Your Essential Guide to a Farmhouse-Style Bathroom
Elements of these modern-rustic spaces include Shaker cabinetry, barn-inspired accessories and heritage hues
Whether you’re tackling a bathroom renovation with the help of a bathroom designer, an architect or a builder, being able to pin down your favourite style will help get your project off to a smooth start. If you love practical simplicity with a bit of modern flair and a dash of rustic charm, farmhouse style might be right for you. Read on for the need-to-know details about this popular bathroom style, including key elements, colour palettes, fixtures and finishing touches.
What you won’t find in farmhouse bathrooms
The emphasis in a farmhouse bathroom is on simplicity and rustic charm. While there are modern elements at play, this isn’t the place to experiment with trends. Here’s what you won’t see:
The emphasis in a farmhouse bathroom is on simplicity and rustic charm. While there are modern elements at play, this isn’t the place to experiment with trends. Here’s what you won’t see:
- Super-sleek finishes.
- Envelope-pushing trends.
- Highly embellished timberwork.
- Busy patterns.
- Cluttered surfaces.
Heritage hues
Farmhouse bathrooms favour simple, natural colour palettes. White with a crisp black trim is a popular choice; for richer hues, look to nature-inspired neutrals and other classic colours.
Colours for farmhouse bathrooms:
Find a bathroom designer and renovator near you on Houzz to create your dream bathroom
Farmhouse bathrooms favour simple, natural colour palettes. White with a crisp black trim is a popular choice; for richer hues, look to nature-inspired neutrals and other classic colours.
Colours for farmhouse bathrooms:
- Crisp contrasts. White, cream and black.
- Natural neutrals. Buttermilk, straw, grey, khaki and stone.
- Other classic colours. Barn red, denim blue, robin’s-egg blue, sage and deep green.
Find a bathroom designer and renovator near you on Houzz to create your dream bathroom
Shaker-style vanity
The graceful simplicity of Shaker-style cabinetry is well-suited to farmhouse bathrooms. Shaker-style cabinets can be painted or simply finished to allow the natural beauty of the timber grain to show through. Flat-panelled cabinets and furniture designs in natural timber tones can also work well. Rustic pulls, latching hardware and simple knobs provide just the right finishing touch.
The graceful simplicity of Shaker-style cabinetry is well-suited to farmhouse bathrooms. Shaker-style cabinets can be painted or simply finished to allow the natural beauty of the timber grain to show through. Flat-panelled cabinets and furniture designs in natural timber tones can also work well. Rustic pulls, latching hardware and simple knobs provide just the right finishing touch.
Design detail: barn lighting
The bold shape and industrial styling of barn lighting adds a stylish touch to farmhouse bathrooms. Look for pendants and sconces in classic galvanised steel or brightly coloured powder-coated steel.
Looking for something a bit different? Try simple bell- or cylinder-shaped vanity lighting with traditional or filament bulbs.
How to Choose Your Bathroom Vanity Lighting
The bold shape and industrial styling of barn lighting adds a stylish touch to farmhouse bathrooms. Look for pendants and sconces in classic galvanised steel or brightly coloured powder-coated steel.
Looking for something a bit different? Try simple bell- or cylinder-shaped vanity lighting with traditional or filament bulbs.
How to Choose Your Bathroom Vanity Lighting
Design detail: subway tiles
Bridging the gap between rustic and modern elements with ease, subway tiles are crisp, clean and affordable, and complement just about anything. Try pairing them with dark grout for a fresh twist.
Bridging the gap between rustic and modern elements with ease, subway tiles are crisp, clean and affordable, and complement just about anything. Try pairing them with dark grout for a fresh twist.
Claw-foot bathtub
An iconic claw-foot tub immediately adds farmhouse character. If you opt for a revamped vintage tub, know that cast-iron tubs (which most vintage tubs are) can be very heavy.
