From Modern Farmhouse to Soft Country: How to Gently Un-Shiplap Your Life
Modern farmhouse has officially taken off its black metal hat, loosened its shiplap collar, and wandered into the countryside for a nap and a cup of tea. Enter: soft country decor—the warmer, cozier, less “Pinterest 2018” cousin of the modern farmhouse look.
Think of it as farmhouse after a personality glow-up: still friendly, still familiar, but with softer colors, fewer industrial metals, and more pieces that look like they have a story (instead of a SKU). If you’ve ever looked at your white-and-black living room and thought, “I love you, but you’re a little… loud,” this one’s for you.
Today we’re diving into how to shift from modern farmhouse to soft country without selling your entire house on Facebook Marketplace. We’ll talk colors, wall decor, furniture, textiles, and DIY projects—so you can slowly, gracefully, and affordably evolve your home into the warm hug it secretly wants to be.
Soft Country: Farmhouse’s Chill, Bookish Sibling
If modern farmhouse is the friend who color-codes their pantry and loves bold black hardware, soft country is the friend who bakes bread, hoards vintage plates, and owns more than one floral pillow—but somehow it all looks stylish, not cluttered.
The big shift? We’re moving:
- From high contrast (bright white + black) to warm, muted tones.
- From mass-produced word signs to vintage-inspired art and gallery walls.
- From sharp, industrial lines to rounded, soft furniture silhouettes.
- From minimalist textiles to layered checks, stripes, and florals.
- From “everything shiplapped” to beadboard, vertical paneling, and architectural charm.
You still get the charm and simplicity of farmhouse decor—but with more depth, more character, and fewer signs yelling “LIVE LAUGH LOVE” at you from every wall.
1. The Soft Country Color Palette: Less Contrast, More Cuddle
Let’s start with the easiest makeover move: paint. If your home currently looks like a black-and-white cookie, it’s time to soften the edges.
Trending right now are warmer, muted color palettes:
- Warm whites & creams instead of icy white. Look for names with “linen,” “ivory,” or “oat” instead of “ultra” or “pure.”
- Putty, greige, and mushroom tones that make wood furniture look intentional instead of leftover.
- Muted greens & blues—sage, eucalyptus, dusty blue, and blue-gray—for feature walls, cabinets, or interior doors.
Accent walls are shifting from harsh black to soft earthy hues or subtle wallpaper. Think tiny florals, ticking stripes, or classic toile instead of faux-brick or stark geometrics.
“If your walls currently scream, aim for a gentle indoor voice.”
Quick tip: Re-painting just trim and doors in a warmer off-white can instantly dial down the industrial farmhouse vibe and nudge you into soft country territory without touching the walls.
2. Wall Decor: Retiring the Word Signs (Kindly)
Let’s talk walls—the former home of every giant “EAT,” “GATHER,” and “BLESS THIS MESS” sign bought between 2016 and…yesterday. The new look is refined, vintage-inspired wall decor that feels curated, not copied.
On-trend wall decor now includes:
- Vintage-style landscape prints and still lifes (think moody trees, old farmhouses, fruit in bowls that look suspiciously judgmental).
- Framed botanical illustrations—ferns, flowers, herbs—easy to DIY using public-domain art.
- Curated gallery walls with mismatched frames, small mirrors, and layered artwork.
- Plate walls using thrifted china or transferware, often in kitchens or dining rooms.
- Antique-inspired wall sconces with brass finishes and pleated or fabric shades.
The goal is to make your walls look like they’ve been evolving over time, not like they were installed by a single trip to the seasonal aisle.
DIY idea: Search online museum collections for public-domain art, print at home or through a photo service, and pop the prints into thrifted frames you’ve spray-painted or “antiqued” with a little dark wax. That’s instant soft country wall decor on a ramen budget.
3. Furniture: Softer Shapes, Cozier Seats
Good news: you don’t need entirely new furniture; you just need your furniture to stop looking like it’s made from reclaimed barn scaffolding 100% of the time.
Soft country style leans into softer furniture silhouettes:
- Slipcovered sofas in washable, textured fabrics instead of stiff, tight-back couches.
- Upholstered dining chairs or seats with cushions instead of all-metal or bare wood.
- Skirted accent chairs and ottomans that cover visual “leg clutter” and feel more traditional.
- Round or oval coffee tables if everything else in the room is squared-off and boxy.
Still love your rustic wood pieces? Keep them, but balance them with softer neighbors: a chunky farmhouse coffee table looks friendlier when paired with a cushy, rounded-arm sofa and a pile of pillows.
Layout tip: Arrange furniture in cozy conversation clusters instead of hugging everything to the walls. Soft country is about warmth and connection, not recreating a furniture showroom.
4. Textiles: Layer Like Your Home Is Slightly Cold All the Time
If paint sets the mood, textiles are the personality. Soft country decor is obsessed (in a healthy way) with layered patterns and textures.
Look for:
- Checked and striped linens—especially gingham and ticking stripes.
- Small-scale florals on pillows, curtains, or duvets.
- Quilted throws folded at the end of beds or over sofa arms.
- Ruffled or piped pillows mixed with plain linen cushions.
- Natural fiber rugs (jute, seagrass) layered under smaller patterned rugs.
In bedrooms, creators are layering quilts over duvets, mixing plain pillowcases with patterned shams, and adding one or two “fancy” pillows—just enough to feel styled, not like a nightly Olympic event to un-make the bed.
Start small: swap your black-and-white buffalo check for sage gingham, a dusty blue stripe, or a tiny floral print. You still get cozy country charm, with less visual shouting.
5. DIY Soft Country Upgrades (That Won’t Break the Barn)
If you love a good weekend project (or at least love watching them on social media while you eat snacks), you’ll be happy: soft country is DIY-friendly.
