The Farmhouse Effect: How to Achieve An Eco-Friendly, Rustic Homestead

It's 8 pm on any given night. My other half is quietly scrolling through funny Facebook stories and our 3 year old is laying on top of us watching Peppa Pig. All you can hear in the quiet content of "relaxing hour" is my gushing squeals of, "Oh, look at that divine farmhouse sink, we could definitely do that!"..."OMG those assorted sizes of tobacco baskets for my burlap balls!"..."Eeeeeh do-it-yourself circular jute place mats! The blisters on my fingers JUST healed from hot glue gunning seashells to everything!"....and the grand finale of "I NEED ALL THE FARMHOUSE THINGS!"...and..."Honey, I need to wake up early tomorrow to get to Michael's before work."

Does this sound like anyone else's Sunday night? Well, lucky for you, I am here to enable your everything-farmhouse-decor addiction with an easy how-to guide for achieving the perfect "Green Gables" with emphasis on what's trending right now in the rustic roost and concepts that are up-and-coming for the rest of 2017 and 2018.

Start with searching tags on Instagram under #farmhousechic, #farmhousestyle, #farmhousedecor, #farmhousekitchen and so on. You will see some common trends popping up left and right and the most incredible, drool-worthy decor vignettes.

One of the biggest trends right now in farmhouse decor are wreaths. What began with the popular laurel wreath and the chunky magnolia wreath has now welcomed many other types of fauna such as eucalyptus stems, lemon leaves and olive wisps. Wreaths of most kinds emit a welcoming vibe and there's something cozy and comforting about the muted colors and fullness of a farmhouse leafed wreath. These decor staples do not come with a frugal price tag however and can often cost upwards of $50-$60 for a decent door-sized piece. The trick is to comb sites like Mercari and eBay to find gently used ones or make them yourself by tucking a plethora of 6-8 inch leafy stems (all flowing in the same direction) into a grapevine wreath and finishing it off with carefully concealed floral wire and a burlap loop for hanging. Depending on your materials cost, a stunning, hand-made wreath will run you around $12-$15 and an hour of production time. (No time to make your own? Our farmhouse wreaths are expertly crafted between $20-$30 and can be purchased online or in store. We also make mini wreaths to hang on chippy windows, pallet signs and galvanized pieces. End Shameless Plug #1)

Another trend (and for some reason, my personal favorite) is the repurposing of large glass/tin milk jugs by hanging wooden bead garlands on them. You can make these yourself for under $15 using your mom's old pine beads and some jute rope. I add decorative fabric beads to mine (and extra love) and switch between making both the loop and long garland versions. Even though this farmhouse trend may be one of the less functional ones, I find the natural wood and curves of the beads make a lovely and effortless accent to any part of your home. They can also be used as prayer beads. (Alert, Alert, Shameless Plug #2 in 3-2-1...You can find our one-of-a-kind, handmade wood and fabric beaded garlands for under $20 on our site, Etsy page and shop)

Elaborating on the aforementioned basket-wall highlights our next home decor top-trend. The thick, flat fibers of tobacco baskets are becoming a must-have in all homes. They look simply marvelous hung on the wall or used as a centerpiece on a chippy coffee table (Hint: Tobacco basket, then lay small farmhouse wreath flat, stick candle in the middle, strew a few tiny rusted tin stars strategically, voila). These popular baskets can be found at any antique store, flea market or rummage sale for $30-$40.

Now we enter the wonderful world of textiles! Live near a farm? Perfect. Grain and feed sack items such as pillow cases and tea towels, are making a surge in the markets. If you have a sewing machine and a $4 grain sack, you can make two fabulous pillow covers in under an hour. Farmhouse striped and Herringbone patterned dishtowels are also popping up left and right. They usually run under $20 a set and are both durable and decorative (and...we sell them too! That's #3!) I've seen a lot of hubbub around versatile farmhouse-striped burlap table runners. Another big hit for their durability, longevity and washability (is that even a word?) are cotton/muslin pieces. An easy way to use cotton in every day life would be with a 10 x12" muslin produce bag in your kitchen. Not only does it look clean and natural, but it keeps your produce safe from spoilage and bugs.

Here's an all-purpose material that you probably have spools of all over your garage: JUTE! Jute rope is the base for some of the most amazing farmhouse products like decorative balls, place mats, planter hangers, etc. Got an old tin strainer that sits in your attic? Wrap styrofoam balls in jute (using hot glue to keep them intact) and toss 3-4 in the strainer for kitchen centerpiece (Or you know, order them from us...wait does that count as Shameless Plug #4? I was just trying to be helpful and save you time! Hot glue gun accidents are a major epidemic in the Pinterest world! OK, fine, kill-joy...) Where there is jute, there are millions of joyous opportunities to add a little rustic flare.

