In recent years, it’s become quite fashionable to pretend that you live in a tiny country home, even as the roar of London traffic rattles your new gingham curtains.
Cottagecore was a huge interiors look, especially in 2020 as we stayed at home and searched for comfort and cosiness in the chaos of the pandemic.
What is the modern farmhouse interiors trend?
Just as cottagecore soared from the ashes of shabby chic (that ‘chic’ for most part being intensely questionable), it’s now being edged aside in favour of a slicker, cooler remastering. Folks, get ready for: modern farmhouse.
Just like cottagecore, modern farmhouse is a wistful dream for urban escapists. A way to feel free and wholesome in a rural-inspired home without lengthening the commute to the city-centre office. Except, instead of pinning Miss Honey’s cottage on your Pinterest board, this time you’re going for a Babington House-esque aesthetic. Slick, cool, finding ways to make ceiling roses sexy.
How to do modern farmhouse in a London home
While it can work quite easily when you live in a house, a very big house in the country, city dwellers lacking in exposed beams, lofty ceilings, and hectares of rolling green fields need a few guiding rules - and we’re happy to help.
Modern farmhouse is a careful formula of heritage fabrics and textures (gingham, tartan, linen, cotton) mixed with an earthy, neutral colour palettes (on walls) with pops of contrast left to smaller things, like lighting accents, accessories or other homewares or appliances - a brightly coloured Smeg fridge, say, or an Aga in a handsome shade of racing green.
Slick modern finishes, like gold bathroom taps and streamlined kitchen cupboard knobs, are the cherry on top. Antiques (especially art) and embroidery are in; twee wall hangings and lace doilies are firmly out.
Ready to get the look? While the only way to get country views is by actually moving there, we’ve found plenty of furniture and homewares to get your interiors looking the part. Mix them in with whatever you’ve got or use our list to start from scratch.
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Blue Elephant Upholstered Armchair
One way to keep gingham from looking too Waltons-like is to stick to monochrome tones. Instead of seeming like it should be at a picnic, the checks become sharp, graphic, statement pieces. Blue Elephant’s armchair is a prime example, perfect for holding court in the centre of the living room or adding texture to a bedroom corner.
Buy now £159.99, Wayfair
Graham & Green Black Canopy King Size bed
So it's unapologetic romance you're looking for, is it? Head to Graham & Green; the interiors store is renowned for stocking pretty pieces that serve to elevate your home.
Made to support a king size mattress, this iron and plywood four poster frame is the stuff of modern fairytales with a curved canopy adding a new style dimension.
Skip the need for self-assembly by paying an extra fee for the delivery specialists to do it for you.
Buy now £895.00, Graham & Green
Matilda Goad & Co. Scalloped Squiggle Table Lamp
From the rippled handles, to the warm red base and the scalloped lampshade, there's nothing we dislike about this table lamp from Matilda Goad & Co. Cottagecore with a luxe veneer, it's inspired by 20s Art Deco style.
Buy now £268.00, Anthropologie
OKA Shalba Rug - Vermillion Red
Keep your walls bare and your floors filled with colour with help from a beautiful rug. OKA stocks some beautiful designs, but we’re loving the pops of vermillion colour from the Shalba look. Measuring 240 x 305cm, place beside sofas or under dining tables and watch the room burst into life.
Buy now £1595.00, OKA
Blue Elephant Mundell 1.8m x 1.2m Peel and Stick Wallpaper Tile
If you’re not keen on painting your walls, raw elements like exposed beams and brickwork will help amplify that rustic feel. For those who don’t have those two features already in play, fake the industrial, unfinished look in your modern farmhouse with the marvel that is peel ’n’ stick wallpaper. Blue Elephant offers a version in an embossed brick print; you’d have to stroke it to know it’s not the real thing. Available in red brick and white options.
Buy now £38.99, Wayfair
Dunelm Oswald Self Assembly Pinstripe Compact 2 Seater Folkstone Blue
A sweet little wingback sofa covered in a smart pinstripe blends an old design with a fresh-looking fabric. The two-seater’s wooden legs add to the vintage charm and there’s plenty of support from the firm cushions and backrest. If you’re going to add a throw, keep it in a neutral beige to keep things on the light and fresh side.
