A New Take on the Country Home

The home shown in the photos here is located on an acreage. Country homes come first to mind, but the residents wanted an updated, modern look.

The design challenge in this instance was to add warmth and character to this updated, modern look. We accomplished this through the use of natural elements and unique pieces with a special, vintage flair.

In this home, the dining and living areas are bisected by the two-sided fireplace. The dining room is a narrow space with excellent lighting; the wood floors, brick fireplace, barn wood accents, a unique metal and wood lighting fixture and neutral paint provided a versatile palette.

We anchored the wall opposite the fireplace with a narrow sideboard in grey-washed oak with an antique mirror inlay on its bottom shelf. The large painting of a farm atop the sideboard references the rural location and fills the space well.

The vintage farmhouse table is an exquisite traditional piece, with dark glazing adding a rich, burnished look to the oak wood. It features an iron inlay top, finished to reveal brass undertones, a distinctive Y-shaped stretcher, and traditional oak, turn-of-the-century detailing. Both the inlay and table leg shape echo those same features in the sideboard.

Open-framed back chairs with mid-century styling add a modern look. The rich stained birch wood echoes the darker wood of the mantle. Heathered stone upholstery is paired with 100% hemp, striped ticking revealed by the open back.

The lamps on the sideboard repeat similar elements. The onyx base picks up the darker tones in the room while the elegant lines and clean linen shades create a modern feeling.