Modern Farmhouse Design Inspo From Popular HGTV Stars

Modern farmhouse style stretches far beyond shiplap and wooden welcome signs. If you're on the hunt for unexpected and contemporary farmhouse design ideas, the stars of HGTV are one of the best sources to look to for inspiration. Whether you want to add a rustic touch or cover your home in farmhouse décor, you can draw from the design inspo that best suits your modern vision. Create a country-chic look in your living room, bedroom, and beyond with a few key details. This concept is all about personalization and what works best in your space.

Modern farmhouse décor doesn't have to be strictly contemporary-looking. The beauty of this style lies in blending traditional and rustic farmhouse-type elements with a modern, streamlined look and feel. This opens the door to incorporating vintage pieces without the risk of making your home look dated. When it comes to curating a modern space, it's all about composition. So, explore elements like natural wood furniture and sleek metal touches that won't overwhelm your space. From the queen of farmhouse design, Joanna Gaines, to a breakout star, Jonathan Knight, and others, here are some inspiring ways HGTV's hosts have achieved this versatile aesthetic.

In Season 1, Episode 1, of "Farmhouse Fixer," Jonathan Knight took on the task of restoring a 1730s farmhouse with a modern twist. Even with a contemporary perspective, he made sure to maintain some rustic elements to reflect its antique roots. One of Knight's most unique modern farmhouse features was undoubtedly the wall of cowbells hung over the sleek charcoal staircase. Visible from the entryway, this design mixed modernism and homestead style. Knight was giddy at the authenticity of the pieces, exclaiming, "Look at this one though, it still even has cow hair on it!"

Foyers and staircase walls have long been popular areas to create the perfect gallery wall. However as Knight proves, you don't have to limit yourself to wall art when it comes to creating visual interest. For a farmhouse twist, you can mimic the star's look with these Shabby Chic Cowbells from Sparkle Dreams on Amazon. Another alternative is to hang a wall of vintage-style horseshoes, like these Cast Iron Horseshoes from Parceria. The key is to mount dimensional items rather than flat pieces of art. This will create visible texture without detracting from your modern interior.

Hilary Farr turned a 200-year-old barn into a luxurious, livable home in Season 1, Episode 7, of "Tough Love." She wanted to stay true to the farmhouse's origins, while still creating a space that felt fresh. One of Farr's key changes that screamed "modern farmhouse" was polishing the existing exposed copper pipes. Farr explained in the episode, "Normally, I would hide the plumbing pipes, but in this case, they're right up against the rafters, which I want to reveal, so I guess we're going to see plumbing and rafters. I'm sure making these copper pipes look as decorative as possible is going to be a lot more work for the contractor and a bit more money, too, but it's going to be so worth it." She also added a brass faucet to make everything look cohesive.

Brass and copper hardware can give your home a farmhouse look that still feels current. If you don't have exposed piping, you can adopt this look by purchasing faucets and pulls in copper and brass finishes. To take Farr's idea a step further, you could even opt for an entire farmhouse sink in a warm finish. Consider this Hotis Home Gold Sink for a trendy touch, or if you prefer something a little more subtle, Monarch Abode sells this Pure Copper Hand Hammered Milan Kitchen Sink. Even though brass looks high-end, that doesn't mean it's high maintenance, especially if you're happy to let in some patina. And if you want it to gleam, you can polish your brass surfaces with household cleaning products.

While barn doors are a common farmhouse feature, Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine combined industrial style with this countryside concept. In Season 4, Episode 5, of "Good Bones," they added sliding barn doors in the master suite, hanging the doors on modern, black railings. Most impressively, the team designed the doors themselves for a cost-saving solution. Laine explained, "Apparently, Josh got this idea because he saw these really great barn doors in a really expensive store where they're $1,500 a door or something ridiculous like that and we can make them for much less."

Your master bedroom is one of the best places in your home for barn doors and they are a great way to let natural light into an en suite bathroom without sacrificing privacy. Choose barn doors that have frosted glass panels, like these Glass Barn Doors from Alamedadt. They have a distinctly modern appearance, further leaning into the contemporary twist on the farmhouse trend. You can also opt for this Barnsmith's Aluminum Glass Barn Door for a subtle touch of modernism.

