Updating Farmhouse Style
The New Modern Twists on a Transitional Theme
By: Barbara Schmidt, studiobstyle.com
The Farmhouse trend has been around for a while. It is still by far the most pervasive, overarching interior trend out there. Why is it popular? It’s a comfortable design and somewhat open for individualization. Farmhouse styles range from clapboard farmhouses to urban lofts.
How can you build on a style trend that has been shown over and over again? Make it Modern that’s how. Add the following creative twists and you’ll have a recipe for your own unique Farmhouse kitchen design.
Matte is The New Cabinet Surface
What is great about Farmhouse style is that it is so often a black and white theme. These are neutral colors that can blend with a lot of different textures and finishes.
We’ve all seen high gloss white cabinet fronts before. Now there’s a new matte white and a matte black option with Wilsonart’s Traceless™ product. We created custom cabinetry for the refrigerator in matte white and the under-counter cabinets are fabricated out of matte black. These new surfaces resist fingerprints and add interest to the overall textural design of the space.
2. Quartz is the Number One Countertop
There’s a reason why quartz countertops are the most preferred material in kitchens today – they have subtle design and they are super durable. This new Enchanted Rock Quartz by Wilsonart is just part of their new color selection this year.
We chose this particular countertop because of the sophisticated look and feel. The shiny finish is a great juxtaposition against the matte finish of the cabinetry and the delicate veining pattern is just the organic pattern to soften the modern lines of the cabinetry.
3. Touches of Gold
We designed this space for entertaining and the lux touch of the Schaub and Company Heathrow golden brass hardware adds that higher-end feel. We were especially excited to find that Schaub also manufacturers oversized appliance pulls.
In our design, we mixed the gold and black finishes but matched the pull style to maintain cohesiveness. The brushed finishes really highlight the blend of matte black and satin brass.
4. Keep Some Classic
What is so great about marble tile is that it is timeless. By using a traditional herringbone marble, we were able to warm up the modern windowscape with pattern. Especially with the oversized cabinetry and windows, we needed a smaller patterned tile to build interest into the backsplash.
Our selection of Jeffrey Court Inc. Statuario Marble Mosaic added that twist of traditional that feels warmer and cozier.
5. Focal Point Faucet
Creating symmetry is one of the underlying tenants of Farmhouse design. We designed the windows and the cabinetry to create that visual repetition and symmetry.
The Opulence® Two Handle Bridge Faucet is the traditional element in a modern over scaled environment. Bridge faucets themselves are symmetrical and feel substantial in design. They are one of our favorites to weight the kitchen sink design and with cross handles we blended back in some of the traditional aspects Farmhouses from the past.
Barbara Schmidt is a renowned Interior Designer and Brand Expert with the firm studiobstyle. She is regularly featured nationally in numerous publications and a guest speaker at industry events such as the National Kitchen and Bath Show.