Clean and functional, yet homey and comforting, a farmhouse style kitchen offers the perfect spot to entertain and spend time with family. Typically featuring lots of crisp white, woods and rustic accents, farmhouse kitchen decor offers a happy alternative to contemporary or traditional looks. And while it’s gained increasing popularity over the past few years, fundamentally, it takes inspiration from utilitarian American farmhouses of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as old English country homes. While you browse through the photos below, consider the following 12 farmhouse kitchen ideas to incorporate in your home.

1. Old-Fashioned Appliances: To start out decorating your modern farmhouse kitchen, choose old-fashioned appliances that will anchor the look, like a retro fridge or an English style cast iron range.

2. Apron Sink: Another classic feature of a country kitchen is an apron style farmhouse kitchen sink. Often made of white ceramic, these sinks are visible from the front and remain visually distinct from the cabinetry. They’re great for draping a dish towel over.

3. Wooden Table: For a farmhouse kitchen island with plenty of character, simply arrange a wooden table in the center of the kitchen. Mismatched and repurposed furniture pieces are a hallmark of the look, and using a rustic table for extra counter space will give your kitchen a homey touch.

4. Butcher Block: Butcher block countertops fit perfectly with farmhouse design and will keep your kitchen looking simple yet refined.

5. Colorful Tile: While stone or wooden floors can look great, you can also go with colorful mosaic tile. This will help your kitchen feel truly distinctive, and the color and pattern choices are endless.

6. Shaker Style Cabinets: If you’re wondering what farmhouse kitchen cabinets might look like, think shaker style. This simple cabinet style, originally made by early Shaker communities, is perfect for a farm country kitchen.

7. Chalkboards: Chalkboards are both fun and functional, and are great spots for posting recipes, grocery lists or reminders for your family.

8. Farmhouse Kitchen Canisters: Whether you’ve got open shelving or not, a great way to keep the rustic look going is to store dry goods in glass canisters. Mason jars work well and you can even label them to be extra organized.

9. A Distinctive Backsplash: If you’re looking for farmhouse backsplash ideas, there are a few styles you could go with. Mosaic tile can work well and you can even feature a country motif like a rooster. Brick or subway tile are also great choices.

10. Black and White: Farm style kitchens typically feature lots of white balanced by industrial black accents. So if you’re looking for farmhouse cabinet hardware, consider going with black cup pulls or bar pulls.

11. Warming Rug: To keep the space from feeling too austere, you might add in colorful accents, like a blue or red rug. Choose a variety that can be washed and enjoy the extra padding underfoot while you cook.

12. Lighting to Set the Mood: There are a number of options when it comes to farmhouse kitchen lighting. For a more modern look, go with clear glass spheres. For a more traditional look, install metal lantern style pendants.

Whether you want inspiration for planning a farmhouse kitchen renovation or are building a designer kitchen from scratch, Houzz has 113,850 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including Chelsea Evans Design and Tays & Co. Design Studios. Look through kitchen pictures in different colors and styles and when you find a farmhouse kitchen design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful farmhouse kitchen photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.