You don’t have to live in the country to have the rustic farmhouse kitchen of your dreams! As it turns out, the popular mainstream look—thanks largely to the likes of farmhouse style guru Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper fame—can be achieved anywhere. In fact, most tried-and-true, simple rustic farmhouse kitchen ideas start with the country design icons of farmhouse style you already know and love.
To bring that nostalgic, rustic charm to the heart of your home, look to vintage-inspired appliances, personality-driven palettes (from calming neutrals to bold color), and well-worn wood accents (we are obsessed with a vent hood wrapped in reclaimed wood!). These country farmhouse kitchen ideas paired with hardy materials like farmhouse sinks, passed-down collected treasures, and your family gathered around the island will no doubt lead to the homey, timeless, been-around-forever style you see here.
It’s no secret the kitchen can be one of the most expensive rooms to build and renovate. If you’re looking for farmhouse kitchen ideas on a budget, consider open shelving that gives casual “serve yourself” vibes while saving on cabinetry costs. This is also one of our favorite small rustic farmhouse kitchen ideas, as upper cabinets can make a space feel smaller and closed in. Whatever your budget or space, we hope you find endless rustic farmhouse kitchen decorating ideas and inspiration, from our dreamiest house tours of all time.
Here are more genius decorating ideas for creating your dream kitchen:
- Best Kitchen Paint Color Ideas to Update Your Space
- Dreamy Open Shelving Ideas for Your Kitchen
- Beautiful Ways to Decorate Your Kitchen With Wallpaper
- Our Best Kitchen Island Ideas for Rooms Large and Small
1
Install Open Shelving
With three levels of open shelving, photographer Helen Norman achieved a beautifully layered look that is ideal for her ever-growing ceramic collection. To be sure you have enough room for items on your countertop (think coffee maker, cutting boards, etc.) as well as things on your shelves (think pitchers and platters), measure your tallest pieces, add an inch or two, and space out shelves accordingly before installing. This mix of upper cabinets, lower cabinets, island storage, and open shelving means there’s a place for everything.
RELATED: We’ve curated our favorite green kitchens of all time.
2
Make a Small Space Live Large
To break up the kitchen’s white cabinetry, homeowner Bambi Costanzo (@number131) repurposed an old wood dry sink she found on Facebook Marketplace by taking it apart and installing the pieces under the window as a makeshift built-in. “It was almost too perfect for the space,” she says. Her dishware storage doubles as display courtesy of more DIY ingenuity. For the countertop rack, Bambi sanded down a wooden box and added dowel rods for plate separators. Striped skirted fabric hides the dishwasher.
Get the Look:
Farmhouse Sink: Whitehaus Fireclay Sink
RELATED: This tiny cottage in West Virginia is brimming with personality.
3
Contrast the Woods
While the phrase “cabin kitchen” may evoke images of dark woods and ruddy hues, architect Ken Pursley wanted this North Carolina home to feel light and airy but still reflect the simple mountain aesthetic. Rough oak floors stained in a warm finish set a welcoming cabin tone, while a pine ceiling sourced from a nearby forest adds understated texture. Durable yet modern concrete countertops, a pair of oversize lanterns, and industrial-style drafting stools round out the ultimate rustic-meets-refined space.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: Ashwood by Benjamin Moore
Island Paint Color: Whale by Pratt & Lambert
RELATED: These are the best kitchen island ideas for small and large spaces.
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4
Skirt the Sink
Textile designer Heather Taylor complemented the yellow tones of the wood cabinets with sunflower-hued window treatments and a skirt beneath the 30-inch fireclay farmhouse sink. While small in stature, the cabin kitchen is chock-full of charm courtesy of high-impact updates, including an aged brass faucet, a vintage-style scalloped pendant light (so charming!), and petite flush-mount ceiling lights.
Get the Look:
Window Treatments: Heather Taylor Home for Everhem
RELATED: This cozy 1930s California cabin is brimming with charm.
5
Build a Bigger Island
Guests love to gather around the walnut-topped island thanks to its room-for-a-crowd size and fun handmade counter stools. The natural stone wall is complemented by the moody Belgian bluestone backsplash behind the range and the room’s various woods—including reclaimed barn boards on the ceiling, vintage French white oak on the floor, and band-sawn knotty white oak on the flush-inset cabinets.
RELATED: This dreamy Michigan lake house feels like it's been there for ages.
6
Wrap a Vent Hood in Reclaimed Wood
A unique salvaged wood hood, custom-built by the owner of this Mississippi farmhouse, and a vintage Turkish runner add warmth to the mostly white kitchen. We love the addition of a landscape painting floating above the range as an unexpected alternative to a tile accent.
RELATED: See how to achieve old-soul vibes in a new build.
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7
Lay Tile With Patina
The new Moroccan floor tile features an aged finish that brings in soft color and pattern and lays the groundwork for building this kitchen’s entire design. While not an antique, the new farmhouse table feels that way after designer Erica Harrison had it sanded. The walnut bentwood chairs bring a European bistro look. A piece of vintage art above the new range by Ilve adds color and character to the mostly white kitchen. The retro-inspired refrigerator by iio feels right at home in its circa-1910 surroundings.
Get the Look:
Bentwood Chairs: For similar, Bentwood Dining Chairs from Amazon
Wall Paint Color: Mountain Peak White by Benjamin Moore
Cabinetry Paint Color: Olympic Mountains by Benjamin Moore
RELATED: This renovated 100-year-old farmhouse oozes vintage charm.
8
Make Room for an Eat-In Moment
To make space for an antique pedestal table and a scalloped banquette (smartly upholstered in performance fabric to hold up to spills), homeowner (and Country Living Design Director!) Maribeth Jones removed a bank of built-in cabinetry that wasn’t worth saving. This set-up makes for the sweetest spot for breakfast, snacks, and activities.
