3 Tips for Creating a Farmhouse Style Interior

The Cedar Mountain tiny house by Nashville's New Frontier Tiny Homes has less floor space than the garage of many standard homes. But that small area is packed with a lot of clever, traditional farmhouse style ideas woven into a cozy living area. A vintage suitcase placed on top of a wood luggage rack doubles as a dresser. Underneath the sink is a lazy Susan shelf that swings out when needed with stored food supplies. The bathroom combines modern fittings with a painted-frame mirror to give it a comfortably weathered accent. Need more inspiration? Read 52 Ways to Incorporate Shabby Chic into Every Room in Your House.

Every well-designed room usually has those conversation pieces that stand out and get wows. When it comes to farmhouse style, these are often a combination of flea market upcycles, beautiful DIY and smart purchases. Of course scouring flea markets and garage sales can be a thrilling way to uncover a beautiful bargain. A Lovely Place to Land has a great writeup about transforming a broken dresser into a new storage space with a fresh batch of baskets. The Garden Glove has an interesting round-up of designs for benches, including one that uses part of a rusted pickup truck for the back. Then of course there are some pieces you think are perfect and need to get, like a tractor seat stool -- the kind of piece that helps define a look by refashioning antique machinery with modern furniture techniques.

Of course those who are handy with a hammer and drill can make some great shabby chic pieces after a trip to the lumber and hardware stores. Joyzz demonstrates how to turn a few mason jars into a memorable (and low-cost) chandelier. Decor and the Dog has plans explaining how build your own farmhouse table. (What better to ensure that it's the perfect size?) Tara Michelle demonstrates how to turn old wooden crates into a new, rustic bookcase. Need more ideas? The Shabby Creek Cottage has a collection of 101 Free Farmhouse Furniture Building Plans.