To Farmhouse or Not to Farmhouse?

Farmhouse Decor

Over the last 5+ years, I (along with the rest of America) have faithfully watched Fixer Upper catapult farmhouse decor.  With our TVs tuned to HGTV, we dutifully watched every Tuesday night.  Almost every house on the series was adorned with copious amount of shiplap, subway tile, distressed finishes and rustic wood.  Now that the era of Fixer Upper is finished (sniff), the farmhouse trend seems to be waning.  When the Gaines announced last year that the fifth season of Fixer Upper would be the last, the design world and blogosphere mourned.

So what was the appeal of Fixer Upper? Like most of us, I do not have a farmhouse, and I suppose I never will (sniff, sniff)…I submit that it was not only the fabulous interiors we all tuned in to see, but the idyllic home life of the Gaines family.  Chip and Joanna’s precious children, farm animals (goats!), Chip’s antics and Joanna’s reactions of simultaneous long suffering and adoration were the stuff of ratings gold.

The Magnolia Story, Joanna Gaines/Facebook

Takeaways

I’m going to go all corporate meeting jargon and ask,  “What are our ‘takeaways’ from the Fixer Upper phenomenon?”  As evidenced in every episode, farmhouse decor actually has lots of classic elements that endure long past any HGTV airing or decor trend.  These elements are just as fabulous in a French Chateau, Greek Revival or modern loft space as they are in any farmhouse in Texas.  To demonstrate this point, I have assembled side by side examples of these timeless elements in a farmhouse and NOT in a farmhouse:

SUBWAY TILE

House Beautiful

Architectural Digest

FRENCH DOORS

Fixer Upper

Better Homes and Gardens

HARDWOOD FLOORS

Houzz

Restaurant and Kitchen Design

To Farmhouse or Not to Farmhouse?

Shakespeare might object to the adaptation of his prose, but having never seen a single episode of Fixer Upper, his opinion matters not.  “To Farmhouse or Not to Farmhouse?” In my opinion, the death of farmhouse decor has been greatly exaggerated.  We will always love classic design and the Gaines family in Waco, Texas.  What do you think?  Do you still love farmhouse decor?  Or are you ready for farmhouse decor to go the way of Tuscan decor, faux finishes and Laura Ashley floral designs?

If you are in the aftermath of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Florence, the nation is watching and praying for you!