It’s all the rage right now, the Fixer Upper style, that modern farmhouse look!
People are gaga over Chip and Joanna Gaines and their fabulous farmhouse décor, as well as their adorable family, not to mention the baby goats!
So, you’ve binge watched Fixer Upper all weekend (I may have watched a few myself).
But, how the heck do you get the look in your home?
In case you haven’t noticed, there are designs and products that Jo uses in almost every home to achieve that modern farmhouse look.
I’m revealing those to you today so that YOU can get the Fixer Upper look in your home.
- Neutrals and Texture
The modern farmhouse look depends on the element of neutrals and when you are decorating with neutrals adding texture is a MUST.
You’ll notice that Chip and Joanna use a lot of reclaimed wood in their projects. BUT, they mix it with clean, smooth wood as well. They’ll add a reclaimed mantel, but have smooth wood floors. They’ll add a rough wood table to a kitchen with clean, white, painted cabinets.
You have to mix the woods; otherwise it’s just too much.
They always have some wood that is raw or rough, unpainted.
How can YOU do this in your home?
Add an old beam to your fireplace, but go with a sleek surround.
Add an old farm table to your dining room, but have a clean, painted sideboard.
Add an old door to your pantry, but go with white painted cabinets.
Mix it up!
Use your grandmother’s old table in your dining room, but use new chairs with it.
Mix and Match to keep it down to earth and casual, just like Joanna.
- Antiques and Reclaimed Pieces
This one may be obvious. I mean we all see the Gaines’ at antique shops on the show and know that Joanna loves to use old architectural pieces in her designs.
But, the questions are, where can you find them, and how should you use them?
You can head to any local flea market or antique shop and find tons of architectural pieces. Nowadays there are even pieces sold by furniture and accessory stores that just LOOK old, but are actually new. Personally, I prefer the pieces that ARE actually old and were actually used for another purpose. It just seems more authentic to me.
Use the architectural pieces anywhere you’d use art –
over your sofa, above your bed, above your dining room sideboard.
Use an old door or two instead of a new door in your home.
Add some antique bowls to your décor.
Freshen up your grandmother’s old table instead of buying a new one.
Just make sure you refer to #1. You need to mix them with clean, new items so that you get the Fixer Upper look, not the Flea Market look.
- Black
This one is near and dear to my heart. I do have a thing for black. It just adds a necessary crispness to any space.
Joanna uses it a lot in her window frames.
She also uses it in her area rugs (refer to the pic at the top).
Because she uses a lot of neutrals for her décor, adding black adds that pop that the room needs.
How can YOU use it? Add a neutral area rug with some black in it like the one above.
Or, use black hardware on your cabinetry.
The trick to adding black, like adding any color, is to repeat it at least 3 times in the room.
This chandelier by Hearth & Hand via Target would be the perfect pop of black.
Click HERE to purchase
- Shiplap
I couldn’t possibly write about Fixer Upper without writing about shiplap!
It’s great if you live in an area where they used shiplap in old homes, you have an old home AND you’re renovating.
But, what if you have a new house that you’re decorating and you want shiplap?
Shhhhh, this is a HUGE secret!
Shiplap is just 1 x 6 boards hung horizontally!
Seriously, that’s it.
Adding shiplap to your home is actually a simple job for an experienced carpenter.
Hang it. Paint it. Or leave it raw, depending on the finish. Done.
How can YOU add it to your home?
Add it to the wall behind your bed for an accent wall.
Add it to a cathedral ceiling to warm up the room.
Add it to your porch ceiling.
Create a wainscoting in your dining room by adding it to the bottom half of your wall.
- Painted brick
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of that old, red brick. So I’m on board with the painted brick that they always show on Fixer Upper. Paint the brick, I say!
I see tons of clients with old, red brick on their fireplace. An easy, inexpensive solution for it is to paint it. And now, according to Chip and Joanna, it’s ‘IN’. Thank you!
How can you use the painted brick trend in YOUR home?
Paint out that old fireplace wall. Yes, you can whitewash it. But, I prefer painted, and I think Joanna Gaines agrees.
Clean it well. Use a good primer and paint it!
You can also have the outside of your brick house painted. Please, if you live in a red, brick house, have it painted.
