….and Increase the Value of Your Modern Farmhouse Style Home
Are you looking to add character to your home’s interiors? Do you have a new build that is white and boring or an existing home that is somewhat dated and drab? If so, I have some great solutions for improving the overall aesthetic of your home’s interior without a significant home renovation budget.
In this blog, I will share the 9 ways I upgraded my home’s interior to a modern farmhouse style. The solutions shared in this post are not arranged in any significant order. It is up to you to choose the projects that you want to tackle first. With that being side, get into your comfortable position and read on.
1. Paint the Walls and Ceiling
One of the best ways to change your home’s aesthetic is to paint your home using a neutral (warm or cool) palette. If you like the modern farmhouse style, a crisp, cool white or a warm gray on the majority of your walls is a huge bang for your bucks.
For the majority of my first level and second floor landing, I used Sherwin Williams Extra White to create an amazing canvas for my neutral décor and pops of color. This color is an excellent contrast with the Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray that I used in my home office, dining room and my kids’ playroom.
I painted the ceilings using Sherwin Williams Eminence High Performance Ceiling Paint in Bright White (flat sheen). It doesn’t provide a lot of contrast to the SW Extra White; however it’s a great contrast to the SW Agreeable Gray.
The neutral paint can improve the overall lighting in the home if you go with a cool white.
If you’re trying to make a big impact to your home, consider paint as an option. You will get immediate results and a great return on your investment (time and paint materials).
Tip: I recommend using a flat sheen on your walls (other than kitchens, bathrooms and children’s bedrooms) for easier touch-ups.
2. Install Custom Trim and Molding
If you are an HGTV Fixer Upper fan or love the farmhouse design style, you know that adding custom trim and molding to your walls creates a bold statement. After the hardwood flooring, this was one of the first changes that I made to my home. I initially started with board and batten and shiplap; however I recently made some major changes by creating several trim accent walls.
I knew I wanted to create a beautify herringbone patterned accent wall using board and batten in my home office. I had pinned this accent wall design a few years ago, and I finally found the right contractor to make it happen. This transformation makes a huge difference to the boring white wall that I had behind my desk. Now, I enjoy sitting at my desk working and be creative.
The wall paint is Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray in a flat finish. The accent wall is also Agreeable Gray; however the finish is semi-gloss. This is by far my favorite farmhouse gray paint, and I’ve used it in several homes over the past few years. I also painted the door using Behr Black Mocha. It’s a great contrast to all of the neutrals and really stands out!
Another trim pattern that I wanted to do was a floor to ceiling board and batten accent wall in my family room. With two windows and a huge television on the wall, I knew the accent needed to be subtle but impactful. I love the way the board and batten creates a trim look under the plantation shutters.
This accent wall on the stairs gives the room texture and detail which is important in designing a beautiful yet comfortable space.
The wall paint in the family room is Sherwin Williams Extra White in a flat finish, and the actual trim is the same color in semi-gloss.
I also decided to carry the board and batten into the foyer to match the look in the dining room. The dining room board and batten was completed two years ago, and I decided to paint the wall above it Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray to match the home office.
Tip: I recommend using a semi-gloss paint sheen on all trim.
3. Install Hardwood Flooring
If you want to upgrade your standard builder grade home and increase your home’s value, consider installing hardwood flooring throughout the main living areas of the home. This is exactly what I did prior to moving into my new build a couple of years ago. I choose a flooring contractor to upgrade my flooring since the builder’s cost was double the price the contractor was charging to replace the carpet with engineering hardwood flooring.
My home was delivered with carpet in most of the main living areas (exception being the kitchen, foyer, mudroom and powder room). The day after closing, I brought in a contractor to rip up the carpet and install hardwood flooring. I went with a hand scraped engineered hardwood flooring to match the existing floors that they builder installed. The hardwood flooring gave my home a clean, updated look and created the perfect opportunity to layer in the coziness of area rugs throughout. `
Tip: If you’re going for a modern farmhouse look, light to medium hardwood floors work well with this décor style.
4. Install New or Replace Light Fixtures
If you want to instant upgrade to a room, why not change out the light fixtures? Lighting choices can be plain or bold and are often limitless!
One of the best ways to shop for new light fixtures is to visit a lighting showroom. Most lighting showrooms have a variety of lights installed either on the ceiling or the wall. This allows you to visually see the color of the fixtures, various styles of light bulbs and the different styles of light fixtures. Once you get a feel for your lighting style, you can always shop online for better pricing. I purchased most of my lights at the showroom since the prices were just as completive as the online sources.
Once you have chosen the type of light you want to use, the next decision is the shade of the light. The hue of the light will determine how the interior comes out at night or when there is insufficient natural light. Initially, I opted for bright white LED bulbs; however I recently changed all of my bulbs to the LED daylight brightness. It truly mimics natural light, and this is great if you photograph you home for Instagram and Facebook.
Installing quality lighting is an essential part of an overall design concept, so I did a lot of research on the types of light fixtures that fit my design style.
When I moved into my home two years ago, I knew I wanted to change out the light fixtures. The builder-grade lights were dull and uninspiring, so I immediately changed out a majority of the light fixtures when I moved in.
I was going for a modern farmhouse feel, so I chose lantern style black/and bronze light fixtures.
Tip: Your budget should determine your lighting selection.
5. Create Custom Built-ins
Do find yourself looking for a place to store your kids’ backpacks, shoes and sporting equipment? If so, you have probably considered some type of entryway storage solution.
