Source
Do you have a farmhouse style dining room that you’re now on the fence about? Maybe you got really into Fixer Upper (we all did), and just had to have a big farmhouse table, an old school chandelier, and other accents from the prairie. Well, now everybody has this exact same dining room and you want a change. Or, you realized you live in the middle of Manhattan, so why does your dining room look like you live next to the Pioneer Woman? Either way, what do you do now? Today, I’m teaching you how to update a farmhouse dining room. We are going to keep that country aesthetic that feels so warm and homey, but modernize it so it feels fresh and not so tired.
I’m going to take you through 3 types of farmhouse styles: traditional, transitional, and modern, so that you can see exactly what changes in each style. You will be able to add as little or as many modern updates to your space while still keeping the heart of the farmhouse aesthetic. Your space will feel unique and thoughtful, rather than a real life Pinterest board. It’s going to be great.
How to Update a Farmhouse Dining Room
- Clean lines
- Black accents
- Modern mix of chairs
- Sculptural/minimalist chandelier
- Modern Art
- Graphic rug or no rug
Traditional
Source
Before moving on to a modern take on the farmhouse, let’s first talk about what exactly makes up the farmhouse style. I would say it’s the large rectangular light oak table, the mix and match chairs (maybe even slip covered linen), a large rectangular glass and metal chandelier (probably with exposed bulbs), greenery, lots of table linens, and a textural rug. So how can we modernize this aesthetic without losing the heart of the style? By taking the crucial elements of this style and tweaking them just a bit.
Source
Do you know what about the farmhouse style makes it so appealing and ubiquitous? It’s the natural woods and clean palette. Everyone wants to have a home that just feels warm and the farmhouse aesthetic delivers just that. So we are keeping that feel, but adding timely accents.
Source
Notice in all of these images, you have the light palette, the warm woods, exposed bulb chandelier, linen chairs, textural rug. These are traditional farmhouse furnishings. Now, let’s update a few of these pieces to achieve a more transitional design.
Transitional
Source
In this design, we’ve kept the light oak table, the mix and match chairs, and the exposed bulb chandelier, but we have made updates! We have foregone the rug (a very modern + minimalist move), opted for modern black chairs, and a modern bulb design for the chandelier. Other areas of the kitchen support this transitional farmhouse design with the repetition of black and other metals. This is how to update a farmhouse dining room: take what is necessary to the farmhouse aesthetic, and modernize a couple things.
Source
This space also went with modern black chairs along with a fresh blue rug. Instead of the traditional black rectangular chandelier, this design features a modern octagonal shape, while still showing classic exposed bulbs. This dining room is the perfect mix of modern and traditional, making it transitional. Get it?
Source
In this design, we have opted for the graphic rug, a more modern shaped table similar to a Parsons, and a modern pendant light. Notice the other traditional elements of the room such as the barn door and hutch, but these elements are balanced by the modern aspects of the room such as the black upholstered chairs, exposed brick, and art.
Source
Another great example of the perfect blend of traditional and modern. We have the patterned cement tile, copper accents, Parsons island clad in marble, and a very modern vase of greenery. But, there are also traditional furnishings such as the benches and exposed shelving. The two pendants are perfectly transitional because they are a modern shape but a traditional rustic finish that looks aged.
Modern
Source
Now we have some modern examples to discuss. In this example, we have modern Scandinavian chairs, art, and a chandelier that is both modern and rustic. We also have opted for no rug for a more modern take.
Source
I am in love with this design. It mixes a modern graphic shag rug, modern art, mid century modern chairs, and a traditional light fixture with modern bulbs. It is absolutely perfect in demonstrating how updating even a few furnishings can give your room a modern and fresh feel.
Source
So what do you think? Do you have a farmhouse style dining room that needs updating? I hope through these examples, you learned how to update a farmhouse dining room and got some ideas. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post; I’ll be sharing my design for a modern farmhouse dining room.
-Kristen
You might also enjoy…