You’ll want to check with your builder or designer to make sure your floor can handle the weight – especially when it’s full of water and particularly if it’s being installed in a second-floor bathroom. New clawfoot tubs made from lighter materials and freestanding bathtubs also work well with farmhouse style.
An iconic claw-foot tub immediately adds farmhouse character. If you opt for a revamped vintage tub, know that cast-iron tubs (which most vintage tubs are) can be very heavy.
You’ll want to check with your builder or designer to make sure your floor can handle the weight – especially when it’s full of water and particularly if it’s being installed in a second-floor bathroom. New clawfoot tubs made from lighter materials and freestanding bathtubs also work well with farmhouse style.
Design detail: sliding barn doors
While not traditionally used in farmhouses, barn doors inside the house do have undeniable farmhouse appeal. If you install a barn door, bear in mind that they do not provide complete privacy, which makes them a better choice for a private master ensuite (as shown here) than in a bathroom adjacent to a main gathering space.
While not traditionally used in farmhouses, barn doors inside the house do have undeniable farmhouse appeal. If you install a barn door, bear in mind that they do not provide complete privacy, which makes them a better choice for a private master ensuite (as shown here) than in a bathroom adjacent to a main gathering space.
Trough sink
Just as the farmhouse sink adds appeal to a farmhouse-style kitchen, trough sinks ramp up the rural character of farmhouse bathrooms. Made from white fireclay or porcelain and with options for multiple faucets, this type of sink is ideal for busy households.
And when installed as a drop-in model within a beautiful timber vanity – as shown in this space from Chango & Co – a trough sink strikes just the right balance between hardworking and elegant.
Just as the farmhouse sink adds appeal to a farmhouse-style kitchen, trough sinks ramp up the rural character of farmhouse bathrooms. Made from white fireclay or porcelain and with options for multiple faucets, this type of sink is ideal for busy households.
And when installed as a drop-in model within a beautiful timber vanity – as shown in this space from Chango & Co – a trough sink strikes just the right balance between hardworking and elegant.
Wall panelling
Wall panelling is sometimes uncovered during renovations of older homes, but your home doesn’t need to have this original feature to benefit from its timeless farmhouse appeal. In this bathroom from Wild Rose Interiors, shiplap panelling adds architectural interest to a newly constructed home and sets the farmhouse tone. Tongue-and-groove, beadboard and VJ-panelling are also good options for farmhouse bathrooms.
Wall panelling is sometimes uncovered during renovations of older homes, but your home doesn’t need to have this original feature to benefit from its timeless farmhouse appeal. In this bathroom from Wild Rose Interiors, shiplap panelling adds architectural interest to a newly constructed home and sets the farmhouse tone. Tongue-and-groove, beadboard and VJ-panelling are also good options for farmhouse bathrooms.
Finishing touches
Farmhouse-style bathrooms balance rustic appeal with simplicity-loving modern sensibilities. Finishing touches that work well include striped rugs and bath linens, woven baskets, glass apothecary jars, modern stools, matt black hardware and artwork inspired by farm life.
Farmhouse-style bathrooms balance rustic appeal with simplicity-loving modern sensibilities. Finishing touches that work well include striped rugs and bath linens, woven baskets, glass apothecary jars, modern stools, matt black hardware and artwork inspired by farm life.
Your turn
Do you have a farmhouse-style bathroom? Tell us what you love about this look in the Comments below, like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
More
Want to know what tomorrow’s bathrooms will look like? Read up on Are Bathrooms the New Kitchen? London Design Festival Reveals All
Do you have a farmhouse-style bathroom? Tell us what you love about this look in the Comments below, like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
More
Want to know what tomorrow’s bathrooms will look like? Read up on Are Bathrooms the New Kitchen? London Design Festival Reveals All
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Farmhouse style today honours regional rural heritage and finds beauty in simplicity – without sacrificing modern comforts. Here are some farmhouse-style bathroom elements to look for: