Farmhouse kitchen ideas, materials, and remodel cost

Materials & finishes for a farmhouse kitchen

Common mistakes that break the farmhouse look

• High-gloss lacquer cabinets or any slab door
• Chrome or polished nickel hardware
• Glass mosaic backsplashes or laminate counters

Farmhouse kitchen FAQ

What is a farmhouse kitchen?

A farmhouse kitchen is an American design style rooted in 19th-century rural working kitchens, defined by painted shaker cabinets, a deep apron-front sink (named for being installed in actual farmhouses), butcher block or stone counters, exposed beams, and abundant open shelving for everyday dishware. Modern farmhouse, popularized by Joanna Gaines around 2013, softens the look with shiplap walls and a tighter cream-and-black palette. The defining feeling is communal, durable, and unpretentious.

How much does a farmhouse kitchen cost?

A farmhouse kitchen for a 150 square foot space typically costs $32,000 to $68,000, making it one of the more budget-friendly classic styles. Costs stay reasonable because painted shaker cabinets are widely available off the shelf, subway tile is inexpensive, and butcher block runs $40-80 per square foot versus $80-200 for stone. The biggest splurges are the fireclay apron sink ($600-1,800), reclaimed wood flooring, and a Lacanche or BlueStar range if you want the showpiece appliance.

Is a farmhouse kitchen out of style?

The modern farmhouse boom of 2014-2020 has cooled, but classic farmhouse kitchens are not going out of style; they are returning to a more authentic, less Pinterest-staged form. What is dated is the all-white shiplap-everywhere look with sliding barn doors and Live Laugh Love signage. What is enduring is the apron sink, painted shaker cabinets, butcher block, and warm wood floors. Expect this evolution to continue as homeowners add color, antiques, and patina rather than mass-produced rustic decor.

Pairs well with

• TraditionalTraditional kitchens borrow from English country and early American design with raised-panel cabinetry, crown molding, decorative corbels, and natural stone that telegraphs craft and permanence.
• RusticRustic kitchens lean into raw natural materials with reclaimed wood, stone, hand-forged iron, and visible craftsmanship that evokes mountain cabins, log homes, and ranch lodges.
• CoastalCoastal kitchens borrow from seaside cottages with white-painted cabinets, weathered woods, blue accents, and finishes that look better as salt air softens them.

Explore other kitchen styles

• ModernModern kitchens strip everything down to flat planes, hidden hardware, and a tight neutral palette so the architecture itself becomes the decoration.
• CoastalCoastal kitchens borrow from seaside cottages with white-painted cabinets, weathered woods, blue accents, and finishes that look better as salt air softens them.
• ScandinavianScandinavian kitchens marry function-first IKEA pragmatism with light woods, white walls, and one or two soft natural accents that earn the word hygge.
• IndustrialIndustrial kitchens celebrate raw structural materials with exposed brick, blackened steel, concrete counters, and Edison-bulb fixtures that read like a converted factory.
• TraditionalTraditional kitchens borrow from English country and early American design with raised-panel cabinetry, crown molding, decorative corbels, and natural stone that telegraphs craft and permanence.
• TransitionalTransitional kitchens split the difference between traditional and modern with shaker cabinets, neutral palettes, and one or two contemporary moves, producing the safest, broadest-appeal aesthetic in American homes.
• See all stylesFull kitchen style library.