Coastal Farmhouse Dream Home Tour

The moment when you are scrolling through Instagram and a photo stops you in your tracks…. that was this house. I was so enamored with the seascape color palette, the style, the relaxed, yet chic vibe. It was a home I knew my family could move right into. Intrigued by the photos, I explored the source further to find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Today I am so excited to share with you a gorgeous Coastal Farmhouse Dream Home Tour built by Timber Trails Development and decorated by their talented in-house designer Julie Howard. 

Coastal Living Room

How exciting it was to discover that this gorgeous home is in Illinois, just west of Chicago and the majestic Lake Michigan! For those of you who don’t know, I grew up on Lake Michigan as a child. The beach was literally my front yard which was the initial spark of my love for all things beach and coastal design related. The airy lightness, serene color palette, natural elements and decor encapsulate the essence of coastal living. 

Julie Howard, the designer, expresses her design direction for the creation of the Timber Trails Beach House.

“The inspiration behind our Timber Trails Beach House was thinking about when it was going to hit the market. It was built as a spec house that we knew would hit the market in February. February in Chicago is pretty dreary and everyone seems to be looking forward to spring break. I kept seeing the hanging chairs from Serena and Lily coming through my IG feed and was inspired to build a house that would be worth of those cool chairs. The beach house was underway!” ~ Julie Howard, designer

The hanging swing chairs add a whimsical, fun, relaxed and comfortable feeling to the main living room. The chairs beckon you to come and kick off your flip flops, slide in to the seat and sway in this welcoming space. 

Splurging on key features in your home can make all the difference. Choosing incredible tile is one of those splurges that will pay off in the long run. You can shop for the beautiful cement tiles seen on the fireplace surround HERE. The wood beam mantel they installed is actually a reclaimed beam, but if you are wanting a wood beam and can’t afford one, then follow my tutorial to make your own wood beam mantel.  It looks antique but can be made for a fraction of the price!

“The tile of the fireplace was the color inspiration for the whole house. Tile is often the first decision about color I make so it’s usually the jumping off point.” – Julie Howard, designer

Affordable slipcovered sofas and durable seagrass area rugs are ideal furnishing choices for a busy family with kids and pets. 

I love how they painted the interior doors in the accent color of the kitchen. I have done this in my home too (see it HERE). Painting interior doors with an accent color helps bring focus to the beautiful doors, the view outside, and also pulls the two rooms together cohesively. 

GET THIS COASTAL MODERN FARMHOUSE LIVING ROOM LOOK (affiliate links provided in this post for your shopping convenience):

• Rattan Swing Chairs
• Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees
• Villandry Azure Encaustic Cement Tile fireplace surround
• Wood Beam Fireplace Mantel 
• Beveled Frameless Mirror (similar)
• Slipcover sofa- IKEA
• Slipcover Chaise- IKEA
• Wood Coffee Table (similar)
• Natural Fiber Rug
• Wood Candle Pillars (similar)
• Round Side Table- HomeGoods

Coastal Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

This kitchen was made for entertaining and to be a focal spot for family and friends to gather. The design of the kitchen was to be kept simple and timeless with clean lines. Hand painted classic, yet updated white subway tiles make up the  fresh and clean backsplash.

The floating shelves that cross and wrap around the windows are my favorite and most unexpected part of the entire kitchen design! Julie explains her design thought process for this space,

“I knew I wanted the element of floating shelves in the this kitchen but couldn’t really find a good spot. The horizontal lines on the windows inspired me to take the shelves all the way across the windows on the main wall of the kitchen. When we solidified the beach theme, the color I chose for the island and shelves was the next decision. The color is actually far darker and more grey in person than in the photos. I based the color of the island on the tile I chose for the fireplace.”

The paint color for the gorgeous floating shelves and impressive 9 by 4 foot custom island with X-detail is “James River” by Benjamin Moore. 

