7 Common Misconceptions About Farmhouse-Style Houses

When you’re constructing or looking to buy a home, you have a lot of factors to consider. Of course, you want something in a good area, close to work, but you also want a home style that resonates with you. Many families have chosen the farmhouse style as it is relatively simple while still being incredibly cozy and stylish. However, some may hesitate because they have some misconceptions about the style. Read on to learn about seven common misconceptions that people have about farmhouse-style houses.

You Can’t Mix Woods

One significant misconception about farmhouse-style homes is that you can only use one kind of wood in the decoration. It makes sense that people would have this misconception since, when decorating, you aren’t supposed to have too many conflicting ideas. For example, you shouldn’t use too many wildly contrasting colors, and the same goes for wood. However, this doesn’t mean you have to only use one kind of wood for the home.

People likely developed this misconception because there is a great emphasis on natural elements in a farmhouse-style home. Therefore, anything other than natural oak or maple wood can seem off-limits. This same misconception applies to other home styles as well. You can have different wood finishes in whatever home you have—you just have to ensure you coordinate things properly so the decor doesn’t seem chaotic.

You Can Only Have Wood

Stemming from the last point, there is also a misconception that you can only use wood in a farmhouse-style home. Therefore, the only decorations you can have are wood, and there is no place for metals, glasses, or other materials. Like with the last point, this misconception likely stems from the association of natural wood with farmhouse-style homes. There are probably a lot of examples of homes that only use natural woods, but this is not the model that everyone has to follow. At the end of the day, it is your home, and you should consider varying your decor here and there with some other materials.

Farmhouse Decor Must Be Thrifted

A lot of people associate farmhouse-style homes with secondhand items. People feel these homes are rustic, and any newer item that isn’t a little worn is out of place. While many thrifted and secondhand items can complement the style of the home, what’s more important than your home looking rustic is it feeling comfortable and welcoming. There are a lot of items that you can find or repurpose to suit your farmhouse aesthetic, but at the end of the day, it is your home, and you should decorate it how you see fit.

You should still try to have a consistent aesthetic with your home, but you have the freedom to create that aesthetic yourself. You can still go with the traditional decor or go a little off the beaten path by bringing modern decor into your farmhouse home.

You Can’t Mix and Match

Speaking of decor, many think that you have to stick to one decor style to make the farmhouse aesthetic in your home pop. Having one style can do that, but it can also bring down the look of your home, making you and your guests feel suffocated by the style. Instead, you should spice things up with your home and mix and match some different vintage pieces with more modern decorations. Doing this is a great way to give your home some new texture and warmth in every room. It helps you imbue your home with a sense of history while also highlighting the ability to change and incorporate more modern aesthetic qualities.

You Have To Over-Decorate

One of the biggest misconceptions is that if you have a farmhouse-style house, it won’t fully be a farmhouse-style home until you fill it with decorations. There was a period when not many people wanted to get a farmhouse-style home. This lack of interest was because the ones people saw on home decorating shows and online were full of cliché, tacky decorations. People were filling their homes with everything they could find at crafts stores and secondhand auctions, which turned many people away from the style.

This emphasis on heavy decoration went against the theme of simplicity that characterizes farmhouse homes. Thankfully, this misconception is fading away, and more people understand that the farmhouse home is theirs and they can decorate it however they wish, catering it to their particular style.

You Can’t Do a Lot With Color

Similar to the wood predicament, many feel as if they only have so many options to choose from when painting and decorating their farmhouse-style home. Many homeowners think they can only use neutral tones, while others go overboard and throw as much color as possible into their homes. However, a farmhouse-style home is simple and elegant, so you should try to strike a balance with color.

You can use neutral tones to serve as a great backdrop, but you should also create some variance here and there. Color contrast is essential in giving your home some character and making those neutral tones pop. Darker hues are great in the form of statement pieces, or you could invest in some darker finishes on light fixtures, cabinet hardware, chairs, or tables.

You Can’t Mix Textures

A lot of these misconceptions stem from wood. When people think of a farmhouse, they think of farms, and when they think of farms, they think of wood. There’s not much more to it than that, but it has severely hampered how many decide to decorate their homes, and one of those ways is through textures.

You need to use mixed textures in any home you’re in as texture can create visual interest and give your home a more well-rounded feel. For example, you can have some lovely curtains, a blanket, different rugs, or macrame on the wall. Any one of these will bring an excellent sense of diversity to your space.

There are a lot of common misconceptions about farmhouse-style houses, but hopefully, with this list, you can recognize that they are wrong. Farmhouse-style homes are some of the best places to live, and they’ll need some work and care as any other house would. If you are considering building a home, why not consider looking into a luxury farmhouse plan from us at Sater Design Collection? We have all kinds of plans available, so you are sure to end up with a home you love to go to at the end of the day!