One of my favorite style trends is what is now called, Modern Country – a beautiful, relaxed blend of the outgoing Farmhouse style and the more contemporary and streamlined elements borrowed from a mix of Hamptons, Industrial, and traditional country styles.
Gorgeous bentwood or cane backed chairs, the warmth of natural wood, and the combination of soft pastels and a neutral toned pallete are all refreshingly in vogue.
The popular Farmhouse trend of the last few years, with all the busyness of lots of buffalo plaid and check pattern fabrics, has gradually eased back and left something fresh, yet classical, in its place.
Moving away from excessiveness, and borderline kitsch, to a more refined and cleaner vintage-meets-modern country look is considered more tasteful now. Lots of texture and the inviting relaxed feel of a wonderful country home is still present, but is now more streamlined and natural.
So move over Farmhouse, and welcome Modern Country: a style that is practical and understated, yet featuring a warm, cozy, and informal elegance.
Bring the outdoors in with elements and color palettes borrowed from nature. Soft sage greens, greys, and muted or demin blues, combined with a neutral calming palette compliments the natural timbers perfectly.
Introduce lots of texture through cozy fabrics in neutral tones, and add rustic or vintage decorative accents through ceramic vases, antique style metals, or stone and wood finishes.
White on white looks fabulous as long as it's punctuated with some natural color, a few black accents, and timber elements. You don't want it to look too bland.
Less is more in modern country, so try to maintain a happy balance between minimalism and country comfort. Textured throws, cushions, and rugs go a long way.
White, cream or off-white backgrounds will create the clean backdrop you are looking for. Add neutral or pale green, grey, or blue textures, and natural wood elements to complete the look.
The overall style should be fresh and natural but with the feel of country friendliness introduced through the natural tones of timber, or wicker, and other country elements.
Country vintage plates look beautiful and festive placed directly on top of timber tables with lots of natural decor such as red apples and gum leaves. No tablecloths necessary.
All white table settings with natural elements such as pine cones or spruce branches look festive and elegant. You can add more color if you wish with minature trees or gold ornaments.
Alternatively, use your modern country furniture, such as fabulous bentwood chairs, decorated with the coziness of traditional holiday decor.
The important thing to remember is to keep to the rules above: bring the indoors in, such as with fresh greenery or natural elements, or keep it simple if you want to combine it with more color. The simplicity of modern country decorating pairs perfectly with Scandi elements in this regard.
Photo Credits
A huge thank you to Provincial Home Living, who encompass the modern country style so definitively, for their permission to use their photography in this article. The beautiful homewares and furniture shown here can be purchased from Provincial Home Living | Homeware Stores Australia.
The dinner setting used in our photography was purchased from Provincial Home Living's Bretagne collection: Bretagne.
Milleflore Images specializes in photography, graphic design, and stop motion video, with on-trend themes for designers and online marketplace sellers. We love to create imagery, such as product mockups, shop banners, listing videos and social media sets, to help your business grow.
Milleflore Images, the author of these articles, has a Bachelor of Business, diplomas in photography and graphic design, and a background in accounting, marketing, and business consulting.
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