Primitive farmhouse design is becoming increasingly popular, since it's an inexpensive way to create a coherent design aesthetic across your entire home. It relies on simplicity and neutral colors, so it's easy to find pieces that can work with this design style. The primitive farmhouse aesthetic makes your home look brighter and more inviting, and it's more forgiving of blemishes than other design styles—scratched surfaces only add character to the rustic design. This makes it a perfect choice for families. To help you decorate your home in the primitive farmhouse style, follow the three tips below.
1. Focus on Natural Textures Rather Than Color
The most important thing to keep in mind about primitive farmhouse design is that it centers around natural textures to add visual appeal rather than eye-catching colors. Wood, linen, and iron textures should be the design focus of the room.
The colors you choose to decorate with should be warm and neutral, with plenty of white, gray, and brown. Strong colors like dark red or bright yellow should be avoided, as they carry a more contemporary look that clashes with farmhouse décor. You should also avoid overusing pastels, since this is closer to a French design style. Focusing on neutral colors and earth tones will help bring attention to the natural textures in the room.
2. Restore Vintage Furniture for an Authentic Look
An inexpensive way to create a primitive farmhouse design in your home is to purchase old furniture from thrift stores or vintage furniture shops and restore them. You can sand down old wooden furniture in order to check the condition of the wood. If it's in good shape, apply a matte finish to it and let the natural wood grain show through. Unfinished wood is a common element in primitive farmhouse design, but a matte finish doesn't add much gloss and helps to protect your furniture from moisture.
If the wooden furniture is deeply scratched or gouged, you can paint it with chalk paint for a shabby chic look. As long as you pick rustic items of furniture and give them a flat finish, they'll be excellent additions to your primitive farmhouse design. Glossy finishes are more associated with modern design aesthetics, so they should be avoided.
3. Incorporate Utilitarian Modern Design Elements
While stainless steel and concrete wouldn't have been part of an old country farmhouse, they fit in very well with the primitive farmhouse design aesthetic. You should consider these materials for your countertops or backsplashes. They're both utilitarian, which suits the primitive farmhouse design, and the texture adds a significant amount of visual interest to the room.
Overall, primitive farmhouse design relies on using natural textures, neutral colors, and focusing on function rather than appearance. You should strive to make your home look inviting and lived-in rather than perfectly arranged. If you're having trouble bringing this style into your home, you always have the option of contacting an interior designer in your area who is familiar with the primitive farmhouse aesthetic and how to achieve it inexpensively.
