With the holidays right around the corner, you’re naturally thinking about how to plan, prepare, and enjoy. And if you live in a home bursting with farmhouse flair, you want all the farmhouse-inspired ideas you can get. Check out these tips for a fantastic farmhouse holiday.
Think neutral and light
There are certainly some colors we associate more with the holiday season than others. And while colors can be a festive and delightful part of your decor, they aren’t the heart and soul of all decor. In fact, when it comes to a farmhouse Christmas, neutrals can be a great way to go (as can light, unintrusive colors).
For instance, in your farmhouse living room, simple wood floors, and neutral walls alongside white and wood furniture create a perfect backdrop on which to craft your farmhouse Christmas look. Along with a neutral and light backdrop, here are some other big-picture decor considerations.
Go rustic and authentic
Shoot for items with the draw of authenticity and “real life.” Real wood floors are a good starting point. Candlestick holders made of wood or other natural materials like iron or brass are additional good ideas. Burlap, feed sacks, milk cans, and egg crates could drive the authenticity home even further.
Fresh
Try to keep your entire environment fresh and invigorating. Natural light should help out here. And ditching the clutter may have a role to play, too. Of course, if you’ve leaned into a neutral or light palette, you may already be well on your way to a fresh look. But don’t forget that a nod to the great outdoors can be in order here as well.
Go for greenery
Now, we might just recommend greenery for any type of interior decor, but it will certainly be appropriate for your farmhouse look. There are many shades of green you could choose ranging from deep forest green to frosted spruce colors. Even lighter shades could be great, depending on the look you prefer.
And do not simply confine your plant life to the living room and kitchen. Bathrooms, bedrooms, dens, and even laundry areas can use the plant life lift, too. An antique milk bottle with a few well-selected branches or twigs? Perfect for the shelf above your washer and dryer. Stick it in a wire basket along with your dryer sheets to give some special punch to your everyday chores.
A bunch of holly sprigs and berries for your bathroom sink? Most definitely. Pair it with a candle or simply place it on a carelessly folded piece of burlap for added farmhouse charm.
Living plants aren’t off the table either. Find a pot that blends seamlessly with your holiday look and introduce a cheery little shrub to your nightstand. If plants purify the air, you might just be doing your health a favor while you sleep, too.
Frosty & white
You know that dusty film that looks so perfect on a farmhouse chalkboard? Well, draw inspiration from that and add touches of white to the rest of your decor. White has so much to offer your farmhouse decor. Not only is it simple, clean, and restful, but it also evokes snow. And what could be more perfect for your winter decor than reminding us all of untouched, white winter wonderlands?
White can be introduced just about anywhere—and it comes in every glorious shade you could need or want. From your furniture to your backsplash to your table linens to your pillow shams to your pitchers, white won’t let you down.
And you can add it as a layer on top of other colors, too. For instance, try simple white lace on top of burlap. Or give frosting your greenery a shot.
Wood, wood, wood
Can we even say enough about this classic, authentic material? From floors to chairs to side tables to baskets, bins, and crates, there’s so much to love about wood. And for your farmhouse holiday (actually for your farmhouse decor year-round), you’ll definitely want wood.
Shed the ugly tchotchkes
Whimsical snowmen and cute ceramic figurines may have their own day in the spotlight. But for a farmhouse holiday look, you might choose to do without (or at least to be especially choosy). Now’s the time for beautiful decor that is cute and classy—not just one or the other. You certainly don’t have to shed imagination and whimsy. But be sure to shoot for authenticity and as many natural materials and fibers as you can get your hands on.
Farmhouse food and friends
Farmhouse decor is an important part of your holiday preparations, to be sure. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t move on to other vital elements of your holiday readiness plan. Celebrating in the farmhouse requires a few other things, too.
First, there are the people. Whoever’s going to be involved in your farmhouse Christmas, you want to be prepared for them. So hospitality is key. Then, there’s the food. Forgetting about that would be disastrous, so we certainly intend to weigh in.
And there’s even something to be said for taking a look at your organization and scheduling. Because what good would it do to drive yourself crazy or run yourself into the ground as a result of not taking a calm and composed approach?
People
When it comes to entertaining, a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. You don’t have to have a degree in hospitality management to be a great host or hostess. Instead, just try to put yourself in the shoes of your guests.
This means you can ask yourself questions about what would you need and want if you were in their position. Taking time to reflect on this leads you to put out clean towels in the guest bathrooms (and of course, give the bathroom a cleaning and tidying). Plus, it can help you think of stowing tissues and an alarm clock in the guest bedroom.
It also helps you realize that your guests may need a bite to eat between meals, so snacks could be in order. Plus, you’ll want to think in advance about how and how often company will need to be entertained. Remember that your guests might enjoy simply relaxing some of the time. So you don’t necessarily have to be available every minute. Nor do you have to pack the schedule with activities.
