The Rustic, Organic Look That Is Replacing The Farmhouse Furniture Trend

If you spent any time watching HGTV, you'd be quick to recognize farmhouse decor (a signature of Joanna Gaines) as a popular decor trend in the mid-2010s for its cozy countryside atmosphere. Exposed wooden beams, deep farmhouse sinks, neutral color palettes, and organic materials dominated farmhouse decor, and for good reason. It favored warmth, simplicity, and function over the embellished or overly simplistic look that its more refined interior design counterparts, like minimalist or contemporary decor, do. While you might find rustic decor fused in farmhouse style charming, it seems that a more fanciful trend is replacing farmhouse furniture: whimsical cottage decor. This trend blends charming antiques with modern furniture for a playful and curated space. 

At first glance, many of the design elements in farmhouse and cottagecore decor are similar. Both styles are rooted in countryside living, favoring rustic pieces, natural materials, and neutral tones throughout. A whimsical cottage decor style, however, takes it a bit further by fusing together romantic elements of the style with more traditional pieces. For example, rather than a modern reclaimed oak coffee table that you'd see in a farmhouse-style home, you might opt for a wooden table with playful scalloped ridges.

If you've decided that cottage-style furniture decor is the perfect design for your space, the good news is you don't have to go out and buy a whole new furniture set. One of the pillars of this design trend is mixing old and new pieces, so if your interior already has farmhouse decor, you're already well on your way to achieving this look. Since cottagecore and farmhouse decor both share natural materials and organic silhouettes, you can incorporate these types of pieces in your space by adding thrifted furniture with your modern farmhouse decor. For your bedroom, for example, you may mix an antique wooden dresser with a modern bedframe. This makes the bedroom feel cozy and curated over time, rather than manufactured.

You'll also want to play around with playful patterns, like gingham, floral, and plaid, to achieve this style. A buffalo checkered chair for the living room can pair beautifully with a thrifted wooden console table. Modern table lamps can look natural against an organic end table for the living room. If you're on a budget, you may consider scaling down on whimsical decor, such as charming gingham dining chair covers to adorn wooden chairs or plaid tablecloths for the dining room. Alternatively, you may incorporate a botanical-patterned wallpaper for kitchens.