It almost feels like the era of sleek modernist and contemporary interiors has been going on for too long, and homeowners are finally ready to move away from the impersonal disposition of it all.
In comes the trend of homely, edgy, and unique interior design themes a la farmhouse and industrial styles. Both of these bring something new to the scene, but at their core, they tend to make a space feel lived-in, comfortable, and casually chic. Below, we’ll be looking at what kind of color schemes you can articulate these interiors in, but first - here’s a little introduction:
- What is the Farmhouse style? Simple, practical, and brimming with rustic charm, the farmhouse style is accentuated with hints of modernity with cozy and stylish additions that make it a joy to live in. The furniture is stylishly weathered and you’ll see a lot of vintage decor items that are offset with lovely natural tones and textures.
- What is the Industrial style? The industrial style derives its aesthetics from hard-edged factories and exudes a very raw appeal. Concrete and corrugated textures are a major material theme in such spaces, but they’re accentuated by rugged wooden floors and chalk walls for a bit of sleekness. It’s a moody style that embraces its unfinished appeal, exposed ducts/piping, and relative simplicity in form & function with the utmost panache.
Now that we know the core essence of both these styles, it’s now time to take a look at what kind of color palettes you can translate them in:
Color trends for farmhouse style
The farmhouse style is open, breezy, and incredibly relaxing. It also has a gentle rusticity about it, so the color scheme for this particular style leans towards the neutral/natural side with a pop of some bold yet dynamic color for a bit of contrast. Remember: it’s all about creating a comforting, lived-in, and highly inviting ambiance, so that’s what you’ll be selecting for. Here’s a basic color list that you can choose from:
- White: The backdrop of farmhouse-style interiors is almost always carried out in whites. That’s because the idea is to emulate an inherent breeziness within the ambiance, and what better hue than white to play up that mantle?
The color white not only has reflective qualities that make a space look bigger, but also makes for an excellent backdrop for you to express rustic accents. Moreover, it makes any room feel airy and will make both a closed room and an open floor plan look bigger.
As for the exact shades of white, it actually depends on you. Ivory and eggshell have got a slightly warm rendering, so if you’re looking for something cool, then powder, frost, and snow are good choices. But the farmhouse style always looks the best in neutral shades of white, so you might want to prioritize daisy, porcelain, and cotton white.
- Wood: This is where the rustic part of the farmhouse style comes in. The color you’re looking at is brown, and the material interpretation that you’re looking for is wood. Typically, the wood is used in moderation throughout the farmhouse-style interiors in order to balance out all that white with some warmth. It’s usually interpreted in the form of an accent wall, some fetters, accent furniture, or more.
- Greige: If you really want to go for a traditional vibe, then greige (a mixture of grey and beige) is a good choice for painting your farmhouse-style walls. However, do note that you’ll still have to balance it out with some whites, whether it be in the form of low-wall wainscotting, a french door, heavy-set white furniture, or something else.
- Grey: Featuring all the light shades of grey is a huge trend in the farmhouse style genre. Pale smoke along with moth and dove grey are some pretty good options. You can pair them with white cabinetry and furniture, and rest assured that the overall ambiance is going to be as breezy as if you’d used the color white.
Frankly, an all-neutral color palette can become a bit monotonous, which is why you need to think of daring colors for contrast. However, they should definitely be used in moderation. So, for accentuation, you can pick from:
- Blue: Cool and understated, you can choose from various shades of blues to accentuate your farmhouse-style interiors. You can introduce it through a coastal-themed statement wall art, a cluster of cushions on the sofa, or even a darker shade of blue painted onto the island cabinetry.
- Green: From fresh lime to dark juniper, there are so many lovely shades of green that you can accentuate your farmhouse-style space with. Whether it’s an exotic indoor plant that you’ve featured in a corner or whether it’s a chequered green tablecloth that you’ve placed on your rustic dining table, it’s always going to add a refreshing vibe to the ambiance.
- Metals: There’s always something subtly vintage about the farmhouse style as well and you can emulate it via strategically placed metal accents. It could be copper pendant lights, vintage candelabras, a metal light fixture fixed in the center of the ceiling, or some other decor item.
- Reds: Although rarely used, you can also introduce a minimal red accent in your farmhouse interiors. It could be in the form of a table cloth, flowers in a vase, table placements, or crockery that is featured on open shelves.
Color trends for industrial style
Just like the farmhouse style, the industrial style also has its own personalized color scheme. The main focus of this style is raw materials, so you definitely won’t find any eclectic hues here. In fact, the color palette for this style leans towards the dark neutral side in order to capture the edgy, urban-chic mood. Here are the colors that you can choose from:
- Brown: Brown is one of the most dominating color schemes that you’ll find in industrial style interiors. It’s usually interpreted in the form of exposed brick walls, distressed wood elements, exposed ceiling rafters and sometimes even stylishly worn leather furniture. Note that there’s a theme going here: every brown-colored element is introduced in its rawest form to make the right “industrial” impression.
- Grey: Grey is another color that is extensively found in industrial themed spaces. The most common interpretation of this hue is in the form of concrete textures. Sometimes, it’s on the floor. Other times, it’s on the wall. Note that only medium and dark shades of grey are used here. Lighter ones simply don’t carry the gravitas that this style requires.
- Black: Although not as dominantly used, black is another common color that is featured in industrial style interiors. It’s important to know that black has a bold visual presence, and thus it needs to be used in moderation. Otherwise, it can end up underwhelming the rest of the ambiance. At most, you can use black cabinets, ceiling pipes, window frames, stair railings, and light fixtures.
Since it can’t all be dark-neutral, you certainly have to go for accent colors as well. Here are your choices:
- White: Usually used on the ceiling, white color is introduced in industrial interiors to subtly lighten up the moody atmosphere. Even when it’s featured on the ceiling, it’s still interspersed by exposed pipes and ducts to carry the essence of the style through.
- Miscellaneous jewel tones: A bright pop of color here and there only ramps up the character of an industrial style interior. If you’re in for some green, then a lush tropical indoor plant beside the sofa will look pretty amazing. A multicolored statement art or a triptych featuring reds, yellows, and ceruleans would make for an amazing focal point. It’s all about moderation and strategic placement, so choose and place accordingly.
So, this is everything you need to know about the color schemes for the farmhouse and industrial styles respectively. We hope you find this guide helpful when straightening out the nitty-gritty of your final concepts.
