Farmhouse Flair

Follow these tips from an 1800s Bucks County, Pennsylvania, stone house to create a fresh-off-the-farm look in your home.

Harvest Hues: Traditional barn red conjures thoughts of everyone’s favorite farm structure. Pair that with other colors cued by the seasons and the environment—such as apple or grassy green, golden flax or straw, and wildflower blue, among others—for a perfect farmhouse palette.

Natural Elements: Exposed beams, rough-hewn mantels, weathered flooring, stonework and other elements that show or mimic years of natural wear contribute great 19th-century appeal. Pair these with fresh and dried florals and woven rugs.

Creative Camouflage: To maintain the illusion of days gone by, keep some modern amenities under wraps. For example, disguise kitchen appliances behind wood panels to blend with the surrounding cabinetry. In her living room, Donna stitched a quilted wall hanging designed to cleverly conceal her television. In a guest bedroom, she keeps a television tucked in a trunk when not in use.

Agrarian Accents: Signs, paintings and other artwork depicting livestock, farmland or countryside scenes contribute to a room’s down-home feel—especially when woven into displays featuring other antiques that reflect early rural life, including antique sewing tools and notions, cooking implements, pottery and more.

Painted red to match the walls, a former window becomes a built-in bookcase in the living room. The chest is not only a coffee table—it holds linens for the sofa bed that accommodates overnight guests.