The farmhouse kitchen

I love everything about farmhouses, the freshness, the age and patina, the land. My house is almost a farmhouse, but not quite. Will definitely need something bigger, and older, on more land someday. In the mean time, I have tried to capture the farmhouse aesthetic in my decor and renovations in my little cottage.    There is possibly nothing better than a bright farmhouse kitchen. I don't think it's something you can fake. You can't pay a home renovator to create that look, and ever really nail it. You need to acquire the pieces one at a time, do the work yourself, scour flea markets and tag sales for just the right touches, and it helps if you're house is old. Some of the easiest ways to get the farmhouse look in your house:
1. Use an old table as your kitchen table
2. add a couple brightly colored antique chairs
3. An antique sign or two never hurts (don't go out and buy one of those awful fake ones painted "rustic" style on a piece of barn board that says something silly like "Live Laugh Love")
4. Creative lighting is choice. Have you seen those lights made out of mason jars? LOVE
5. Use a "found" kitchen island. Work benches, antique tables, and converted vintage sideboards all make great islands
6. You can never go wrong with fresh flowers or plants

Adding casters to an antique table is a great way to lift it up to workspace/counter height. I love the use of gray here as well.

Same table, different angle. (p.s. love the light fixture!)

Another fantastic light fixture and a good lesson in floral design- a vase full of greenery can be just as beautiful as a vase full of flowers.

I adore the bold green subway tile used here. The rest of the kitchen is kept white to avoid fussiness. 

I'm a big fan of a brightly painted vintage chair. You can find them some easily at flea markets, and they make such a great statement in a space. Also, are those countertops yellow? cause that's awesome.

my kitchen just after we put the floors in last year, but before I built my current kitchen island.

Another view. See that flower painting by the sink? That's a vintage oil on canvas that I got for $5 a few years ago. It's easily one of my favorite flea market scores ever.

This long bench fits in with the kitchen so well I almost thought it was built in seating. The bold dark wood of the table contrasts satisfyingly with the otherwise white interior.

Butcher block countertops and an overhanging farmhouse sink are so perfect together. Add beadboard and open shelving and it's like a master class in farmhouse chic.

Two for one. That pink fridge is undeniably awesome. I also adore the little school desk. 

See this is what I mean about taking time to collect meaningful and interesting accessories. The arrow above the cabinet is wonderful, as is the hamper/box/wire basket stack. 

I'm about to do a dining room table in the same way, with the dark dark top and white legs. Another nice detail here is the bead board on the ceiling. Basically, I just really dig bead board. 

Another view of my kitchen. The cupboard was a gift from a friend, those barstools were a tag sale find ($5each), and the "Enchanted Consignments" sign was a gift from my parents, who find the most amazing things for me at their flea market in Maine.