As someone who spent an awful lot of time in the country as a kid, I never thought I’d get into anything of a rustic style. I’d lived the dream with country wallpaper already!
Even as an adult, I didn’t really expect the style to grow on me, especially after the over-popularization of shiplap in the wake of Fixer Upper. But clearly, it did—and it’s a style that translates surprisingly well into FFXIV design.
So today, let’s meet modern farmhouse.
What is modern farmhouse?
Modern farmhouse is exactly what it sounds like; a rustic style with a modern edge. It likes to focus on all the elements of rustic design that give a comfortable, relaxed feeling, and bring it into the present with clean, minimalist finishes and colour palettes.
What are the core elements of modern farmhouse?
Comfort: Modern farmhouse is all about channeling the easygoing vibes of country life, so comfort is a big part of this style. Look for furniture ideas—especially sofas, beds, and accent chairs—that have modern lines but favour comfort.
Functionality: Much like country living itself, this style loves to focus on function as well as style. You’ll often see industrial accents in this style, especially in hardware, light fixtures, and even accent pieces.
High-contrast neutrals: There’s no right way to do modern farmhouse, but one thing all designs have in common is a colour palette that prioritizes neutral tones with high-contrast accents. Whites and beiges will be your friend to keep things from getting too far on the eclectic country side, and darker accents bring a modern edge.
How to use modern farmhouse in FFXIV
Focus on furnishings that help you create a comfy vibe.
Comfort means something different to everyone, so when using modern farmhouse in FFXIV, think about what furnishings you’d love to have around you on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
For example, my favourite technique with this style is to make comfortable areas feel as big as possible. Try combining leather sofas for an expansive sectional, adding rugs and cushions for some soft texture, or even add comfortable reading nooks and window seats.
Incorporate rustic details for extra personality.
Is it really modern farmhouse if there’s no shiplap? All jokes aside, this style loves to have some natural and rustic elements—like wood textures, greenery, and even industrial details—to soften up its sometimes-harsh colour schemes.
If you’re going for an industrial look, many of the factory items are great choices! The industrial wall pipes especially can work well on their own, or can work as a nice way to bring an industrial look to a faucet. And for shiplap, carefully placed wood slat partitions are your friend—just keep in mind they will quickly take up quite a few slots.
Keep your colour scheme simple.
Because this style focuses so heavily on neutrals, you can keep your colour scheme relatively simple. For a bit of variety, you can always try adding some of your favourite plants, or even some lightly coloured matching cushions.
These are all dye colours from within FFXIV, too! From left to right, they’re ash grey, soot black, charcoal grey, pure white, gobbiebag brown, and snow white.