The use of mixed metals is always something I’ve been a fan of. In this coastal farmhouse kitchen Julie chose black wrought iron for the lighting which picks up on the stovetop. Then she used a combination of antique gold hardware for the cabinets, which mirrors the warmth of the natural finished oak floors and furnishings. The last bit of bling goes to the stainless steel faucet, sink, dishwasher, oven and fridge. 

GET THIS COASTAL MODERN FARMHOUSE KITCHEN LOOK:

Kitchen Features & Sources-  

• Bar Stools 
• Kitchen Faucet
• Oven Hardware Drawer Pulls
• Honey Bronze Cabinet Drawer Pulls
• Honey Bronze Cabinet Knobs
• Recycled Glass Window Sconces 
• Island Pendants- Visual Comfort
• Caesarstone Countertops in Organic White
• Subway Tile Backsplash
• 5 burner cooktop
• Shaker Style Cabinets & Hood- custom
• Paint colors: Benjamin Moore Classic Gray (walls) and James River Gray (island/floating shelves) 

Coastal Breakfast Nook 

The casual dining area is an extension of the kitchen and transitions into the living room. A custom built banquette stuffed with comfy pillows beckons you to come sit and enjoy your morning coffee with a beautiful view out the windows.

Get this Coastal Breakfast Nook Look:

Kitchen Breakfast Nook Sources- 

• X-back Rope Dining Chairs
• White Pedestal Table (similar)
• Jute and Sisal Round Area Rug
• Capiz Shell Chandelier (similar)
• Seagrass placemats
• Pillows – HomeGoods

Coastal Dining Room

Be still my coastal loving heart! Just look at that wallpaper! The entire room is perfection. Julie implemented her DIY skills to achieve the look she wanted for this room affordably. The farmhouse dining table was a thrift store find. The wicker chairs were old (an amazing find!) and she painted them in James River Gray (the same color as the kitchen island and floating shelves). The light fixture was another found item that she painted white. 

So let’s talk about this gorgeous wallpaper! The minute I saw it my mouth dropped open! 

I selected this wallpaper after all the colors were selected. It just happened to the the PERFECT shades to tie the whole house together. Every contractor that entered the house was sure to tell me how much they loved the wallpaper. That never happens as they usually have a lot of opinions about choices like that. I could not have been more thrilled the day it went up! The whole house was tied together. I think people underestimate the power of wallpaper. It really should not be cut from the budget because it’s usually one of the most memorable parts of any design. ~ Julie Howard

Get this Coastal Dining Room Look:

Coastal Farmhouse Dining Room Sources-

• Wallpaper – Thibaut Daintree in Aqua
• Light Fixture – custom made
• Farmhouse Dining Table (similar)
• Slipcovered End Chairs (similar)
• Wicker Chairs – vintage find, painted in James River Gray
• Round Sisal Rug

Entryway and Office

Let’s stroll through the home towards the office, shall we? Beautiful sliding barn doors greet you on the side as you enter the home. A double set of barn doors allow for the office to be private and enclosed or open to the rest of the home. This set up would be perfect for a home business, especially if you need to bring clients inside. 

Why leave your ceilings plain when you can have it planked or painted? This adds so much interest and draws the eyes upward to the beautiful Serena & Lily pendants. 

Get this Coastal Foyer and Office Look! 

• Foyer Wood Bead Chandelier (similar)
• Rattan Orb Pendants
• White Faux Antler Office Chandelier
• Barn Door & Ceiling Paint Color- James River Gray by Benjamin Moore
• White Muted Flourish Rug
• Hallway Braided Jute Runner Rug
• Weathered Oak Flooring 

So who is ready to move into this gorgeous coastal farmhouse? I can see your hands raised high! If you are interested in seeing more rooms from this house then please let me know! The upstairs bedrooms are just as gorgeous! I didn’t want to overload you all with too much gorgeousness in one post. 😉 

Tell me which part of the house is your favorite!

Thank you Timber Trails & Stoffer Photography Interiors for these beautiful photos of your homes!  

Be sure to follow them on Instagram too! @timbertrailshomes @stofferphotographyinteriors 

Happy Decorating!

KIM