Buy now £319.30, Dunelm
Klimchi Hobnail Glass Jug
Amber-hued glass instantly looks expensive, and paired with Klimchi’s Insta-famous spiky horn design, this is a match made in modern farmhouse heaven. The crystal lead-free design is dishwasher safe, and holds two litres.
Buy now £85.00, Anthropologie
M&S Ceramic Petal Vase
A few organic-themed forms to connect the theme back to nature are needed in a modern farmhouse-inspired home. M&S’s tulip vase looks the part alone or with fresh blooms with a glazed surface that makes the piece look far more expensive than it is.
Buy now £19.50, M&S
Rockett St George Cream & Black Lantern Ceiling Light Shade With Tassels
You can’t paint, and you’re not sure how to hang wallpaper. How to bring a room to life without spending a fortune? Head to Rockett St George where you can find this showstopping ceiling light shade with black trims and black tassels for extra effect. A minimal chandelier of sorts, consider the limelight well and truly stolen.
Buy now £78.00, Rockett St George
Anthropologie Woven Ikat Kori Sofa
This globally inspired sofa, complete with two throw cushions, is a great way to introduce pattern without going to the trouble of putting up wallpaper. Though the ikat print is statement, the black and white colourway keeps it simple. With a look like this, you can splash out on a colourful throw to bring it to life.
Buy now £1798.00, Anthropologie
Pooky larger stucco table lamp in emerald
For lighting with a twist, look no further than Pooky. The specialist has dozens of fun, statement options for bringing quirky glow to your spaces. If you're a fan of Firmdale Hotels' interiors, Pooky can help recreate the effect at home. The brand also sells bases and lampshades separately so you can mix and match with pieces you already own.
Prices starting from £237.
Buy now £237.00, Pooky
House of Hackney Dinosauria Medium Fringed cushion
Serving refined maximalist style, House of Hackney should be on the shopping list of anyone who loves eccentric stately home style. This fringed cushion spotlights the Jurassic era, theming dinosaurs for more grown-up tastes. It's like something out of a Victorian explorer's living room.
Buy now £175.00, House of Hackney
Dunelm Logan Dual Wall Light Grey
A light just to illuminate your carefully chosen wall art - why not? Whether you want to show off a masterpiece or your favourite movie poster, Dunelm’s Dual Wall Light will give it the spotlight it deserves. The industrial look riffs off traditional styles and is best placed in the living room or hallway.
Buy now £32.00, Dunelm
Andrew Martin Custom Headboard in Julia
This grand headboard is a maximalist's dream and can be made up in a variety of patterns and colours. The baroque-style design comes in two sizes: 5ft (king) and 6ft (superking) and you can choose contrast piping to show off those curves too.
Buy now £1565.00, Andrew Martin
Anthropologie Livia Inlay Side Table
For those nervous about colour, monochrome accessories make foolproof additions to any home. Anthropolgie’s inlay side table plays on form instead, offering a sculptural look for flower-filled vases, candles and coffee table books.
Buy now £598.00, Anthropologie
Mrs Alice Scalloped Rattan Tray with Stand
The resort vibes are strong with this one. Every night in will feel like a holiday with this scalloped rattan design, which is actually a tray set upon a bamboo-themed metal stand. It’s an update to a classic butler’s tray and means you can load drinks and snacks in the kitchen and carry it over in one go instead of ferrying to and fro to the kitchen. Practical, and so pretty with it too.
Buy now £128.00, Mrs Alice
Graham & Green Umberto Brass Bar
Rendered in mango wood and brass, this handmade statement brass bar promises to elevate interiors instantly. Gleaming brass has been cladded onto the doors, and shaped into geometric curves with the whole bar sitting on a strong iron frame with plenty of space underneath for additional storage.
Buy now £615.00, Graham & Green
Habitat Ribbed Set of 4 Tumbler Glasses
One of the easiest ways to impress guests with your taste in homeware is by serving them a lovely drink in an even better glass. Perfect for a G&T or simply as water glasses, this tactile set of four ribbed glasses from Habitat fit the bill nicely. At £17, it works out at £4.25 a glass - and who can say no to that?
Buy now £17.00, Habitat
DCOC Battery Operated Wall Sconces
DIY skills lacking? No need to call a sparky with this set of bronze wall light sconces; just screw directly into the wall and use a remote to operate the light through an integrated rechargeable battery pack. They’re helpful in places where you don’t have mains power and can be used even in the event of power outages. A smart hack for the modern home.
Buy now £84.04, Amazon
