What makes for a quintessentially country farmhouse living room? When you think about the classic, homey style, you likely imagine a warm space filled with a sink-into-me sofa (perhaps positioned around an inviting fireplace), a comfy chair for reading or cross-stitching, and that one special quilt everyone calls first dibs on. There might be old wood beams overhead, a perfectly imperfect worn rug underfoot, and shiplap wrapping the room.
Whatever design elements make up the rustic farmhouse living room of your dreams, you’ll find loads of decorating inspiration here in these pictures of farmhouse living rooms from our favorite country homes.
For a classic, collected-over-time style, beautiful farmhouse living rooms with color and pattern bring a lived-in, homespun feel (think cottagecore design vibes). In these rooms, you’ll find buffalo checks, florals, vintage items and antiques, and personal collections on display. For a modern farmhouse style living room, look for more contemporary and calming decorating ideas, such as neutral backdrops and architectural features like stone, wood beams, and windows to shine.
One thing to remember if you want to achieve cozy farmhouse living room style: You don’t have to live in a farmhouse! Bring this traditional look home now, wherever you live.
Love farmhouse style? Check out these stories for more farmhouse decorating ideas for other rooms in your home:
- Rustic Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas to Give Your Kitchen an Inviting, Timeless Look
- Our Favorite Cozy Farmhouse Bedroom Ideas
- 60+ Farmhouse Decorating Ideas for Every Room in Your House
1
Establish a Worry-Free Vibe
No velvet ropes here! In this California living room with English cottage sensibilities, being worry-free is key. Items like the weathered antique butcher-block coffee table, washable slipcovers on the deep sofa and swivel chairs, and a thick sisal rug establish the home’s kick-up-your-feet feeling.
2
Build with Reclaimed Materials
Built with North Carolina stone, this living room’s fireplace gives a proud nod to the home’s location. Other rustic architectural details, like log skins that were salvaged from old barns in the Midwest and the reclaimed beams from an 1800s Massachusetts mill, add loads of been-there-forever charm to this new farmhouse build.
RELATED: See more of this rustic-meets-refined mountain cabin that is filled with an eclectic mix of antiques.
3
Celebrate Shiplap
During this home renovation, the couple uncovered shiplap beneath the paneling. They removed the pieces one by one, cleaned them up, and then repurposed the boards as a wall in this sitting room, as well as in the entry, kitchen, and bunk room. A vintage bookcase from a medical office is home to books and various collectibles.
RELATED: See more of how this run-down Texas farmhouse became this family's dream home.
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4
Add Instant Patina with Salvaged Beams
Wood beams salvaged from deconstructed barns and other old buildings add instant age to this beautifully calming living room. Rustic architectural accents, artwork, and the pretty patterned rug are the visual focus in this warm, neutral space.
RELATED: 6 Best Places to Find or Buy Reclaimed Wood Near You
5
Roll Out a One-of-a-Kind Rug
A rug really pulls a room together in a way no other accessory does. As a general rule, the front legs of all seating pieces should comfortably fit on the rug. If you have a smaller rug that doesn’t quite fit that requirement, layer it atop a larger sisal rug. We love this trick for a farmhouse living room decorating idea on a budget!
RELATED: This restored 1800s farmhouse is proof that some things just get better with age.
6
Get Cozy with Color
In this cozy farmhouse living room, high-end fabrics (predominantly in stunning blues) on the sofa, velvet ottoman, chair, and pillows balance this country home’s rustic characteristics. The painted fireplace facade ties the whole room together.
RELATED: See more of this 100-year-old Michigan farmhouse that oozes vintage charm.
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7
Redefine Rustic
In this modern farmhouse living room, architectural elements—wide-planked wood floors, ceiling beams, horizontal shiplap wainscoting—are softened with a comfy sectional piled with pillows and sleek, streamlined design choices, like the hanging chair, wood-and-iron coffee table, and handmade oak stump side table. A round iron chandelier crowns the family space.
8
Play Around with Pattern
Checks and florals live in perfect harmony in this cozy living room. To keep the family space from leaning too traditional with the iconic buffalo check-covered sofa and wildflower chintz chair, designer Bailey McCarthy brought in a clean-lined steel-framed coffee table and a graphic longhorn painting for over the fireplace.
RELATED: This darling white farmhouse in Texas proves that old-fashioned favorites are new again.