My home has a good size mudroom, so I knew I wanted to maximize the space by building a mudroom bench with hooks for storage.
I have twins, so each of them has one cubby for shoes and two hooks for their personal belongings. I added the baskets to hide the cluttered look of dirty shoes.
I also had my contractor build out a family planning desk with overhead cabinets for added storage.
This space is one of my favorite spaces since it is just outside of the kitchen and pantry. I can pay bills, do meal planning for the week, create my grocery shopping list and allow the kids to use the computer safely.
Since I’m a big fan of Joanna Gaines (Fixer Upper), I knew I wanted a rustic, farmhouse feel to the mudroom built-in areas. I achieved this easily with the shiplap walls and board and batten look over the bench.
Check out my previous post on Our Farmhouse Style, Rustic Mudroom here.
Tip: Think of the mudroom as a giant closet. Even if it can accommodate your extra belongings, you should create specific drop zones to prevent clutter build up and contain the items you use on a daily basis.
6. Install or Replace Cabinet Hardware
Cabinet hardware is essential not only in the kitchen but in all areas of the home. Cabinet hardware comes in all shapes, sizes and finishes. A visit to the hardware store or online will yield a plethora of hardware options. It’s best to choose a hardware style that best fits your home’s design and personal style.
I personally recommend a classic knob or pull over a trendy option. A typical kitchen would need anywhere from 30-40 knobs or pulls (depending on the style), so consider this when choosing a style for your cabinets.
I elected to not have the builder install hardware in my kitchen to avoid having single-hole knobs. I knew I wanted pulls, so I elected to install my own hardware when I moved into the house.
Tip: I recommend purchasing a few extra pieces of hardware in case you need to replace a knob or pull in the future.
7. Install New Countertops
One of the ways to upgrade a builder grade kitchen is to install new countertops. Whether you choose marble and quartz, it will transform your kitchen and add instant value. I selected granite as my countertop stone when I built my home; however I knew I would eventually upgrade to quartz. Once I installed my glass tile backsplash, the upgrade to quartz was inevitable.
Quartz countertops are durable thanks to the resin used during the manufacturing process. The resin makes the surface non-porous, which makes them resistant to stains, mildew, odor-causing bacteria, and mold. Quartz surfaces are easy to clean and maintain, and they are available in a number of colors to include the marble-look and other neutral colors.
I chose a quartz that resembles marble, and I love the veining on the stone. It looks clean and sleek, and is the perfect backdrop for amazing kitchen photographs. The stone I selected is the MSI Calcutta Classique in 3 cm slabs with the eased edge. I had to use two slabs for the entire kitchen which was roughly 76 square feet.
In addition to the quartz countertop installation, I also replaced my sink and faucet. I knew I wanted to go with a square under mount sink and a gold faucet. They are made by Kraus USA, and I purchased both from Amazon.
Tip: I recommend going to the showroom to pick out your own countertop slabs. If you are choosing a natural stone, definitely go pick out your own slab. Also, make sure that you only pay for the amount of stone that you use for your project.
8. Install a Kitchen Backsplash
A tile backsplash is a notable design element in a kitchen. However, choosing a backsplash that could pull together the overall design of the modern farmhouse was somewhat challenging. I made a trip to Tile Shop to evaluate all of the tile options. I selected a glass tile since it was part of my initial design board.
The tile I selected was a glass tile in the color Beach Glass; however the salesperson gave me the wrong sample. I fell in love with the sample, so I didn’t notice the mistake. When my contractors purchased the tile on my behalf, they used the tile sample provided instead of the color I mentioned (Platinum). We they began installing the tile on the wall, it appeared to have a green tint. Instead of having them remove the tile, I decided to go through with the installation since it provided a certain level of warmth to my kitchen.
My kitchen has that relaxed and unpretentious feel that comes with the modern farmhouse style, so this tile backsplash was a perfect addition. The green hue along with the gold cabinet hardware and faucet contrast beautifully and feels like jewelry for the kitchen.
Tip: There could be a slight (somewhat significant) difference in the appearance of tile when choosing a sample and when it is installed on the wall. To avoid any issues, look at the tile in natural lighting and artificial to ensure it meets your approval.
9. Install Custom Window Treatments
Are you building a new home or renovating an existing home? If yes, then chances are you also want to change the overall look of your windows. One such way is through the installation of whole house custom plantation shutters or window shutters as they’re popularly know.
Plantation shutters make a fantastic addition to your interior decor and styling. They can easily blend with the decor of your choice while making your home appear extremely welcoming. They automatically increase your home’s aesthetic value.
When we moved into our new home a couple of years ago, I installed custom plantation shutters made from American hardwood. The shutters come with a lot of styles, colors and options. If the shutter fits into the interior design, then it’s a great pick! It is important to ensure that the functional quality of the shutter is not compromised for aesthetics.
I opted for a white plantation shutter without the tilt rod for a modern, clean look and feel. I love that the shutters can allow as much light as your prefer or block out all of the light if you like to sleep in like me. These types of shutters provide a level of energy efficiency and can block out a lot of the harmful UV rays.
I feel that plantation shutters are a great investment if you want to upgrade your home. For more detailed information on planation shutters, please check out my blog post — Plantation Shutters – Are They are Great Investment here.
Tip: Determine if you prefer an outside or inside window mount for your planation shutters prior to committing to a shutter type.
There you have it, the actual upgrades I’ve made to my home over the past two years to increase the appeal and value of my home.
Take a look around your home and assess where you can get the most bang for your buck! Be strategic and balance out the cost versus the return on your investment.
