So, you’re planning to bring chic farmhouse details into your home.
Maybe you want to renovate an old farmhouse or simply just create a more welcoming environment by adding a cozy rustic touch.
Whatever the occasion, there are a lot of barn interior ideas out there that can make it challenging to balance what you should and shouldn’t incorporate.
I’m going to share with you seven simple barn ideas to help transform your home into the farmhouse-inspired space you’re looking to attain.
Decide Which Barn Idea You’d like to Achieve
Before we get started, it’s important to have an idea of which type of farmhouse-inspired style you’re going for – modern country chic or your traditional old fashioned farmhouse.
While both use rustic elements, modern country chic is recognized for stepping away from your typical country design by bringing in softer, contemporary features.
You’ll often find with this style bright, clean, neutral colors. This design also uses weathered whitewashed wood or light pine.
On the other hand, a traditional old fashioned country home is known for using dark brown or redwoods, dim lighting, and colonial colors and patterns.
Whichever farmhouse design you end up choosing, I’ve got a few simple tips that can be used for both. Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust your choice of color based on your preference.
1.) Incorporate Sliding Barn Doors
Whether you’re looking to do a dark, rustic farm design or a bright, chic modern look – incorporating sliding barn doors is a popular design trend.
Traditional farmhouses and barns are recognized for their wide-open spaces. Aside from large windows and high ceilings, rooms can be split with dividers to make them look bigger.
Sliding barn doors are easy to install and can be used for closet doors, bathroom doors, kitchen pantries, or to divide large spaces like a living room connected to a dining room.
2.) Easy Add-ons for Your Kitchen
Often times, people can get caught up in decorating their living and dining room and completely forget about their kitchen. Below I have two ideas that can give your kitchen a naturally inspired farmhouse look without having to remodel completely.
Some simple ways you can give your kitchen a rustic barn home feel is by replacing your old countertops with butter block countertops. This style of countertop is not only natural and gorgeous, but it can be made from practically any wood, which gives you both dark and light wood options to chose from.
Adding in a farmhouse sink is also an easy way to give your kitchen an authentic farm feel. These deep basin-like sinks are ideal for holding lots of water and dishes.
3.) Chose the Right Rustic Flooring
Flooring is an essential part of any home, especially a farm-inspired one. While natural knotty wood floors are a popular choice for old farmhouses, they can be difficult to install if your home doesn’t already have existing natural wood floors.
Another popular flooring choice is rubber pavers, as they can appear to be rustic with many options to chose from like brick or tile. This flooring is not only simple to install yourself, but they are easy to keep clean and are soft on feet.
Rubber pavers are also an excellent option for a patio or outdoor barn floors.
4.) Set the Mood with Lighting
Depending on which type of rustic barn design idea you’re trying to achieve, you’ll want to embrace the mood with the correct lighting.
If you’re looking to create a dim, rustic farmhouse, try incorporating yellow lighting with brass fixtures. For a more fresh and bight country-chic look, you can use white light with contemporary lantern-like fixtures.
Industrial looking fixtures are another popular lighting choice for farmhouses and can work for both a rustic or chic design. You can also try experimenting with twinkle string lights, which can help embrace a soft and cozy atmosphere.
5.) Add Contemporary Touches
Even though you’re trying to embrace the farmhouse country life, adding in some contemporary touches can help pull the room together and offer a modern, realistic feel.
You can try adding some modern chic to your barn interior design by including contemporary paintings or large, weathered mirrors. You can also throw in some neutral colored pillows or a big area rug.
Another way you can create a more modern look is by sprinkling in some pops of Americana colors like blue, red, and yellow. The key is to balance your rustic farmhouse interior with a fresh touch of modern accents.
6.) Tasteful Farm Animal Decor
You’ve probably seen an abundance of barn animal decor in farmhouse chic magazines.
Incorporating a few knickknacks of pigs, chickens, cows, or roosters can be tasteful. However, it can sometimes come across as chintzy. When adding in barn animal decor, remember that less is always more.
There are a lot of other unique rustic decor you can find at auctions or antique shops. Keep an eye out for old wagon wheels to hang on the wall or a weathered ladder to use as a blanket holder.
7.) Include Greenery in the Mix
Last but not least, don’t forget to include plants in your new farmhouse. There’s nothing more welcoming than fresh foliage or flowers scattered throughout a home.
You can easily put some common farmhouse plants in whitewashed pots, or you can throw together a natural herb garden in front of a windowsill.
By including greenery into the mix, you’ll be sure to bring in a more natural, minimal feel. Plus, it will smell nice and clean.
More Interior Design Resources
I hope this article has helped you brainstorm some barn ideas for your home. By incorporating some of the ideas I listed above, you’ll be on your way to creating the cozy rustic barn house of your dreams in no time.
For more articles on interior design, check out the “lifestyle” section on my blog. Here you’ll find even more helpful tips and popular design trends.