FARMHOUSE FOUNDATION

Build on the basics of farmhouse style with your own artistic preferences.

Build on the basics of farmhouse style with your own artistic preferences.

“Farmhouse style” is a broad term that encompasses many home styles that focus on simplicity, functionality and natural materials. While it began in the country, it can be emulated anywhere—even in the city.

In Simon Upton’s new book New York Interiors, he captures the beauty and versatility of New York homes. “The selection of interior designers and

architects, stylists, artists, writers and ‘free spirits’ revealed in this book … reflects the remarkable diversity of private spaces to be found both in New York City and the countryside beyond,” Upton writes. Here’s how you can take the basics of farmhouse style and fit them to your personal preferences.

PREPARE A FOUNDATION

When you shop for a home, you don’t fall in love with the furnishings. You fall in love with its structure. If you’re hoping to keep farmhouse charm while making the home your own, try to salvage as many of the original features as you can. “Aesthetically, [getaway] means a return to simple materials and activities,” writes Steven Gambrel, a New York homeowner.

Simple materials such as wood, stone, glass and metal will ground your design in farmhouse elements, and you can build on that in a functional way. “What is meaningful for me is utility as a product of design,” writes Will Kopelman, another New York homeowner.

TELL YOUR STORY

“Think about New York, and the word ‘serene’ doesn’t naturally spring to mind,” writes Rupert Thomas, editor of The World of Interiors. “Energetic, exciting, stimulating to the point of frenzy: yes.” The homes in this book are filled with unique personalities that celebrate their cultural and work-related passions, so don’t be afraid to tell your own story with your décor. Whether that’s vintage accents or Parisian furnishings, your home means your rules, no matter where you live. “In New York, anything goes,” writes Will Kopelman.

As a prop stylist, homeowner Martin Bourne tends to collect objects and display them in his home, turning his work into home décor. “There is my desk and ‘creation’ area against one wall, which is an ever-changing tableau of found things,” he writes.

(above, right) Simple features and authenticity are priorities for homeowner Steven Gambrel. Since his home is located in Sag Harbor—the official port of entry to the U.S. in 1789—he wanted the rebuild to stay true to the area. “I reimagined the house as if it had been owned by one of those successful 19th-century sea captains,” he writes. The front room is a soft blue to complement its waterfront location, and the flooring is repurposed from a home in Maine.

(left) Back in 1918 when this apartment was built, kitchens were small. Apartment owner Will Kopelman wanted to change that in his home. “By combining the existing kitchen, dining room, and laundry we created one big communal space,” he writes. Original features, such as the cherry wood and pine flooring and trim, are celebrated, while new features like the La Cornue French range elevate the look.

(above) The personality of Cary Leibowitz and Simon Lince’s home is built on preserved history. “All its 18th-century details had been preserved, and it had such a rich patina of history,” Upton writes. This room is filled with vintage photos from floor to ceiling, but you can still see the beauty of the wood floors and window trim.