9
Incorporate Vintage Treasures
Atop a fresh coat of crisp white paint on the walls, trim, and mantel, vintage scores take center stage. Found objects always tell a story. Here, in this small farmhouse living room, the banners hanging above the striped sofa came from a church, the trunk-turned-coffee table came from a Tennessee stable, and the black-and-white family photos lend personal history.
RELATED: This old Kentucky farmhouse gets the ultimate makeover.
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10
Leave Windows Bare
Thanks to no window coverings, natural light pours in to this pretty Catskills living room. Bold painted window trim contrasts the creamy white walls and frames the view beyond.
RELATED: Refresh your space with our favorite living room paint colors.
11
Cozy Up to the Fireplace
A stone fireplace provides a cozy focal point for a pair of comfy armchairs and ottoman, all upholstered in a pretty floral pattern. Hand-hewn log cabin walls and rustic ceiling beams wrap the room in natural warmth.
RELATED: 50 Fireplace and Mantel Decor Ideas for a Cozy Upgrade
12
Pack In the Charm
We love this space for its small farmhouse living room ideas—packed-in charm, mismatched furniture (a handsome leather Chesterfield sofa, wood pieces)—and its architectural elements, like the painted pine-paneled walls, ceiling beams, four-pane windows, and a front-and-center fireplace.
RELATED: Tour more of this charming cottage that is straight out of a storybook.
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13
Start with a Neutral Base
Wrapping the room in a clean white provides a blank canvas for this inviting living room’s layered, lived-in look. Starting with the weathered ceiling beams that were salvaged from an old warehouse, top-to-bottom texture brings character galore. A pair of tufted velvet armchairs, layered rugs (genius for filling a large living room space!), a plaid blanket, and rustic accessories like the tobacco basket above the fireplace, are the secret to this room’s success.
RELATED: See more of this rustic Tennessee home that does white totally right.
14
Feature Favorite Antiques
This lake house living room is big on the farmhouse style rule of living with antiques and vintage finds. A tufted navy sofa is piled with pillows made from old camp blankets and draped with a red-and-white antique quilt. A collection of paint-by-numbers surrounds an antique cuckoo clock on the painted shiplap wall above.
RELATED: 50+ Gallery Wall Ideas to Display All Your Favorite Things
15
Live with Animals
Your family room should be a welcome space for the entire crew—including your furry family members! White painted floors with a protective top coat are scuff- and spill-resistant, making them both kid- and animal-friendly.
RELATED: Tour more of Liz Marie Galvan’s charming white farmhouse in Michigan.
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16
Pile on the Plaid
There’s perhaps no pattern that encompasses country farmhouse style more than plaid. Here, creative color-blocked window coverings sewn from plaid blankets and dark blue walls help the 20-foot-tall vaulted ceiling feel cozier. An electric green Chesterfield sofa and a pair of vintage chartreuse chairs bring even more energy to the colorful palette in this bold farmhouse living room.
RELATED: We think you’ll agree this Wisconsin summer home feels like happy hour.
17
Refrain from Painting Wood Paneling
Resist the urge to paint wood paneling, especially when it’s this gorgeous! Come nightfall, the bourbon-toned wood glows from the light of brass fixtures and a roaring fire. A pair of mossy green velvet sofas face off to encourage conversation in this sophisticated yet comfortable room.
RELATED: Take a look inside more of this incredible hunting lodge before and after.
18
Display Your Prized Collections
Displaying meaningful collections is definitely a tenet of farmhouse decorating, and we say, the more, the merrier! For the most pleasing visual arrangement, group like items in odd numbers and stagger heights. Prop paintings and trays behind groupings as pretty backdrops, as shown here.
RELATED: 100+ Best Places to Shop for Antiques and Vintage Online
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19
Mix Materials and Textures
In the living room of this renovated South Carolina smokehouse, a mix of textures and materials makes for a lived-in feel. The new fireplace facade features reclaimed weathered brick pavers from an old family home. Painted wood paneling makes for a rustic-yet-refined backdrop for a mohair-and-leather sofa, metal-and-wood side tables, a pair of zebra-print folding chairs, and a cowhide rug.
RELATED: See more of this cozy family retreat that was once a crumbling smokehouse.
20
Choose Comfy Furniture
This Georgia lake house living room was meant to host a crowd comfortably. A pair of cushy sofas piled with pillows and blankets face off in front of the fieldstone fireplace. Leather club chairs with an ottoman provide even more sink-in seating.
RELATED: Check out our coziest living rooms ever.
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.