In the coming year, we are seeing a welcoming of BOLD colors and accent pieces, hand-drawn patterns (especially in dishware and fabric), aquatic accents like sea animals, fish scales and bright aqua hues, lace-patterned luminaries and lampshades, all things rattan (including vases, furniture, market totes), bricks and wood-grain replacing subway tile, and both hammered and shiny metallic accent pieces.

If it's all completely overwhelming, stick to these simple concepts:

• All things Chippy!!
• Galvanized, brass or antique bronzed all day, every day.
• Old shutters and windows are the perfect wall-space fillers (including hanging shutters on either sides of your indoor window frame in lieu of curtains).
• Eliminate clutter by sticking to functional or semi-functional pieces like crates for shoes, galvanized or wooden wall cubbies for knick knacks and mail, stacking old books on surface tops for height, using apothecary jars, canisters and bread boxes functionally (and decoratively at the same time) and hanging flat baskets as gallery wall art.
• If you love it, USE IT!! Nothing shows more personality than those flea market finds that you fell in love with at first sight.
• Anything can be repurposed. If you are thinking about throwing out that old dresser, slap some chalk paint on it and use it as a console table in your living room. Old glass items laying around in boxes in your garage can be spray painted with milky white or sea glass paint to make decorative vases. Pallets are easily broken down, stained and can be painted on or decoupaged. Large picnic baskets and vintage trunks make wonderful side tables or hope chests to store blankets, while adding an element of antique charm. Use milk paint on candlesticks, then sand them down and seal with wax for a shabby chic feel. Hang old produce scales as a swinging shelf for laundry soaps or plants. And black and white vintage photos and postcards for a quarter from your local flea market are the universal, affordable items to complete the farmhouse look. 
• Fresh flowers and herbs go a long way! Add a few dry-brush swipes of chalk paint on a terra cotta pot or use old pitchers to store your garden florals.
• If all else fails, spend your Sunday nights finding farmhouse inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest. Find us on IG @serendipitymomshoppe to keep up with our newest must-have items! 

Sultry Summer Recipe for Turning a Day at the Farmer's Market into a Sizzling Date Night

Social Experiment:

Walk into a crowded room- be it a break room at work, an OBGYN’s office, a salty biker bar, whatever you please…and discreetly utter the words…”Farmer’s Market.” I guarantee about 95% of the occupants of that room will squeal and say, “Oh I just LOOOOVE farmer’s markets!!!” This is because farmer’s markets are a veritable Mecca of local delights, farm fresh produce and an exquisitely opportune time for people watching. And almost every town across the US of A boasts some sort of farmers bazaar. 

Lancaster County is home to the country’s oldest functioning farmer’s market, appropriately named Central Market. As soon as you push open the magnificent side doors, your senses are awoken by the convolution of heavenly aromas: gooey sticky buns dripping with molten cinnamon butter; flowery cardamom dusted delectables from the Middle East stand, the musky perfume of freshly smoked meats and cheeses, the fragrant potpourri of hundreds of colorful flowers transported in pretty papered bouquets up and down every aisle. Wafting in and out of your eardrums are muddled Pennsylvania Dutch exclamations and the sublime sound of the choir singing from the rafters. 

My dream date night would be embarking on a “Market Mystery Basket Challenge.” Once you’ve entered Market, split up and one person visits a spice stand, a produce stand and a cheese stand, and the other selects the meat and additional accompaniments. Remember, you will not be basing any of your purchases off of a pre-planned recipe! Together at home, you can create culinary ingenuity using the random ingredients that you picked up from Market. It would be a brilliant way to fuse teamwork with imagination while supporting local flavor. 

Not feeling inventive? Here's an easy example anyone can do at home!

Protein:
Orange roughy
Vegetable:
Purple Cauliflower
Accompaniments:
Apricot Marmalade
Dijon Mustard
Tarragon
Lemons
Almonds

Apricot and Dijon Glazed Orange Roughy with Roasted Purple Cauliflower Almondine

In a hot pan, melt 2 tbs butter, 2 tsps Dijon mustard and ¼ jar of apricot marmalade. Add in 3 tbs freshly chopped tarragon. Pour over baked orange roughy filets (or marinate them before you cook them). Salt and pepper to taste.

Cut cauliflower into bite sized florets. Toss in a bowl of paprika (or Old Bay), salt and pepper, then squeeze lemon over florets. Place in oven heated at 375 degrees until florets turn golden brown. While cauliflower is roasting, melt 2 tbs of butter in a pan, then add a clove of minced garlic. Sautee slivered almonds in the pan and remaining lemon juice. Pour mixture over roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with fingerling potatoes tossed in olive oil, fresh chunks of garlic and rosemary.

End your evening with a light vanilla panna cotta with mango mousse and a crisp glass of Chenon Blanc under the stars and that, my friends, is a recipe for bliss.