The Joanna Gaines-Style Kitchen Trend That's Making A Comeback

If you entered a home decor store circa 2015 through the latter end of the same decade, you'll recall an abundance of home design elements that made you feel like you'd stepped straight off the farm. Yes, kitchens accented with distressed wood benches, literal barn door room dividers, and, of course, decorative milk jugs. Modern farmhouse decor, the Joanna Gaines-style kitchen trend, was all the rage during those years. Now, after some time away from the limelight, rustic design and farm-inspired kitchen elements are making a comeback.

Farmhouse designs reached their peak in the 2010s when the expert home designer and her husband Chip Gaines' HGTV series, "Fixer Upper," was growing in popularity. The show's Texas backdrop and Joanna's affinity for rustic, countryside looks led to the major decor trend and coincided with the proliferation of Magnolia, the celebrity home designer's line of cookbooks and home items.

The farmhouse kitchen's ubiquity faded in the early 2020s, replaced with more modern looks, minimalist chic, or retro designs. However, in 2025, the beloved yet outdated kitchen design trend has made a marked re-entrance into homes far and wide — especially those of young people, particularly Gen Z. If it wasn't official, "farm girl summer" on Pinterest (via the Kitchn) confirms the trend's resurgence. And this time, the farmhouse kitchen is leaning more towards cottage vibes with an openness to playful patterns and bright, airy color schemes.

Towards 2019, the popular farmhouse trend began to mix and meld with modern designs. Some elements, like the farmhouse sink renovation trend, for instance, fit in naturally with kitchens that emphasize open spaces, lots of natural light, and blank slate, neutral color schemes. Joanna Gaines, like us all, has upgraded her approach to the style over the years. Her rural-inspired kitchens of today reflect more of a "rustic modern" feel with lots of distressed wood, greenery, and industrial elements, rather than the full-on barnyard-inspired accents of the past decade. The home decor expert's modern evolution has mixed with our favorite aspects of her vintage kitchens, too, including the use of contrasting colors and antique fixtures and furniture. 

Similarly, recent takes on the farmhouse trend's comeback reflect a longing for the simple nature of the countryside (sometimes referred to as cottagecore). This means checker-print tablecloths, soft pastels, optional patterned wallpaper, vintage thrift shop finds, and a space overflowing with potted plants. At its core, the reimagined farmhouse kitchen trend is all about creating a space that feels simple, safe, and idyllic, like what you'd find out on the pasture or in a quaint cottage. It's about rural elements, modern touches, and minimalism — all at once.