Farmhouse Style Was the Top-Searched Home Trend of 2019, Proving Once Again It's Here to Stay

Farmhouse style has swept the South. Scroll through Pinterest or Instagram, and your feed is surely flooded with shots of rustic living rooms with reclaimed wood furniture, master bedrooms with barn doors, and kitchens with shiplap from bottom to top. According to Google's Year in Search 2019, farmhouse style was the most-searched home decor trend of the year, beating out other top contenders like Colonial, Cape Cod, and Spanish. We're willing to bet Fixer Upper's Chip and Joanna Gaines played a major role in the rise of farmhouse style. You'll be hard-pressed to find a Southerner who doesn't want a piece of the Silos in their own home. But a farmhouse's laid-back, welcoming characteristics are what really solidified its spot as 2019's top decorating trend.

Southern Living heard readers loud and clear—farmhouse style is here to stay. Our most-loved house plan of 2019—and one of our most popular plans ever—debuted last year: the Lowcountry Farmhouse (SL-2000). That got us thinking—why is farmhouse decor resonating with our region in the first place? The style encourages a cozy, laid-back way of living. Reclaimed wood accents—like hardwood floors, dining table, or exposed beams—add instant warmth and age to a space, making the interiors feel lived in and loved. Open floor plans encourage community living. Tall gabled rooflines give farmhouses' exteriors a strong presence on their lots, and a fresh coat of white paint adds an extra dose of curb appeal. Then there are the front porches, typically wide and long and lined with rocking chairs, just as gracious and welcoming as the owners enjoying them.

One of the best things about farmhouse style is its adaptability. Farmhouses have expanded beyond rural pastures—they've found new communities on the coast, in urban cities, or in suburban neighborhoods. Take what you love about farmhouse style, and apply it to your own way of living.