Trending DIY projects right now include:
- Swapping shiplap for beadboard or vertical paneling to get a cottage feel instead of a “farmhouse set on a reality show” vibe.
- Painting dark farmhouse furniture in warm, muted tones—mushroom, stone, sage, or light greige—then distressing lightly for age.
- Adding vintage-style lighting: schoolhouse pendants, brass or bronze sconces, pleated shades, or small fabric-covered lampshades.
- Building simple built-ins or window seats to add architectural character to basic rooms.
None of this has to be complicated. Replacing one industrial black light fixture with a brass schoolhouse pendant can yank a room out of “modern farmhouse catalog” and land it squarely in “cozy country cottage.”
Pro tip: When painting existing pieces, choose eggshell or satin finishes for furniture in high-use zones. They’re durable but still look soft and matte enough for that lived-in, old-but-not-exactly-antique feel we’re after.
6. Bringing in Character: Vintage, But Make It Edited
Soft country loves vintage and vintage-inspired decor, but this is not a call to adopt every orphaned teacup at the thrift store. The aim is curated clutter, not “I live in an antique mall.”
Look for:
- Old books in neutral or muted covers stacked on side tables.
- Transferware plates in blues, greens, or browns for display and occasional use.
- Simple crockery and stoneware for utensil holders, vases, or shelf styling.
- Woven baskets for throws, magazines, or entryway clutter.
- Wooden boxes and breadboards as backdrop layering on shelves and counters.
When in doubt, ask: “Does this make my home feel like a place where someone has actually lived and cooked and read and napped?” If the answer is yes, it probably fits your soft country story.
7. Room-by-Room Soft Country Swaps
To make this feel less theoretical and more “I can literally do this on Saturday,” here are a few targeted swaps:
Living Room
- Replace black metal curtain rods with wood or brass, add linen or cotton curtains.
- Layer a jute rug under a smaller patterned rug.
- Swap stark graphic pillows for florals, gingham, and stripes in warm tones.
Kitchen
- Trade in “EAT” signs for a small plate wall or a framed vintage recipe.
- Add pleated shades to island pendants or a small lamp for the counter.
- Display wood cutting boards and stoneware crocks instead of only metal accents.
Bedroom
- Layer a quilt over your existing duvet and add two patterned shams.
- Paint the nightstands in a muted green or warm greige.
- Hang botanical prints above the bed instead of large typography art.
8. Evolving Your Farmhouse, One Soft Step at a Time
You don’t need to toss everything you own or apologize to your shiplap (it’s done its best). Soft country is simply your invitation to warm things up, layer in character, and relax the rules.
Start with one category—paint, pillows, wall art, or lighting—and slowly trade sharp contrast for softened edges, bold graphics for gentle patterns, and mass-produced decor for pieces that look like they’ve been around the block (or at least the thrift store).
The goal isn’t perfection; it’s a home that feels like a place where you actually live—where the walls have stories, the sofa has seen some naps, and the decor quietly whispers “stay a while” instead of shouting “on trend!” from every corner.
And if your last farmhouse sign is still hanging on? That’s okay. You’re not breaking up—you’re just…seeing other aesthetics.
Image Suggestions (Implementation Guide)
Below are strictly relevant, royalty-free image suggestions that align with key sections of this blog. Each image should be sourced from a reputable stock site (e.g., Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay) or a similar platform that provides royalty-free images.
Image 1: Soft Country Living Room Color Palette
Placement location: After the paragraph that begins “Trending right now are warmer, muted color palettes” in the “The Soft Country Color Palette” section.
Supports sentence/keyword: “Trending right now are warmer, muted color palettes.”
Image description: A realistic photo of a living room with warm white or cream walls, a light sage or muted blue accent piece (such as a cabinet or sideboard), natural wood coffee table, and soft-textured rug. The room should show brass or wood accents, a few neutral and muted green/blue throw pillows, and possibly a simple vase with greenery. No visible text art, no harsh black hardware, no people.
SEO-optimized alt text: “Soft country living room with warm white walls, muted green accents, and natural wood furniture.”
Image 2: Vintage-Inspired Soft Country Gallery Wall
Placement location: In the “Wall Decor: Retiring the Word Signs (Kindly)” section, after the bullet list describing vintage-style landscapes, botanicals, gallery walls, plates, and sconces.
Supports sentence/keyword: “The new look is refined, vintage-inspired wall decor that feels curated, not copied.”
Image description: A close or medium shot of a wall styled with a curated gallery: mismatched wooden and brass frames holding landscape paintings and botanical prints, a small ornate mirror, and possibly a pair of brass sconces with fabric or pleated shades on either side. No typographic signs, no people, no unrelated decor.
SEO-optimized alt text: “Vintage-inspired gallery wall with landscapes, botanical prints, and brass sconces in a soft country interior.”
Image 3: Soft Country Bedroom with Layered Textiles
Placement location: In the “Textiles: Layer Like Your Home Is Slightly Cold All the Time” section, after the sentence “In bedrooms, creators are layering quilts over duvets…”
Supports sentence/keyword: “In bedrooms, creators are layering quilts over duvets, mixing plain pillowcases with patterned shams…”
Image description: A realistic bedroom scene with a bed made using a neutral duvet and a patterned or solid quilt folded at the foot. The pillows should include plain white or cream cases plus a couple of patterned shams (small floral, gingham, or stripes). The color palette should be warm and muted (sage, dusty blue, soft beige). Ideally, a simple wooden or painted bedside table with a small lamp is visible. No typography signs, no people.
SEO-optimized alt text: “Soft country bedroom with a layered quilt over a duvet and mixed patterned pillows.”