In "Property Brothers: Forever Home" Season 7, Episode 13, Drew and Jonathan Scott helped renovate a farmhouse in the middle of the city. The kitchen was one of the most important spaces to blend the modern and countryside styles, and a farmhouse sink was key to tying the rustic and contemporary aesthetics together. The finished remodel included a new front door that opened right onto the kitchen. Because of this, the design of the kitchen had to be extra impactful. The apron front sink helped cement the farmhouse aspect of the space, while the pale countertops, generous island, and breezy palette gave the area a contemporary feel. 

Farmhouse sinks aren't just aesthetically pleasing, they're also highly functional. They are typically deeper and wider than a traditional kitchen sink and can even be used for washing clothes and other household items. When the trend hit the United States in the 1920s, cast iron was a popular material used for these apron front sinks. However, cast iron is extremely heavy and can be expensive to install. If you're looking for a more lightweight, modern option, consider fireclay as an alternative. You can purchase a well-priced Fireclay Farmhouse Sink from the TukTuk store on Amazon, or browse options from places like Lowe's and The Home Depot where you may be able to snag a special. If you love this look as much as Drew and Jonathan's clients, check out the easiest way to install a farmhouse sink.

During the first season of "Restored by the Fords," Leanne Ford listened to her client's wishes and created a modern farmhouse with several classic elements. However, the most important feature was the flooring. Her renovation is proof that the task of preserving wood floors, no matter how rustic, can be a great way to mix modern and farmhouse design. She explained to My Scandinavian Home, "They wanted a fresh and modern farmhouse style. We gave them all the classic fixings; subway tile, butcher block counters, classic white cabinets, open shelving, farm table down the center of the kitchen, simple design and décor. And I played with all of these features over the original and very beat-up wooden floors ...The rough and vintage floor really adds life to the clean lines of the new kitchen."

If a surface has flaws, we can be quick to cover it, instead of pausing to appreciate the natural patina and weathered charm. Don't be afraid to peel up your vinyl or carpet and take a peek at what's underneath. Even if the original wood or stone floors are a little beat up, the faults can add character, especially if you want to add a hint of farmhouse style. If they are too damaged to keep in their original state, you can refinish hardwood floors while still preserving the original look. Then, play off the rustic vibes with modern surfaces like sleek tile and white cabinetry for a contemporary touch.

In Season 1, Episode 6, of "Bargain Block," Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas renovated two properties with countryside charm in the city. For the schoolhouse-themed home, Bynum was ecstatic to find a brick chimney that had been covered in plaster. Bynum and Thomas' choice to expose the chimney was a great way to add a rustic yet modern touch. He explained on the episode, "Brick really is an awesome opportunity to have an accent feature for free that is actually right on point with the design that I'm trying to pull off. So, I like having those little free things pop up every now and then." The pair kept the rest of the room fresh, crisp, and airy to play off the look.

If you're curious whether your home has solid brick walls or features that can be exposed, there are a few ways to guess. The first is to check for header bricks on the exterior of your house. That means that there is a row of bricks positioned in a different direction (with the narrower ends exposed) about every six rows. If you spot that pattern, there's a good chance your home is made of solid brick, as opposed to brick veneer. The only real way to know for sure is to peel some drywall back and see what is behind it. Or, to simulate the look, install faux brick panels to add warm character to an otherwise modern space. For an even simpler project, create an accent wall with a peel-and-stick option like this 3D Brick Wallpaper from Sevalo.

Joanna Gaines is the queen of the modern farmhouse style, so it's no surprise that Gaines' family home follows her signature aesthetic. One of the statement pieces of her living room is a giant clock facein place of wall art. Gaines' oversized piece adds the perfect farmhouse touch while grounding the space. She pointed it out during a home tour for TODAY, saying "This old clock — one of my favorite pieces in the house. Any time I'm home with the kids, time kind of stands still ... and I feel like just always remembering just what a gift time is." The rest of the family's living room is comfy and welcoming with modern touches like black hardware and furniture with clean lines.

Hanging antique-style elements is a great way to add a farmhouse look to your living space. Gaines' theory follows this simple yet impactful technique. If you want to capture a similar aesthetic, consider this large, Rustic Wooden Wall Clock from Mode Home. Another three-dimensional wall piece that Gaines displays in her home tour is a weathered street sign. You can purchase this tinplate Lovers Lane Street Sign from Kioziy to complete your Gaines-inspired look, or see if you can thrift an old sign or score a junkyard find.