How to Blend French Country and Farmhouse Styles

Farmhouse style isn't so very different from French Country style. 

They are, after all, both in the country, both easy and casual, 

and both feature gently used furniture and accessories. 

So how do you blend the two? It's easy.

These two styles are interchangeable in many ways so it's easy to mesh them.

My living and dining areas are more French Country
with a light and airy feel, comfortable seating, natural wood tones and old mirrors.

Still, there's some Farmhouse style apparent in the dining room
with a mantle that was rescued from a pre-Civil War farmhouse
and a chippy storage cabinet.

My kitchen and sunroom have even more of a Farmhouse feel with 

painted furniture, vintage accessories and a scattering of farm animals.

Here are some specific ideas to bring the two styles together in your home.

Open Shelving

Both styles feature open shelves in the kitchen, but if you don't have room for them

you can remove a cabinet door, paint your cabinets a creamy color and
display your favorite ironstone pitchers. 

Beadboard and Glass Jars

Adding some white beadboard as a backsplash 

and some vintage glass jars for storage add texture and functionality.
Both of these ideas could work for either style.

French-inspired Faucet and Farm Sink

You can switch out an old faucet for a pretty French Country look and 

hope to someday have a beautiful farmhouse sink! The best of both worlds!

Keep Utensils Accessible

Using ironstone pitchers to hold silverware also works for either style.

Bring Home the Cows

Add some farmyard animals here and there to bring country into your space

like this picture of a calf in my kitchen painted by a young Amish girl
whose job it was to care for the newborn calves.

You could also feature a few little cow creamers, 

some old, some new, in a rustic white shelf.

Another fave farm animal is, no surprise here, the rooster (and chicken).

You don't want to go overboard with roosters but a few here and there definitely make a statement.
A rooster plate on the wall, a chicken timer, a few chicks on top of the fridge, 

or some paintings of roosters make the kitchen feel homey. 

Sparkle with Vintage Accessories

Old baskets and mirrors, vintage cutting boards, rusted enamelware, crocks, 

weathered boxes, paintings and vintage fabrics like grain sacks or old tablecloths

can all be part of your French Country/Farmhouse style.

Go All Out with Farmhouse Pretties

My sunroom/breakfast room used to be primarily southwestern but I'm gradually
transforming it to incorporate Farmhouse style. You can do this too by adding
a weathered farm table, painted furniture, and rustic accessories.

An old red and white stepladder, a Nebraska license plate, some Mason jars, vintage tins,
an old pump, and a touch of metal all bring Farmhouse elements to this room.

Make it Cozy

Nothing says French Country Farmhouse like a fireplace.
If you don't have a wood-burning fireplace, you can install a cast iron gas stove
or a thick area rug to warm the room.
Add some comfortable chairs that look out at the garden.

 I hope these suggestions help you bring that informal French Country/Farmhouse spirit 

into your home, whether you just add a little cow creamer to your kitchen 

or go "whole hog" with a big rustic cupboard filled with vintage ironstone.


Sharing with:  Shabby Fu Fu, Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings-the heart of your home, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House,
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Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, A Delightsome Life, The Vintage Nest, Poofing the Pillows, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Shabby Art Boutique, The Cottage Market