You may love the elegant, homey farmhouse look, with its mixed woods, comfortable upholstery, and lots of whites and neutrals.
But is farmhouse decor going out of style? You don’t want to look outdated!
Like many styles, farmhouse style has evolved rather than disappeared. If you love the look, there are absolutely ways to decorate your living room in farmhouse style that are on-trend for 2022.
And here at The Amish Craftsman, we’d love nothing more than to walk you through farmhouse style and help you understand how to incorporate it into your living room for a timeless yet modern appeal!
Let’s get started.
What Is Farmhouse Style?
Farmhouse style evokes the look of rural architecture while embracing modern comfort. It uses a lot of neutrals, especially white, and wood accents. Unlike rustic style, it embraces painted wood as well as raw wood.
Farmhouse style uses texture more than color to invite warmth and variety to a room, evoking a simple, practical look. It favors sturdy, built-to-last pieces, and works well with antiques.
Some common themes in farmhouse style include shiplap, open shelving, exposed beams, and hardwood floors. Overall, the look should be stylish yet cozy.
Farmhouse style has several sub-styles, including modern farmhouse. Modern farmhouse uses many of the same elements as farmhouse style but retains a less cluttered, more minimalist look.
Farmhouse Living Room Furniture That Still Works In 2022
So if farmhouse style is evolving, how can I know if my living room is outdated? And beyond that, how can I decorate in a timeless way that won’t be completely out of style in a few years?
Remember: simple, timeless, high-quality pieces of furniture never go out of style. In fact, the farmhouse style of 2022 is built around solid, quality furniture.
But what farmhouse living room furniture has gone out of style?
Let’s get into it.
What is out of style in 2022
Here are the types of farmhouse living room furniture that have gone out of style.
1. The faux-distressed look
Farmhouse style celebrates everyday life and the bumps and scrapes that come with it. Because of that, distressed furniture came in style, and the big box stores began mass-producing faux-distressed furniture.
While farmhouse style still showcases old furniture and the genuine dings and paint scratches that accumulate with time, the faux-distressed look is out of style and will make your living room seem dated.
2. Flimsy furniture
Cheap, mass-produced pieces are not compatible with the current farmhouse look. You’re better off investing in a few key high-quality pieces and getting the rest second-hand. Or, even better, ask your older relatives if they have heirloom pieces they’re looking to pass on!
3. Slipcovers
Slipcovers were once a staple of the farmhouse look, but they’ve fallen out of fashion in recent years, especially since they tend to sag. If your couch is shabby in places and you can’t afford to replace it, you’re better off covering the offending spot with a throw blanket in a neutral color and interesting texture.
What farmhouse living room furniture is in style in 2022?
Let’s go through a few types of modern farmhouse furniture and what you should look for to style a farmhouse living room in 2022.
1. Sofas and loveseats
Farmhouse-style sofas and loveseats are typically cozy-looking and upholstered in pale, neutral tones such as white, beige, or gray. They are simple, solid, and comfortable.
Most farmhouse sofas have exposed wooden legs instead of a skirt. (Sometimes you can even remove the skirt on a thrifted couch to give it a more modern look.)
A sofa will be the centerpiece of your farmhouse living room and you should choose it with care. A good sofa stands the test of time and should be compatible with later style upgrades in your living room.
Just remember to choose your color wisely. A white sofa looks fantastic and is the most popular farmhouse sofa color, but it’s not practical if you have small children, pets, or like to snack while sitting on the couch.
2. Tables
Add to the look of your farmhouse living room by adding a coffee table and some side tables.
As long as you’re incorporating sturdy wooden accents, there are multiple table styles that work in a farmhouse living room.
However, a classic farmhouse coffee table is a sturdy rectangular shape with a shelf on the bottom. This shelf adds a practical space to store things like extra books or magazines, to keep the top clutter-free.
Many farmhouse coffee tables have an X shape on each end between the legs that mimics the shape of an X-brace on a barn door.
Farmhouse end tables tend to be square, with sturdy legs and a small drawer. The drawer provides a practical place to hide things like remote controls, extra batteries, or even pet toys.
3. Chairs
Like sofas, farmhouse chairs are sturdy and upholstered in neutral colors, with exposed wooden legs.
Since the farmhouse color palette is neutral, the best way to add visual interest is to play with different textures and shades. It’s usually best to purchase chairs that complement your couch rather than matching it exactly.
If you have a light neutral on your couch, try a darker neutral on your chairs or vice versa. Or, play around with patterned chairs, such as a checkered or striped print. Just be aware that if you choose a super-trendy print, it will go out of style faster than a solid neutral.
Updating Your Farmhouse Living Room On A Budget
The best budget-friendly way to update your farmhouse living room so it doesn’t look outdated is to switch out your accessories.
Here are some accessories that are going out of style:
- Signs with words such as “Live Laugh Love”
- Mass-produced decor items designed to look like DIY projects—think chicken wire, mason jars, and burlap
- Faux-distressed items
- The color gray. It’s still OK to have some gray items, and if you have an amazing, built-to-last gray couch you love, don’t toss it! But the obsession with all-gray rooms is over, so freshen up by painting the walls and maybe getting new throw pillows.
Now, here are the farmhouse items on trend in 2022:
With some updated accessories and a fresh coat of paint in a modern farmhouse color such as classic white or a muted green, your farmhouse living room is both beautiful and on-trend!
Where Can I Buy Farmhouse Furniture?
Remember, the furniture you buy online or at IKEA or Target is mass-produced and often made from flimsy particle board. To get the farmhouse look, invest in high-quality pieces. If possible, choose things made from solid wood.
Second-hand furniture works well with the farmhouse look, but make sure to see the pieces in person before you buy them. A good piece of furniture will still be solid and sturdy, even if it has a few scratches and dents. In fact, the scratches and dents should add to the cozy rustic feel instead of coming off as cheap and flimsy.
As long as a piece is sturdy, you can repurpose something unsightly by painting it. Just make sure to take your time to do a high-quality paint job, and don’t distress it. You can also add new life to a piece while keeping its wood look by adding a gel stain.
But remember, classic solid wood living room furniture can reside in your home for a lifetime and be passed on to the next generation, so it’s worth investing in some new pieces!
When shopping for modern farmhouse furniture, it’s best to visit a showroom to see the pieces in person. You should love the look and feel of the piece because you’ll be using it for a long time!
Be sure to ask lots of questions about how the furniture was made, if they use solid wood, and what type of craftsmanship was used to construct it. And if you’re buying a chair or sofa, sit on it and make sure it’s comfortable!
You can find modern farmhouse furniture at most furniture stores, but your best bet is a store that specializes in high-quality, solid-wood furniture such as Amish-made furniture.
If you’re in the Houston area and interested in Amish-made modern farmhouse furniture, stop by our showroom!
Conclusion
Here at The Amish Craftsman, we’d love nothing more than to help you find high-quality furniture to give you the farmhouse living room of your dreams!
Besides living room furniture, we also sell solid-wood furniture in multiple styles and for all areas of your home, including:
Stop by our Houston showroom, or give us a call today to talk to a designer!
