Farmhouse kitchen design can sometimes evoke thoughts of grandma’s country kitchen, rooster wallpaper, and lace curtains, but the new farmhouse style is perfectly suited to modern family life and contemporary homes.
We live in an old house in the country, so a farmhouse kitchen is something that always strikes a chord with me. I love that this design style seems tailored to making happy family memories and cooking cozy, comforting meals. A farmhouse-style home in general, can be a practical, timeless choice, but like with any home decor style, there are certain trends that really stand out and can date your interior design. We can all picture what the perfect country kitchen looked like in 1992, and it’s quite different from what’s considered the current modern farmhouse style, to say the least. There are more recent trends that might fit into this category of decorating that are already starting to look a bit tired and overdone as well, so today I thought I’d share some inspiration for beautiful, updated kitchens that are appropriately contemporary but still have that comforting farmhouse vibe.
All photos are by our photography firm Art & Spaces and the talented designers and cabinet companies that we’re so lucky to work with are as listed below each photo.
High Contrast Farmhouse Kitchen With Blonde Wood
This look is grounded in crisp black and white, with bright white cabinetry and black furnishings. The look is softened with the blonde wood tones and gold hardware used throughout the space. Design by Jeannot Vilarando Design, Cabinetry by Windmill Cabinets.
More kitchens like this: The Best White and Wood Kitchen Design Ideas
Modern Flat Front Wood Tone Cabinets With Fresh Green
The fresh green cabinets in this kitchen are done in a more traditional style, then contrasted with modern wood tone flat-front upper cabinets for a look that’s fresh and unexpected but absolutely beautiful. Design by Sarah Adnan of Elevated Living
More kitchen inspiration: Kitchen Counter Decor Tricks For an Instant Upgrade
English Country Inspired
These dark walnut open shelves are made for both utility and decorating in this kitchen that was inspired by an English country-style home. Glasses and dishes can be stored at arm’s reach and paired with more decorative elements to create a beautiful focal point on this simple wall. Cabinetry by Oak Barrel Cabinetry.
More farmhouse kitchen ideas: A Farmhouse Sink Works in Any Style Kitchen and Here’s Proof
The Big Traditional Family Farmhouse Kitchen
This kitchen was made for big family gatherings with its large footprint and open floor plan. The combination of open shelving, closed cabinetry, and glass front cabinet doors make it a great space for displaying treasured items and storing all the kitchen necessities. Cabinetry by Oak Barrel Cabinetry.
More farmhouse decorating ideas: Traditional Farmhouse Paint Colors and Finishes
Soft Wood Tones and Crisp White
This bright white kitchen cabinetry is updated with lowers and a kitchen island in soft wood tones. The cabinetry style is very classic, but the chunky black cabinet door handles, and oversized pendant lights give a nod to current styles. Design by Erin Vandersluis Design, Cabinetry by Oak Barrel Cabinetry.
More white kitchen ideas: How to Design a Non-Boring White Kitchen
An Unexpected Color Combination
This kitchen will never truly be outdated simply because it’s unique to its owners and designed only with their tastes and style preferences in mind. The bright blue lowers are a bold statement, but the cabinet door style and chunky butcher black island are pure traditional country kitchen. Cabinetry by Windmill Cabinets.
More blue and white cabinetry ideas: The Best Blue and White Kitchen Cabinet Ideas
Rich Green Cabinetry Makes a Statement
This little kitchen is absolutely charming with its saturated green cabinet color. Matte black accents and an eye-catching mesh on the cabinet door give this space even more personality. A little bit of wood is always necessary with painted cabinets and here they’ve used it very beautifully on the back of the open shelving area. Cabinetry by Oak Barrel Cabinetry.
More farmhouse design ideas: Timeless Farmhouse Mudroom Refresh
This Chef’s Kitchen is Bold in Black
This large, open space feels like a chef’s dream. Black cabinetry is surprisingly effective in all different styles of home, and since it’s a neutral, it will absolutely stand the test of time, even though black interior decor is very much in style at the current moment. Cabinetry by IDSCCC
More black kitchens: Black Kitchen Cabinetry Ideas for Your Renovation or New Build
Warm Wood Tones Freshened Up With White
The warm wood tones of the lower cabinets in this kitchen give this space a nostalgic, homey feel, but a kitchen done in all wood cabinetry like this would look outdated. The bright white cabinets and simple matte black hardware and plumbing fixtures keep this kitchen feeling fresh and new. Cabinetry by Oak Barrel Cabinetry.
More kitchen storage inspiration: Favorite Built-In Cabinetry Storage Components
High Contrast Modern Farmhouse
When it comes to the modern farmhouse look, high-constrast spaces are the name of the game. This all-white kitchen has black hardware, fixtures and lighting, as well as contrasting grout on the tile backsplash. Cabinetry by Windmill Cabinets.
Get more design guidance: How High Should a Light Fixture Hang Over a Table?
Rich Blue Cabinetry Creates a Welcoming Space
This stately kitchen has more of a traditional look with its classic blue and white color palette, but it’s definitely a look that would fit right in at any big farmhouse. The rich, moody color on the lower cabinets plays well with the gold tone hardware and plumbing fixtures. Cabinetry by Oak Barrel Cabinetry.
More farmhouse ideas: Timeless Farmhouse Dining Room
Instant Upgrade: 10 Luxury Home Decor Ideas for Your Space
Any space can be elevated with the help of a few well-placed decorative touches. These luxury home decor ideas will bring style, grace, and function to your home for an instant upgrade.
Get the ideas: 10 Luxury Home Decor Ideas to Instantly Upgrade Your Home
Timeless Farmhouse Dining Room: Big Style in a Tiny Space
I decided that the dining room needed a little refresh earlier this spring to bring it more in line with my goals of creating a timeless farm house home, full of design choices that will stand the test of time. My aim is always to choose items that won’t start to feel outdated within a few years, and that I won’t quickly tire of. I just love that feeling when I realize that a design choice I made almost ten years ago is still something that I’m happy with in my home today. It always feels like a real win to me.
See all the details: Timeless Farmhouse Dining Room
The 10 Best Washable Rugs for 2023
When I first heard about washable rugs a few years ago, I have to admit that they sounded too good to be true. Washable rugs of all sizes are now dominating the world of home decor just simply because they’re so practical and so beautiful as well.
See the rugs: 10 Best Washable Rugs for 2023
How to Care for Fresh Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus, specifically the most traditionally shaped variety with the pale leaves all lined up the stem, has been having a moment for a little while now. You may want to add it to a vase in your home, but before you run to the flower shop to pick up a bundle, learn how to take care of it so it will last as long as possible.
Learn the tricks: How to Care for Fresh Eucalyptus
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.