It’s just my opinion. But, it’s Joanna Gaines’ too, so we can’t both be wrong!
- Greenery
Joanna and I agree on this one too!
I always say that every room needs some life, in the form of a plant.
If you notice on Fixer Upper, Joanna always adds some branches, or greenery to every room as well.
And, she likes to add window boxes to the exterior of houses as well.
How can YOU incorporate this in YOUR home?
Add branches from your yard to antique bottles and add to any table.
You can even buy realistic looking faux branches at MagnoliaHome.com or Pier 1.
TIP – If you buy faux branches that have a plastic stem you can add water to the bottle, making them look more real!
Add wood (not those plastic ones from Kmart) window boxes to your front windows.
You can even plant grass in a plant pot and add it anywhere in your home.
You can even find beautiful stems etc. specifically by Joanna via Target CLICK HERE
- Quotes & Sayings
This one seems to be controversial lately. Some people are sick of quotes and words in home décor.
But, again, Joanna and I agree. (Maybe we were separated at birth. LOL)
I love using quotes and meaningful sayings in décor.
The trick is to use them sparingly.
You don’t need a quote in every room!
And, they should be meaningful to YOU and YOUR family.
How can YOU incorporate quotes in your home décor?
Choose a quote or a saying that has special meaning to you and your family.
Maybe it’s a line from your wedding vows.
Maybe it’s something your grandfather always said.
Or, maybe it’s just a phrase that you love.
Find a place that’s appropriate for that quote or saying.
If it’s a food quote, hang it in the kitchen.
If it’s a romantic saying, hang it in your master bedroom.
If it’s an inspirational quote, hang it by a frequently used door for everyday inspiration.
- Clean lines
The key to Joanna Gaines’ designs not looking too feminine is that she adds in clean lined furniture in with her scalloped or turned leg furniture.
She’ll add a sofa and chairs with a track arm to a room that has tables with turned legs.
She’ll add sleek, modern, iron shelves to a kitchen with intricate, antique doors.
She’ll add clean, simple shutters INSIDE instead of draperies, in a room that has curved arched entries.
Like I said above, you HAVE to mix sleek and clean in with the rough and curved to have balance.
How can YOU use sleek, modern pieces in YOUR home?
Consider using a simple, clean line coffee table to balance your big comfy sofa.
Or, buy side chairs that are simple and modern to balance out your traditional sofa.
Use a modern table with antique chairs.
- Subway Tile
Fixer Upper has given subway tile a whole new life.
Like the old 4 x 4 tile, subway tile used to be a thing of the past, an old fashioned, inexpensive tile option.
But, what’s old is new again, thanks to the Gaines’.
Subway tile is an inexpensive tile choice.
And now there are tons of options. You can do all kinds of things with this simple 3 x 6 tile.
If you go with the least expensive option, a simple, white 3 x 6 inch tile, you can use a darker grout to bring out the tile.
You can also install it vertically or in a chevron pattern.
There are endless possibilities of combinations when you consider the tile and grout colors and the installation options.
How can YOU use it in YOUR home?
Update the backsplash in your kitchen. Choose tile and grout colors that coordinate with your countertop.
Add a backsplash to your bathroom sinks.
Think outside the box by using different patterns and/or lighter or darker grout colors.
- Magnolia
This may be the EASIEST tip. If you want to go literal you can add a Magnolia wreath or branches to your home and call it a day.
How can YOU incorporate them in YOUR home?
Hang an old window on the wall and add a magnolia wreath onto it.
I actually did this in a senior living lobby, but I used a mirror, for a cleaner look.
You can also simply add some magnolia leaf branches to a vase or antique bottle and group a few of them on a sideboard or dining room table.
Click HERE to see more and/or purchase
I could really keep going –
Using old dressers as bathroom vanities
Choosing concrete countertops
Adding reclaimed wood shutters to your home’s exterior
Adding wooden rocking chairs to your front porch
Adding a porch swing
Adding a front porch
Using an old church pew in your foyer
Using oversized clocks
Adding personalized items – such as musical instruments
Using old maps as art
Adding old books as accessories
Using white slipcovers on furniture
Using apron front, farmhouse sinks
Using vintage, barn pendant lights
Using open shelving in the kitchen
Using sliding barn doors
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