You Can Have a Farmhouse and Colour—Joanna Gaines Lied
Let’s be honest: somewhere along the way, “farmhouse style” lost its nerve. What started as a celebration of character and charm turned into a parade of shiplap, sage, and emotional-support beige.
The modern farmhouse became so edited it forgot to feel alive.
But the truth is, you can absolutely have a farmhouse and drape it in pattern and colour. In fact, that’s how the real ones were meant to look.
Sims Hilditch shot by Christopher Horwood Photography
The Myth of the Neutral Farmhouse
Thanks to a certain Texas design empire (you know who you are), the farmhouse was rebranded as a minimalist retreat—white walls, greige furniture, black metal everything. It was soothing, sure, but it also left many homes feeling a little... airless.
Real farmhouses—the ones our grandparents actually lived in—were full of life. They were layered, practical, and wildly personal. There were floral curtains, plaid sofas, hand-me-down rugs, and walls that had seen a dozen coats of paint. Nothing matched, but everything worked.
Sims Hilditch shot by Christopher Horwood Photography
Bringing Back the Warmth
The trick to a truly timeless farmhouse isn’t restraint, it’s rhythm. Pattern, texture, and colour working together, not competing.
Sims Hilditch shot by Christopher Horwood Photography
Start with honest materials.
Natural wood, linen, pottery, wool—those are the bones. But then, let them mingle with a little glamour: a patterned velvet cushion, a floral lampshade, a hand-painted chest. A good farmhouse always has a hint of the unexpected.
Sims Hilditch shot by Christopher Horwood Photography
Layer patterns like you mean it.
Mix florals with checks, stripes with toile. Don’t overthink it—if the colours speak to each other, it works. The best rooms feel collected, not coordinated.
Sims Hilditch shot by Christopher Horwood Photography
Add depth through colour.
A muddy green kitchen island, a faded blue rug, a mustard velvet chair—these are the quiet statements that make a farmhouse sing. Colour grounds a space, especially when everything else is rustic.
Sims Hilditch shot by Christopher Horwood Photography
Let it feel lived-in.
Perfection isn’t the goal. A scuffed floor or uneven paint line isn’t a flaw; it’s evidence of a home that’s actually lived in. The original farmhouses were built for life, not for photos.
Sims Hilditch shot by Christopher Horwood Photography
The Modern Take
A true farmhouse can hold its history while still feeling fresh. It’s about restraint with warmth, simplicity with depth. Keep the natural textures, but let colour back in. Hang the patterned curtains. Wallpaper the hallway. Choose beauty over trend.
Sims Hilditch shot by Christopher Horwood Photography
Because the soul of farmhouse style isn’t in the shiplap or the slogan art—it’s in the layers of a life well-lived.
So yes, Joanna had her beige moment. We all did. But the pendulum is swinging back toward personality, and honestly? It looks better in colour.
-Juliette