Get the Look:
Banquette: “Regina” Banquette by One Kings Lane
Lighting: “Vendome” Sconce by Visual Comfort
RELATED: Don’t miss a detail of this charming and cheery British-inspired kitchen reno.
9
Checker the Backsplash
For a statement-making backsplash, interior designer Christina Salway arranged two shades of green tiles in a checkerboard pattern. Warm wood tones, the natural jute rug, and a display of round baskets balance the greens and keep it rustic and cozy.
Get the Look:
Back Wall Cabinetry Color: Inchyra Blue by Farrow & Ball
Trim and Range Cabinetry Color: Vert De Terre by Farrow & Ball
Sink Skirt Fabric: “Trouville” by Rogers and Goffigon
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10
Build With Rough-Hewn Materials
This Montana cabin was no place for a sleek new kitchen. Instead, designer Jeremiah Young of Billings-based Kibler & Kirch, opted for custom cabinet panels in rough-hewn wood paired with two-inch-thick solid oak countertops. “They’re going to take a licking and get better and better with time,” he says. The off-white vintage-inspired range and hood complement the handcrafted porcelain tile backsplash. Classic finishing touches include an apron-front sink and milk glass pendants.
Get the Look:
Milk Glass Pendant Lights: “Milton Road” by Visual Comfort
RELATED: This Montana home is the rustic cabin of our dreams.
11
Use a Pine Table as an Island
In this time capsule of a cottage on Cape Cod, homeowner Stephanie Watts packed tons of charm into every square inch. In place of an island, a pine farm table brings rustic texture, while unlacquered brass bistro-style shelving and a pull-down faucet add aged shine. The cabinets got a new coat of mossy green paint; the walls are lined in a pretty, light-reflecting tile.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint Color: for similar, Down to Earth by Behr
RELATED: Read about our best tips for painting kitchen cabinets.
12
Install a Peg Rail
A shelf with a peg rail is useful for hanging kitchen tools, like pots and pans, and for displaying dishes and collected treasures up top. Ceramic sconces illuminate the space. Inspired by an existing built-in cupboard, architect Greg Dutton designed similarly styled simple Shaker-front cabinets to match the rest of the space. Soapstone countertops and taupe walls are equally unfussy.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint: Renwick Beige by Sherwin-Williams
RELATED: This Ohio cottage is what tiny home dreams are made of.
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13
Let the Sun Shine In
In the daytime, counter-to-ceiling windows let in warm sunlight. At night, the rustic, wood-clad cook space is all aglow with a creative mix of lighting.
14
Add Patina With Vintage Lighting
In this all-white kitchen, light gray concrete countertops, reclaimed beams and shelves, and ceramic tile laid in a graphic pattern add visual interest. But the real show-stopper is the pair of green antique French lanterns (from Sourced by Janet Wiebe) that lend a gorgeous pop of color and a perfect touch of patina.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore
RELATED: Take a look inside the rest of this dreamy Texas farmhouse.
15
Store Pots Overhead
When storage is limited, look up! The iron pot rack here displays a collection of copper cookware. Rounding out the farmhouse vibe: a large coffee tin that's now a trash receptacle; a white subway tile backsplash; and an old butcher block on the work space side.
Get the Look:
Half-Wall Paint: Midsummer Night by Benjamin Moore
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16
Use Antiques as Cabinetry
In lieu of cabinets, a 19th-century English pine dresser and a pine hanging plate rack house a collection of everyday blue-and-white transferware. Crisp white walls, grassy green painted floors, and classic gingham fabric brighten up the space.
RELATED: 20+ Brilliant Ideas for Painted Floors
17
Pick Barstools With Some Pop
Painted furniture is an easy way to bring color into a neutral space. Here, bright and cheerful robin’s-egg blue barstools do just that. The existing beechnut island reinforces the farmhouse aesthetic.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry and Wall Paint: Hushed Hue by Benjamin Moore
RELATED: Take a peek inside the stunning farmhouse makeover that didn't require a single renovation project.
18
Make Room for a Pantry
In this pantry, a floor-to-ceiling plate rack using one-by-four shelves and wood trim displays a collection of blue-and-white plates and platters. The painted checkerboard floor ups the charm factor in the tiny space, which is also a landing down to the basem*nt.
Get the Look:
Floor Paint Color: Magnet Dapple by Valspar
Blue and White China: for similar, Replacements. Ltd.
RELATED: This tiny cottage in West Virginia is brimming with personality.
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19
Incorporate Furniture-Like Details
This farmhouse kitchen truly encompasses a timeless, built-over-time design. A built-in hutch made of reclaimed pine floorboards holds dishes and other kitchen items. The island has a set of drawers for extra storage—a smart furniture-esque touch. White beadboard (on the ceiling) and shiplap (on the walls), reclaimed waxed hemlock floorboards, and walnut countertops wrap the room in texture and warmth.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: White Heron by Benjamin Moore
20
Hang a Bold Wallpaper
Singer-songwriter/designer/farmhouse renovator extraordinaire Holly Williams loves an eye-catching wallpaper. In this Kentucky farmhouse she restored, a chalky blue cabinet paint is paired with a pretty floral print. Affordable marble shelves with brass brackets from Rejuvenation are filled with a mix of pewter and ironstone.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint Color: Blue Daisy by Benjamin Moore
Cabinetry Hardware: Tolson by Rejuvenation
RELATED: Beautiful Ways to Decorate Your Kitchen With Wallpaper
Amy Mitchell
Managing Editor
Amy Mitchell is the managing editor at Country Living and VERANDA. She writes about a wide range of topics, including homes and lifestyle content.
