Simple, clean, chic, cozy, and warm are all words often used to describe farmhouse design aesthetics. Under the umbrella of this design category—which is inspired by traditional European farmhouses from as far back as the 16th and 17th centuries—are two distinct categories: traditional and modern.
Traditional farmhouses typically feature rustic accents like darker reclaimed wood, deep greens, blues, and browns, brass accents, and antique pieces. Modern farmhouse aesthetics, on the other hand, often showcase more subtle and neutral color palettes, softer accents, and clean lines. However, the categories aren’t rigid. Under these are subcategories like coastal farmhouse (think shiplap, beige sheepskin rugs, and light wood), French farmhouse (plaster walls, wooden beams, and floral or botanical decor), and industrial farmhouse (a warm color palette mixed with black, steel accents and thick, heavy rustic woods). Like many home design styles, there’s enough flexibility for everyone to blend the bits they love together to make an aesthetic they love.
If you want to try incorporating the farmhouse aesthetic into your space but don’t know where to begin, start small. First up: Your dinner table. Setting a farmhouse table is simpler than you might think. Just add in some neutral, textured dinnerware, warm and subtle pops of color, and handmade accents. To help, we’ve pulled together 13 of our favorite farmhouse-inspired tabletop pieces from our Shop.
1. Uashmama Essential Placemats, $56+
Let’s work from the base up. These placemats come in a large range of soft colors that’ll easily complement any neutral color palette, plus three shapes (Oval, Rectangle, and Square). They’re crafted in Italy from waxed paper, which gives them a one-of-a-kind texture and they’re easy to clean.
2. Five Two Everyday Soft Cotton Table Runner, $45 $25+
Give a nod to traditional table settings with a cotton runner. They’re made from 100 percent cotton, are available in five farmhouse-style colors, and feature a vintage-inspired hemstitched detail that adds a subtle texture to the table.
3. June & December Chicory Flour Sack Cotton Napkins, $46
These cotton napkins are a fun way to add a pattern to a farmhouse-inspired table. They showcase a vintage-style pattern that fits in with the antique aesthetic while still being subdued enough to not cross the line between traditional and eccentric. The napkins come as a set of four and are available in four pastel colorways—Tangerine, Meadow, Cabbage, and Moss.
4. Handthrown Rustic Ceramic Dinnerware, $65+
Now that your table linens are set, it’s time to sort out the place settings. These hand-thrown plates are a perfect blend of classic and contemporary design, which is the sweet spot of any modern farmhouse aesthetic. Each piece is hand-thrown, trimmed, glazed, and fired by one person and is available as a stand-alone dinner plate, salad plate, or cereal bowl, or as the full three-piece set. The cherry on top? Each color—Ivory, Denim, Orange, and Black—work well with each other, allowing for easy mixing and matching.
5. Handthrown Rustic Ceramic Pasta Bowls with Handles, $90
Speaking of mixing and matching, place this rustic pasta bowl atop the plate of your choice for a beautiful dinner set. The bowl is available in the same color as the hand-thrown plates (Ivory, Denim, Orange, and Black) and even features a handle for easy holding.
6. Veranda Outdoor Pitcher & Tumblers, $48
Next up: glasses. Keep your drinkware simple and classic with these tumblers. Whether you go with the clear, green, or a soft amber hue, they’ll fit in with the rest of the table design you’re building. Made of Tritan copolyester, they’re shatterproof and lightweight, too.
7. American-Made Woodstock Flatware, $48+
Brushed metal is an accent found in many farmhouse-inspired homes, so this cutlery set was an easy choice. The playful curves and matte, not-too-shiny finish dress up your dinner table without making it feel stuffy or too delicate.
8. Handcrafted Wooden Bowls, $325
Available in three different wood shades, you’ll be able to find the right fit for your specific farmhouse-inspired look. The White, Ash Wood goes well with a coastal or modern farmhouse look, the Grey, Ash Wood is perfect for an industrial or traditional farmhouse look, and the exclusive-to-Food52 Ashwood shade has French farmhouse written all over it. Alternatively, if you want a salad bowl and mezzaluna combo, try this Handcrafted Mezzaluna Chopper & Salad Bowl.
9. Flower Salad Servers, $55
Designed by Selena Liu, carved from sapel wood, and then oiled. Need we say more?
10. Farmhouse Pottery Handmade Ceramic Butter Keeper, $115
When it comes to nailing a design aesthetic, it always boils down to the details. Instead of passing the butter around the table on a plate or in its carton, try this ceramic butter keeper. Not only does the rustic, white glaze and exposed-clay combination align with the farmhouse look, but it’ll also keep your butter fresh at room temperature for a month or so.
11. Hand-Blown Recycled Glass Cake Stand, $44
If you’re serving dessert, this glass cake stand is worth a look. The low-to-the-table design keeps things streamlined, soft, and simple, while the hand-blown design and earthy, green tint is captivating enough to draw eyes (and compliments!).
12. Palermo Gold Rim Glassware, $66+
Traditional, clean, and vintage-inspired, these cocktail glasses are a perfect fit for any farmhouse-inspired table.
13. Handturned Wood Candle Holder, $65+
Add one last piece of flair to the table with a couple of these hand-turned wood candle holders. The clean curves, sleek profile, and balanced design have all the elements of a modernist sculpture, and the visible wood graining and light natural finishes create a warm, cozy feel—it’s modern farmhouse in a nutshell, if you ask us.
From Our Shop
