10 Signs You’re in Love With Farmhouse Decor

When it comes to late-night insta-scrolling, there are certain things guaranteed to catch my eye. At the top of the list are beautiful families living their best lives in equally as beautiful (and, ideally, lovingly restored) farmhouses.

Maybe it’s because farmhouse decor is pretty much the exact opposite of my very modern London flat, or maybe it’s my small-town Pennsylvania upbringing, but there’s something about it that always piques my interest. Naturally, we took this love to the experts to determine what makes farmhouse decor so special?

If any of the below apply to you, then you might be low-key infatuated with farmhouse decor, too.

1. You Have a Thing for Textiles

Even if your home isn’t necessarily farmhouse style, you can’t stop browsing beautiful, country-chic textiles. Interior designer Dee Campling wisely points out that one of the biggest perks of farmhouse decor is the fact that lovely, frilly textiles are a basic requirement. “To offset the chunkiness of farmhouse furniture,” she says, “you can go to town with textiles to soften it.”

If you’re looking to up your own textile game, consider Campling's advice. “Ginghams, florals, and stripes all look amazing in a farmhouse setting.”

2. You Love Pattern Mixing

Speaking of gingham and florals and stripes (oh my!), don’t limit yourself to just one design. Much like my other true love, cottagecore, farmhouse style calls for some serious pattern mixing. Campling also notes that “because the furniture is rustic and haphazard, you can be relaxed and carefree with how you mix your fabric choices.”

3. You Prefer to Go Au Natural

One of the first things to clock on any good farmhouse feed is the kitchen table. My favorite online kitchens center around a large, hardy table, ideally with a lace accent and something freshly baked on top.

We turned to Sam Moseley, co-founder of bespoke furniture company Grain and Frame, to find out why that is. "Farmhouse decor is all about celebrating the beauty of rustic, natural materials,” he says. “It’s fuss-free and functional, where nothing is too polished or staged. Instead, it’s all about creating a modern yet lived-in look that exudes warmth and comfort.”

In a world where we’re all spending more time inside than out, fuss-free and functional is particularly appealing.

4. You’re Here for the Sustainability of It All

Moseley also pointed out that “the key to achieving a classic farmhouse look is all about using reclaimed wood.” And, luckily, when it comes to farmhouse style, there are endless ways to add this element.

“Whether it's timber beams, a wooden floor, or a piece of furniture, such as a dining table, incorporating reclaimed wood is key,” says Sam. Plus, beautiful wooden pieces often speak for themselves, making the rest of your style choices a relative breeze. “Paired with fresh, neutral tones, [farmhouse] style lets the wood do the talking.”

5. You Love a Home’s History

One of the biggest appeals of farmhouse decor to be the dream of taking an old farmhouse and redesigning it into something that’s very much my own—while still respecting its history. Emma Sims Hilditch, founder and creative director at Sims Hilditch Interior Design, agrees.

She particularly suggests maintaining little touches, like exposed wooden beams, as a way to point to its original structure, or adding dreamy details true to the style, like a four-poster bed.

6. You Notice Your Surroundings and Incorporate Them Into Your Design Plan

Hilditch also pointed out the importance of incorporating country surroundings when considering farmhouse decor. Yes, that means lots of wood, but it can also be through things like a neutral, earth-inspired color palette or sisal carpeting.

7. You’ve Fully Embraced Your Inner Hoarder

Sara Combs of The Joshua Tree House interior design team loves that farmhouse decor calls for loading up on the vintage accessories. When it comes to farmhouse styling, “collecting old books, ceramics, and planters is one of our favorite parts of the design process.”

If you also can’t get enough of your local antique market, then you might be overly into farmhouse decor.

8. Everyone Else Is Looking for Spa-Inspired Bathrooms, But You’ve Got Other Ideas

Sure, when it comes to farmhouse decor, the kitchen is probably the first room you imagine. A roaring fireplace in a wood-beamed living room might follow soon after. But George Holland, Bathroom Design Expert at Victorian Plumbing raised an excellent point about farmhouse decor. “This timeless trend can work beautifully in bathrooms, too,” he says. Best of all, you can get the look easily with small accents.

“Dried flowers in your space is a good starting point to give your home a ‘country-esque’ feel.” Consider other small things like “wicker storage baskets or wooden stools. Farmhouse-style chairs sit perfectly in a bathroom, paired with antique mirrors or reclaimed wooden accents such as a towel rack.”

9. You Understand the True Power of Neutral Tones

Neutral tones and farmhouse decor go hand-in-hand, and there are lots of design-specific reasons for that. Almost all of the experts we spoke with agree that it’s one of the key elements of a farmhouse-style home.

But as Liz at Within the Grove points out, the best thing about neutral palettes is the versatility. “A neutral paint color can help set the foundation of a room or home that allows a blending of styles and spaces to take place. Not to mention, home decor can easily be switched up with a neutral color palette used on the walls.”

10. You're Always Looking on Insta for Some Drool-worthy Farmhouse Content

Happy scrolling, fellow farmhouse decor fans! May all your wooden tables be set with the perfect mishmash of vintage bowls, gingham linens, and dried flower arrangements.

• @ourfauxfarmhouse
• @thelittlestonecottage
• @homeatthefarmhouse