Company in the farmhouse
First up—pay attention to the overall mood and environment you create for your guests. If your farmhouse has a fresh, neutral, and relaxed vibe, then that’s a perfect starting point. Craft your guest spaces with refreshment, relaxation, and just plain ol’ livin’ in mind.
Aim for your guest bedroom to have a comfortable bed and preferably a chair for relaxation during waking hours. Overall, try to allow the room to promote livability. While you do want it beautiful, you don’t want it to seem untouchable. Make sure your decor is easygoing enough for your guest to truly feel at home.
Decorate their space
Don’t forget that you can add seasonal touches to your guest bedroom decor. If the bedroom already has a farmhouse design, then simply co-opt strategies from above to increase the holiday look.
Consider dropping some special extras in a wire egg basket or even in a rustic wooden crate, too. Things like bottled water, small snacks, and light reading material could be a great way to go. Offer the Wifi password, too, so your guests won’t have to ask. Check the climate control for the room and let the guests know how they can operate it. Plus, ensure you have a few cozy seasonal throws nearby in case your guests want to wrap up.
Planning and organizing
Farms are busy places—perfect for hardworking people. Whether your farmhouse style is a result of true farm life or simply a style choice, lean into the industrious farm attitude yourself this season.
So close to the holidays, it makes sense that there will be some additional work around your farmhouse. Get ahead of the game by planning and organizing thoroughly in advance. Incidentally, this provides a perfect opportunity for farmhouse-inspired storage ideas and for checklists, to-do lists, and chalkboard lists with a farmhouse feel.
You can even make your lists a part of your decor. For instance, on an empty chalkboard on your kitchen wall, scribble some seasonal designs with chalk or chalk markers. Don’t forget to leave space in the center for the many items you need to attend to before and during the holidays.
Plan with a planner
You might even treat yourself to a farmhouse planner to help you keep all the ideas and jobs close at hand. After all, if you’ll need your to-do list sitting where you can see it, then it makes sense to have it blend seamlessly with your farmhouse look.
If you know you’ll need to pull seasonal plates and other holiday items out of storage, then make sure you have places assigned to keep them tidily out of sight until their time. For instance, a stack of milk crates could be a perfect start for seasonal dishes. Even a small chest could keep things out of sight and out of mind until the moment you need them.
And don’t forget to take a quiet, sit-down moment to map out a strategy for attacking this work. Sixty minutes (or even less) on a calm morning could make all the difference in your planning and execution.
A farmhouse feast
We certainly can’t forget that the holidays often involve food. And the holidays in your farmhouse will be no different. Time to whip up tasty treats and heartwarming classics to keep yourself and your crew warm and well-fed.
Naturally, rustic and classic meal options are a great way to go. Hearty soups and stews served out of cast iron pots might be just the thing. A side of hot rolls or crusty bread—what’s not to love? Even casseroles can be classic and filling, evoking dinnertimes of years gone by.
Another route you can take is the fresh and light route. If you live in an area where the weather simply doesn’t get cold during the winter, this might be your perfect choice. Remember how we mentioned freshness and lightness when it comes to your decor? Well, there’s no reason that that can’t be your meal inspiration, too.
A fresh salad or vegetable-filled grain bowl brings the outdoors indoors—and not just for decor either. A tasty quiche is homey yet sophisticated. And hummus and chips are simple but delicious. Mulled cider could add spice and soothing warmth.
Get down to the dessert
A lattice topped pie will be just the thing to launch your dessert time into farmhouse glory. Naturally, plenty of whipped cream will also be appropriate. And milk—served out of a pitcher, certainly—is a necessary addition.
We do recommend that you serve off small dessert plates with real cutlery (no plastic and paper here, please). And wash things down with milk out of tin mugs perhaps.
Use farmhouse-inspired serving dishes
Now this will look different depending on every different homeowner’s particular spin on farmhouse decor. But there are plenty of beautiful serving options for your meal, whether you’re eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
First, you can’t go wrong with white. Anchoring with white or cream ceramic plates, platters, and bowls is probably a sound way to go. As you’ve heard us say before, it establishes a neutral backdrop. Now, you don’t have to keep every dish white. But if you start out with plenty of white, it may give you the chance to branch out with a few key dishes while still preserving a restful uniformity.
Tin, copper, or other metals are also your friends here. Rustic and authentic, you’ll simply want to make sure that any of these dishes that will be in contact with food are indeed intended to be safely used with food.
Another great option? Cast iron. You may already be using this as cookware. But have you ever thought of putting a cast iron pan to work for serving food, too? Drape a buffalo check napkin over the pan’s interior and pile it high with rolls or cornbread squares for a country vibe.
Relax
Remember to keep things simple both for yourself and for the guests. A four-course meal may sound like a great idea in theory. But if it’s overwhelming to the host and uncomfortably complicated for the guests, why not opt for something more down-home and relaxed? For more relaxation inspiration, check out our Rest & Relaxation Series: Make Your Dining Room A Place To Mingle. Or take a look at how to Cozy Up Your Mobile Home Porch
About EZ Homes Design Team
