Are you a fan of Joanna Gaines’ Fixer Upper look? Learn how to choose farmhouse decor for your dining room like a pro with four simple steps that make styling easy and confident.
Related Articles: A Farmhouse Table Setting, How to Organize a Buffet
We recently installed the Fixer Upper–style farmhouse shelves I’d been dreaming of in our dining room, and I wanted to share the simple process I used to select decor so the shelves look intentional, cozy, and balanced.
On a recent trip to Washington, I finally found the black metal brackets I’d been searching for at Hobby Lobby. While there, I wandered through rows of farmhouse decor and felt equal parts excited and overwhelmed by so many great options.
Rather than rushing, I stepped back, made a plan, and approached the display like a designer. Below are the four practical steps I followed to choose dining room farmhouse decor with confidence.
How to choose Farmhouse Decor for your Dining Room
(a calm, practical approach when the options feel endless)
1. Find your inspiration and make a list
If you live where Hobby Lobby or similar stores are available, the variety can be dizzying—especially when pieces are on sale. When I felt overwhelmed, I left the store and sat in a nearby coffee shop to collect my thoughts.
I opened Pinterest and looked for “farmhouse shelves,” saving images that appealed to me on my Modern Farmhouse Style board. Studying a few well-composed photos helped me identify common elements I liked: layered items of different heights, a mix of textures, and a focal sign or piece anchoring the arrangement.
Once I knew what to look for, I returned to the store with a short list of the textures, heights, and colors I wanted to include. That clarity made choosing much faster and less stressful.
2. Choose large anchor pieces first
Start with one or two large pieces that will serve as anchors. For my shelves, the “Gather Together” sign became the top focal point. Then I selected two other substantial items to balance the visual weight across the shelves.
Big pieces cover more square footage and set the tone, so resist the urge to fill shelves with only small trinkets. Anchors help create a structured, intentional composition.
3. Remember the Fixer Upper style formula
Repeat after me: wood, black metal, galvanized, greenery.
In Joanna Gaines–inspired spaces, you’ll often find a mix of those textures. With that in mind, I chose medium-height items that introduced wood tones, black metal accents, galvanized finishes, and greenery to add life and softness.
I also scoped the seasonal aisles for greenery and neutral pieces that could work year-round rather than strictly holiday items. Little touches like enamel vases or faux stems make a big visual difference and blend nicely with the wood and metal elements.
4. Fill in empty spots with “littles”
After anchors and mid-sized pieces are in place, use smaller items to finish the look. I pulled a few things from my decor cupboard at home—white ceramics, small framed pieces, and textured objects—to fill gaps and create balance.
While arranging, I used a simple zig-zag method: repeat colors and heights across shelves in a staggered pattern so the eye moves naturally from one shelf to the next. White items, for example, can zig and zag to tie the whole display together and maintain a sense of rhythm.
When the shelves were finished, they felt cozy and cohesive—complementing my parents’ antique buffet and making our townhouse feel more like home.
If you prefer visual guidance, consider watching a styling walkthrough or live demonstration where the process is shown step by step; seeing someone place pieces and adjust spacing can be very helpful for learning how to balance shapes, textures, and scale.
Thanks for spending a little of your day here. If you enjoy behind-the-scenes decorating moments and quick styling tips, look for more posts and social updates from the same account for extra inspiration and real-life examples of farmhouse decor in use.
