There is something very natural about having barn house design that fits well even modern homes. But, a barn twist will not work well if you don't know what works with what.
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You can start to explore barn house design by using just one piece: a table. To make it work, make it big. Huge wooden tables are here for centuries and make sure that you find one with unpolished wood; it simply must look as natural as it gets. It will serve you well because the whole family will have enough room around and it can change the design of any room in an instant. Just that one single piece of furniture will introduce warmth and barn house feel to your home.
Where's the eating table, there's a kitchen too. As one of the main rooms in any house, kitchen is a perfect example of the space you can transform into a barn house room. Again: you can do that easily with just one addition. The hood in your kitchen is typically the main focus of the room and you should make it as bold as it can be. Find yourself a big, metal hood, something that looks bold and industrial. And have no fear, it can't be too big. Leave the rest of the kitchen as it is and very soon new ideas will come to your mind thanks to that hood.
Think about it for a moment: What can you find in your grandma's barn house? Patterns, patterns everywhere. So, if it worked for your grandma, it will work for you. Stripes, squares, flowers... everything works. Add a patterned rug, accent pillows, or even an accent chair and if you are lucky enough to have a fireplace - that's it! A barn house in all its glory. Since you are going with a bold statement, don't worry that you will overdo it, the point here is to overdo it a bit.
So, what else is one of the main characteristics of a barn house? An open kitchen, of course. But forget a huge kitchen with painted elements, they have to be wooden and in a natural color, spread throughout your kitchen space. Keep it as natural as it gets and if you really want some color chose light green, light blue or washed white. This is a typical color scheme of old homes and you should stick with it. To add a cherry on the cake, add some original, old barn lamps and there it is: a touch of old times in your cozy home. ■
