Published July 2022 | Updated May 2025
What is Farmhouse Style?
It’s not difficult to imagine the roots of farmhouse style. Think rural landscapes dotted with farmhouses and a design ethos that blends traditional aesthetics with practicality and a relaxed vibe. This uniquely American design style is a cousin to English cottage and shabby chic, and encompasses rustic farmhouse or modern farmhouse styles as well.
Farmhouse style, whether rustic or modern, has a few core elements:
- Distressed wood furniture contrasted with white-washed brick or ship-lapped walls is a classic visual for a farmhouse look. Exposed wood beams, wainscotting or picture rails are celebrated architectural details.
- Expect to see easy going, comfortable furniture that welcomes large gatherings and invites fun-loving conversation.
- A mix of modern and vintage or antique finds, plus sentimental pieces, are peppered throughout a farmhouse-inspired home.
- Natural materials abound in farmhouse decors. Soft elements like linen, cotton or leather, or fibers like seagrass or sisal are combined with hard features like wood, metals and stone to form a balanced look.
- Beiges, creams, whites, greys or greens are some of the tranquil colors in the farmhouse color palette. This neutral landscape is vitalized by adding black or dark metallic accents and fixtures throughout the space.
Which Rugs Amplify Farmhouse Style?
Texture A farmhouse style rug woven from chunky seagrass or thick sisal and wool yarns adds a textural dimension to the neutral hues and classic architectural features customary in farmhouse interiors.
Patterns Plaids, stripes and patterns are an essential element in traditional interiors that when combined with a farmhouse aesthetic, strike just the right balance between polished and playful flourishes. A plaid wool rug or subtly striped sisal runner check the farmhouse style rug box.
Easy Maintenance The welcoming nature of farmhouse style, with its cozy couches and designated gathering areas, requires durable and beautiful floor coverings. Easy to clean SisalPLUS weaves like Lopez have robust, natural fiber texture and are perfect under dining room tables. A SynSisal® weave has softness, soothing colorways, classic structures like herringbone or bouclé, and easy maintenance—all elements that contribute to a relaxed home.
Final Tip for Achieving a Farmhouse Look
A balance between natural, soft elements and solid, hard surfaces is essential for evoking the farmhouse vibe. Bring in metal accents like brass, wrought iron, galvanized steel, or tin in the form of finishes, fixtures, wire baskets or shelving. Balance that with relaxed textiles like a seagrass farmhouse rug and deep, cozy couches and you have the basics of a farmhouse look.
Want to explore more design styles?
Head over to our post How to Choose the Right Rug for Each Design Style to discover different design styles and unforgettable rugs.
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Christy is the Flooring Content Specialist at Curran and sisalcarpet.com. She writes about flooring products with a focus on design and sustainability. For 5 years, her blog posts, technical guides, and product descriptions have led customers along the path from purchasing to maintaining their flooring investments. Her favorite natural flooring? A sisal rug, of course.
