A Unique Home on a Georgia Farm

A designer takes a fresh yet tradition informed approach to styling a unique home on a Georgia farm.

When James Farmer was hired to head up the interior design of a new-build home on a farm in Elko, Georgia, he didn’t just take a page out of a farmhouse-style handbook—he wrote a whole new one. The result is a unique home on a Georgia farm rather than a typical farmhouse. “I went back to images of rich hunting homes for inspiration but added a fresh approach,” Farmer says. “Many of the walls are light and bright, while the fabrics and colors are supple. Each room carries the overall feel of the house, which allows the home to both blend and enhance the natural beauty of the surrounding land. My approach to design is ‘collected.’ The home’s style is intentionally traditional, classic and inspired by history.”

entryway with palm frond patterned wallpaper, animal print upholstery on side chairs and antique dresser — SETTING THE TONE. Since the home sits on a large piece of land, continuing the natural elements in the foyer was an intentional detail, as illustrated by the printed grass-cloth wallcovering, the designer says. “However, giving it a formal feel with brass lamps and antiques sets the mood that this is by no means a trendy farmhouse, but rather a beautiful home on a farm,” he says.

Farmer, founder/owner of James Farmer Designs based in Perry, Georgia, and a best-selling author (jamesfarmer.com), honored the homeowners’ design requests and added his signature styling to the project. “The owners have a big family, and they wanted to be able to come to the farm with their kids, friends and grandchildren and be able to appreciate the land while enjoying the comforts of home,” he says. “Because the home is on a farm and away from their normal life in the city doesn’t mean it has to deviate from their appreciation of lifestyle and beauty. They wanted comfort but classic sustainability. It had to be livable, beautiful, befitting of the land and able to incorporate new pieces as well as pieces they already owned.”

exterior entryway to unique home on a Georgia farm — WELCOME HOME. The home’s entrance offers a warm welcome with its comforting symmetrical design, neutral color scheme and clean lines. Large glass door panels let the sunlight stream through the foyer.

wood paneled walls surrounding window in sitting room with green furniture and duck patterned upholstery on side chairs and throw pillows — CONTRAST AND CHARACTER. Farmer wanted this sitting room, located in the middle of an open part of the house, to have its own personality. He used stained walls and rich fabrics to contrast with the bright hallway.

Farmer believes that custom pieces add unique details that turn a house into a home. “Every piece of upholstery is custom: sofas, chairs, drapery panels—everything. I am a lover of antiques and found pieces, but custom is crucial,” he says.

Interior design and fashion design have similar qualities, Farmer suggests. “I often use the analogy of an outfit,” he says. “We like to take the khakis and a white shirt approach: It can be worn casually but can also be dressed up with a jacket, loafers and a great belt. This home can go from casual hunt weeks to weekend parties with friends and always look appropriate.”

hutch with antique poreclain in unique home on a Georgia farm — SITTING PRETTY. This small sitting room makes a big impact! “We love the focus being on the beautiful antique secretary—and symmetry, symmetry, symmetry,” the designer says.

Texture Message

Layering textures and patterns is an important tool in the designer’s toolbox. “Hardwood floors, sisal rugs and an Oushak rug on top—all the layers!” Farmer says. “On the walls are painted woodwork, printed grass cloth and scenic wallpaper. Before a piece of furniture is in the house on install day, there’s already a foundation of texture and pattern to build upon. We use layers, textures and collections on every surface we can. When you first walk in the home, you see a collection of plates, platters and antlers. As you move into the living room, there are mixes of animal print, velvet and scenic fabrics. That strong yet edited use of fabrics, colors, patterns and textures is found throughout this home and many of our designs.”

brick fireplace in collected Georgia home inspired by historic hunting homes — WINDOW SEATING. The living room is divided into two seating areas. “The layout allows you to see out the back windows of the home as well as the fireplace,” Farmer says. “The EMYO painting of a hunt scene fits perfectly into the home’s setting.”

The kitchen features the designer’s updated version of a traditional farmhouse kitchen. “It has a combination of painted woodwork and cabinets, but the waxed honey tone of the pine is handsome enough for a farm and hunting lifestyle,” he says. “But mainly, it’s a working kitchen rather than a chrome-and-white laboratory. It fits the feel of the entire house.”

Farmer is quite comfortable marching to a different tune amid design trends. “In a time when a farmhouse can be seen as a trend, that’s never our approach,” he says. “While, yes, it is a house on a farm, it is classically and traditionally rooted. It’s a home on a farm—not a farmhouse.”

shiplap walls and framed prints of flora and fauna and green accents — GOING GREEN. The living room, sitting room and hallway receive a lot of light. The designer contrasted that light with rich fabrics and textures, many of which have natural colors that reflect the view outdoors.

kitchen in unique home on a Georgia farm

green painted cabinetry and pine island in unique home on Georgia farm — BUCOLIC BEAUTY. Farmer combined green-painted woodwork with the waxed honey tone of the pine to achieve a handsome kitchen that reflects the homeowners’ farm and hunting lifestyle.

beer fridge and green cabinetry in home on a Georgia farm — RAISING THE BAR. The bar connects the kitchen to the dining room. “We continued the cabinet colors used in the kitchen, which blend well with the scenic mural wallpaper used in the dining room,” the designer says. The placement of the bar near both the kitchen and dining room was practical as well.

landscape wallpaper in Georgia home dining room with collected antique lamps and vases — ALMOST ALFRESCO. The dining room’s scenic wallpaper resembles the home’s surroundings: the lake, the trees and beyond. “We love to bring the outdoors inside, and a scenic wallpaper is a beautiful and impactful way to achieve this,” Farmer says.

four poster bed with wooden canopy and landscaping painting and antique porcelain lamps — ON THE HUNT. The bed in the master bedroom was one the homeowners had in a previous home. “The use of the quail fabric with a light background was a great way to brighten the room while still incorporating aspects of the hunting farm itself,” Farmer says.

guest room with beige grasscloth wallpaper and brown upholstery on two beds — HOME AWAY FROM HOME. “Hotels often have two queen beds for guest comfort and additional accommodations, and this home is meant to host family and friends, so having lots of beds is key,” the designer says. Upholstered headboards and benches, grass-cloth wallpaper, layered rugs and warm colors continue the home’s textured, layered ambience.

four poster bed with soft green grasscloth wallpaper in unique home on a Georgia farm — ROOM WITH A VIEW. This guest room is located on the main floor of the home, which is eye-level with a lake. “Pulling colors from the land was key for inspiration, so this room absolutely is a reflection of what’s right outside,” Farmer says.

If you loved this outdoor nook and the fall feeling, read on for Rustic Cottage Style with an Edge and A Classic Georgetown Bungalow with Modern Comforts. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of cottage inspiration!