10 Ways to Get the Modern Farmhouse Look

October 24, 2025

Modern farmhouse is a style that continues to grow more and more popular. This style combines the aesthetic and comfort of a simple, rural, and country lifestyle with some of the more luxurious and elegant aspects of modern living. Here are a few ways to get the modern farmhouse look in your custom home:

1. Opt for light colors.
2. Choose wood furniture.
3. Go for industrial lighting fixtures.
4. Include handcrafted quilts.
5. Add an outdoor living space.
6. Grow a garden.
7. Incorporate black accents.
8. Use reclaimed wood and barn doors.
9. Add a shiplap accent wall.
10. Leave some brick exposed.

1. Opt for Light Colors

Light colors are a classic when it comes to farmhouse style. Very light colors, such as white, cream, or wood tones, in particular, emulate the bright, cozy farmhouse look. Don’t think of sterile white, but softer, soothing off-white shades that create a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere. These shades, paired with the right wood tones, can add warmth to an all-white room.

With modern farmhouse, lighter colors and wood tones are still a great choice. But you can also experiment with pairing bolder, darker, and richer tones with them. The higher contrast can help add a modern twist to a classic farmhouse look. For example, combining black, white, and natural wood is one of the classic modern farmhouse exterior design ideas.

2. Choose Wood Furniture

Wood furniture will also enhance a rustic look in a home. Not only is the furniture a great way to incorporate natural wood into your custom home, but wood furniture is also sturdy and very functional.

Plus, it’s a flexible and versatile decor option. There are many types of woods and finishes to choose from, so you’re bound to find the perfect fit for your home design and color scheme. There is a lot to play with when choosing colors and wood tones for your home design. On top of that, you can enhance the modern aesthetic by pairing wood and metal together.

3. Go For Industrial Lighting Fixtures

Industrial lighting fixtures are a popular option for modern farmhouse looks. They tend to add an elegant, sculptural architectural element to the interior design. Including geometry and geometric shapes in decorative details is another way to get the modern farmhouse look. This tends to pop up in mirrors, art, and lighting fixtures, in particular. Including industrial farmhouse design ideas like this in your design and decor can help you create a modern farmhouse look in your custom home.

4. Include Handcrafted Quilts

Handcrafted quilts and cozy blankets are some of the most classic pieces of farmhouse decor. They’re easy to add or change however you want, and they can easily be added to a room for a touch of rustic style. When paired with modern elements, they can be an easy addition to the room to also add a touch of farmhouse style.

5. Add a Front Porch

An outdoor living space is a great addition to a custom home of any style. For a modern farmhouse look, pay special attention to your front porch. There are several front porch styles to consider.

Although they can all work for a modern farmhouse style, covered porches or wrap-around porches tend to be the more popular options. If you have the space and want a larger porch, there are several wrap-around porch benefits, including more entertainment space and a classic country element.

Wrap-around porches and other covered porch options can be great places to entertain company and enjoy the outdoors without being too exposed to the elements. Sufficient seating for yourself, your family, and your company is essential for relaxing and enjoying the fresh air. Too much furniture or the wrong size for furniture are front porch decor mistakes to avoid.

A rustic porch swing and wooden furniture with comfortable cushions can enhance a farmhouse look. Mixing wood and metal in furniture on the porch and pairing it with patterns, like plaid, gingham, paisley, stripes, florals, etc., can add a modern twist to a classic farmhouse style.

6. Grow a Garden

Consider starting a garden in your backyard. It doesn’t have to be something large or lavish, but having a couple of flowers, vegetables, or herbs near your home will give it that much more of a quaint appearance.

In addition to the plants you grow, you can also create a modern farmhouse aesthetic by adding backyard structures, like an arbor, trellis, garden fences, and more. Metal, traditional wood, wood and metal, stone, and more are all garden fence ideas that can help you contain your plants while adding a touch of the modern farmhouse aesthetic to your garden.

7. Incorporate Black Accents

Pops of black are classic elements of modern farmhouse design and decor. Usually, black is paired with neutral palettes and wood, especially reclaimed wood, exposed beams, shiplap, etc. Black window frames, with or without matching black shutters, are also common in modern farmhouse exteriors.

You can translate this idea to interior design by opting for black door frames. Black kitchen cabinet hardware or fixtures, or as the color of a kitchen island base, can also enhance a modern farmhouse aesthetic. These are also classic ways to incorporate black into your kitchen design that add to a modern farmhouse look and feel without overwhelming the design.

8. Use Reclaimed Wood and Barn Doors

Reclaimed wood is a classic farmhouse design feature. Whether it’s more traditional and rustic or sleeker and more modern depends on how it is incorporated and what else is included in the design, but there are a lot of ways to use reclaimed or repurposed wood to get the modern farmhouse look and feel.

Leaving beams exposed on the ceiling and using reclaimed barn wood on walls or in furniture can help create a modern farmhouse atmosphere. You can also repurpose barn doors for a variety of interior uses. Covering a pantry or room entrance with a sliding barn door is a way to use barn doors in your custom home design to get a farmhouse or modern farmhouse look.

9. Add a Shiplap Accent Wall

Shiplap is an accent wall idea that can work well with modern farmhouse and other farmhouse styles. The rough-hewn style and horizontal interlocking pattern of the wood slats used for shiplap walls lend themselves well to farmhouse design. Pairing brick and shiplap is another idea that can elevate a farmhouse look. You can also opt for shiplap as more than just an accent wall and still get a modern farmhouse look that works well.

10. Leave Some Brick Exposed

Depending on what else it is paired with, exposed brick can create a farmhouse look and feel or other styles, like industrial. Exposed brick offers the raw, natural texture that is classic to farmhouse and allows you to pair it with a modern aesthetic for an elevated look.

An exposed brick backsplash or using brick as an accent wall are farmhouse kitchen design ideas that can work well in a modern farmhouse kitchen. You can also pair an exposed brick backsplash or accent wall with features, like open shelving, chalkboards, pendant lights, recessed lights or track lighting, and more, for a modern farmhouse look.

Are You Ready For a Custom Home?

Modern farmhouse is one of the popular types of farmhouse styles. These are just a few ways to get the modern farmhouse look in your custom home design. Working with an experienced custom home builder, especially one with an in-house design/build process, can help you work through the details, make the process less stressful, and ensure you get the custom home you want. If you’re ready to get started on your own custom home in Central Pennsylvania or Northeastern Maryland, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090! We can help make your dream home a reality!