Chippy enamel kitchenware, galvanized pans and buckets, primitive furniture, rusted iron and shade of pastels and white. It’s all part of the latest trend in decorating and they call it Farm Fresh!!
Personally I have been a fan of anything “farm” for most of my adult life, as evidenced by the 1902 farmhouse that I call home. As those who know me can attest, I’m a blue jeans and T-shirt kind of gal who has always preferred driving a truck and digging in the soil to the pursuing the finer things in life. That being the case, the advent of the Farm Fresh look was a welcome change for me after years of Victorian, Frou-Frou and Shabby Chic!
So, you ask, what is Farm Fresh? It is a variety of elements that when properly put together create a crisp, clean, casual look. The best place to start is by selecting your basic furniture pieces. The formula here is rustic + cozy + down home charm. I like to blend in natural wood primitives with my painted pieces so as not to get that TOO white, sterile effect. Step back cupboards, farm tables and pie safes are right at home in this setting. This style of decor well come as good news to those of you who collect primitives. Many of your existing pieces will cross over to Farm Fresh, making this latest trend seem more like an old friend than a foreign intruder in your home.
There are three elements that will start your kitchen on its way to a farmhouse look. A farm sink (from a salvage yard or a one of the quality reproductions from Kohler), subway tiles as a back splash, and as large a wooden kitchen table as your space will accommodate surrounded by mismatched antique kitchen chairs (the rougher the better) will get the look you love.
Old barn doors have come inside and make a dramatic statement when incorporated into a Farm Fresh room. Mounted in pairs as room dividers, used individually to hide your kitchen pantry, or hung on the wall as art, they provide a excellent anchor piece for your Farm Fresh kitchen. Having trouble finding a headboard to fit this genre of decorating? Barn doors, both painted and left in their natural state are an excellent solution. Salvage yards and repurposing shops are good places to find authentic doors, or shop one of the many online sources.
Mason jars are back! Clear is good and early 1900s turquoise is even better! I prefer to go with antique jars, but there are many shops offering inexpensive reproductions. If you like to “junk” your jars from the resale shops they will often be missing their lids. No problem: Fill them with pussy willow stems or stuff them with burlap and incorporate them into your decor.
SIGNS… the bigger, the bolder, the better! “FARMHOUSE,” “FARMER’S MARKET,” and “WELCOME” are just a few of the many and varied themes for signage. These can be purchased at local flea markets and craft shops or, for the DIY enthusiast, they are a simple project with a board, a stencil and some paint. If your collecting interests run towards advertising pieces, authentic signs from fertilizer, farm implement, tobacco and coffee companies are right at home in the Farm Fresh setting and offer a touch of authenticity to your rooms.
The finishing touch for any farm room is galvanized metal accessories. Once the material of choice for farmers needing fencing or roofing, you don’t really have a room that is Farm Fresh until you have galvanized steel. You will find row upon row of buckets, totes and baskets at Walmart and Hobby Lobby. But if you like the real thing, plan to attend some Hoosier farm auctions this summer where you will not only find authenticity, but you will most likely also save money. Until next time…Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com