
What’s the Best Way to Achieve a Vintage Farmhouse Style?
Whether you’re looking for a top-to-bottom home renovation or a way to breathe new life into a less-visited space in your house, you’re in luck! The vintage farmhouse aesthetic can be accomplished at any scale. That is, as long as you understand the different design elements that make it possible.
Key Elements of Vintage Farmhouse Décor:
Rustic materials
Metal details
Neutral color palette
Heirlooms as décor
Lived-in look
Cozy textiles
Reclaimed furniture
What Kind of Rustic Materials Are Used in Vintage Farmhouse Décor?
When it comes to choosing materials for modern farmhouse furniture, cabinetry, or flooring, remember this: the more rustic, the better. The natural worn and patinaed look of distressed wood, exposed brick, and heavy-duty stone, when utilized side by side, creates a look that is undeniably both stylish and inviting. Between buying vintage farmhouse décor at your local Louisville antique mall and renovating your home interiors, these staple materials are must-haves.
Why is Metal a Popular Choice for Antique Farmhouse Décor Accents?
If you take a closer look at modern farmhouse furniture magazines or interior design Pinterest boards, you’ll notice that many of the rooms have noticeable metal accents. Galvanized metal decorations, whether that’s metal baskets, candlestick holders, or wall hangings, provide the perfect contrast to the warm feel of the wooden and brick elements in the home.
What Color Palettes Are Used for Vintage Farmhouse Décor?
The key to bringing your antique farmhouse décor to life is to stick to neutral and muted color palettes. The more tranquil and serene the color choices for a farmhouse style are, the more inviting your home will feel to friends, family, and acquaintances.
When it comes to painting the walls of your family room or choosing vintage table linens for a dinner party, stay away from stark bright whites and vibrant pops of color. Instead, opt for creamy ivory, muted sage green, rich barnyard red, slate blue, and soft yellows.
Why Do Family Heirlooms Bring a Vintage Farmhouse Style Together?
The vintage farmhouse aesthetic is all about honoring where you came from, and that goes far beyond decorating your home to look straight out of the 1700s. After the paint jobs and modern farmhouse furniture selection have occurred, you’ll have to start thinking about the smaller decorative pieces. To make the space feel uniquely you, and to give a nod to your own rich history, we recommend browsing your own catalog of family heirlooms and treasures.
Do you have a few family portraits or handwritten letters lying around? Consider grabbing a beautiful frame at a Phoenix antique mall and hanging them up for all to see. Have you inherited your grandmother’s prized set of China or her antique clock? Find a way to show them off in your living room with pride. When it comes to vintage farmhouse décor, the more personal, the better!
What’s the Best Way to Accomplish the Lived-In Look of Vintage Farmhouse Décor?
The secret to vintage farmhouse décor is to never let your spaces look too polished. One of the best ways to avoid creating an overly staged space and to make it clear to your guests that your home is a safe place for them to exist in is to feature a well-balanced blend of antique farmhouse décor and modern farmhouse furniture. Having a mixed-and-matched vibe and not being afraid to show signs of life in each high-traffic room will give you that desired, familiar look farmhouse style is known for.
What Kind of Textiles and Patterns Should Be Featured in Vintage Farmhouse Décor?
The textiles you fill your house with are what make it really feel like a home. To curate the cozy and lived-in look of antique farmhouse décor, focus on materials that would’ve been around hundreds of years ago, whenever possible. From linen window treatments and cotton tablecloths in the kitchen to chunky knit quilts and high-quality wool blankets on each bed, natural and durable fabrics are the only way to go.
As for patterns, you’ll want to stick to those commonly found back in the day. Gingham, plaid, ticking stripes, florals, and tartan are a few that will blend right in, wherever you put them.
Popular Textiles for Vintage Farmhouse Aesthetic:
Burlap
Wool
Cotton
Linen
Canvas
Lace
Does Reclaimed Furniture or Modern Farmhouse Furniture Suit the Style Better?
When it comes time to pick the furniture pieces for your vintage farmhouse décor, you may think you have an important decision to make: reclaimed furniture or modern farmhouse furniture? The truth is, if done well, you can buy a few pieces from each category and enjoy the best of both worlds.
Reclaimed furniture, crafted from secondhand or salvaged materials, is more than a way to beckon in a vintage feel to your home. These carefully repurposed pieces prevent high-quality wood from ending up in the landfill. Thrifting reclaimed furniture from an antique store and giving it a second (or third) chance at life in your home is what the design aesthetic is all about.
If you can’t find the armchair, roller desk, or side table you’re looking for at the vintage furniture store in Indiana, don’t worry. There are plenty of companies that produce modern farmhouse furniture to fit the same look. These pieces incorporate the warmth of traditional farmhouse pieces with cleaner lines, newer materials, and more contemporary elements.
5 Tips for Curating Your Vintage Farmhouse Home Décor:
Tip 1. Mix and match: In the olden days, nothing was too cohesive. To create your own vintage farmhouse aesthetic, feel free to play around with mixing and matching new and old furniture pieces and different materials, textures, and patterns.
Tip 2. Order custom: If you have a couch you love, but are trying to restyle the room, consider ordering custom cushion covers to match the more rustic aesthetic.
Tip 3. Check for authenticity: When you’re looking into vintage and antique farmhouse décor, determine the age and authenticity of it before buying. Since the farmhouse aesthetic is on the rise, there are plenty of contemporary companies releasing replicas—you wouldn’t want to be duped into paying more than something is worth!
Tip 4. Incorporate personal pieces: The vintage farmhouse aesthetic is all about personalization. Instead of hanging up dime-a-dozen prints and using a set of modern mugs, feel empowered to feature your own cherished items around the house.
Tip 5. Focus on the lighting: Stay away from harsh overhead lights whenever possible. Instead, search for warm-toned vintage lighting at the Streetsboro antique mall. Decorative table lamps, rustic chandeliers, and exposed Edison bulbs all help make your home feel extra inviting.
Where’s the Best Place to Thrift Vintage Farmhouse Décor?
Wanting to decorate with vintage farmhouse designs is one thing; actually finding the right pieces is another. When you’re ready to shop for antique farmhouse décor, head to your nearest Melbourne antique mall. With hundreds of vendors under one roof, each with their own carefully curated collection, hunting down the perfect vintage and modern farmhouse furniture, decorations, and textiles is possible. And, with an ever-changing stock, no two visits are the same, meaning you can return again and again for future purchases.
Best Vintage Farmhouse Décor Pieces to Search for at the Antique Mall:
Floor lamps
Metal trays
Wooden crates
Spice racks
Curtains
Wood dining tables
Upcycling Items for Vintage Farmhouse Décor
Antique farmhouse décor is all about utilitarianism. If you have any items laying around the house that weren’t originally made to be decorations, but that blend well with the aesthetic, consider upcycling them to work with your desired aesthetic. Glass bottles in the window, a vintage sewing machine on display in the family room, a vintage typewriter in the home office, a stack of retro suitcases for storage—the list goes on and on.
If you’ve been looking for a sign to restyle your home with antique farmhouse décor, this is it! Soon enough, entering your home will feel like stepping back in time. Stop by America’s Antique Mall today to find the perfect pieces.
