Bring cozy, rustic charm to your home with farmhouse style wood stains that make every room feel inviting. Our simple guide breaks down the best wood stains, sharing options for a stylish, laid-back makeover.
Whether you are refinishing floors, updating an old piece of furniture. or staining a woodworking project, wood stain can totally transform the look of a piece of wood.
So, it is important that you choose a stain that will reflect the style and aesthetic you want for the space.
A dark, chocolate brown stain and a very light white wash will give you a TOTALLY different vibe.
Today I want to talk about picking wood stains for a farmhouse style home. This is a popular home decor style - but you really need to get your wood tones right to make it work!
Want help getting the perfect wood stain finish?
Be sure to grab our FREE wood stain troubleshooting cheat sheet, with the top staining problems + easy solutions for each!
What is farmhouse style - when it comes to wood tones?
Farmhouse style is a design aesthetic that blends rustic simplicity, natural materials, and vintage accents to create a warm, inviting space.
This style often featured rustic and vintage touches.
So, wood tones are not dark or polished.
You will see a lot more natural, light, and distressed finishes.
Remember - when you choose a wood stain, it needs to complement both the wood type AND your overall decor. Always swatch to be sure a stain gives the desired effect on your specific wood species.
The best farmhouse style wood stains
Here are my favorite wood stains for a farmhouse look!
Natural Stains
My favorite pick for wood stain IF you have pretty wood is to just go with something really light or natural - even just a wood oil.
This will let the natural wood tones and wood grain shine through.
But, if you have less attractive or damaged wood, this won't work. You will want stain to add a bit of color or cover imperfections.
For beautiful natural wood, we like to use:
White Wash Stains
Another great light and bright option that provides a bit more coverage is a whitewash.
A white wash gives light coverage, while brightening the wood.
It could be a great option for your piece!
Here are our favorite white wood stains:
Read all about our favorite white wood stains!
Light Gray Wood Stains
If you want a light wood look but not the stark white look, consider a light gray.
Gray wood stains can be warm or cool toned and add a bit of color and depth to the wood, without necessarily darkening it.
Pay attention to your wood tones. It's hard to mix a cool toned wood stain with a warm species of wood (like golden pine).
My favorite light gray wood stains:
See all the top light gray wood stains!
Mid-Brown Wood Stains
While farmhouse wood tones tend lighter, there is definitely a use case for darker wood.
I especially like to use a darker wood tone for beams, mantels, or antique furniture that you want to really draw the eye.
The combination of a white or light wall + flooring with one or two items stained dark will really become a focal point!
If you do choose a darker wood stain, choose something rich and chocolatey. And please, do NOT go with a glossy finish. This will look too formal for a farmhouse.
Instead go matte or in the least, eggshell, for more of a vintage look.
Our favorite mid-brown wood stains:
If you want just a touch of dark stain, be sure to check out our tutorial on how to apply wood stain over white paint for a rustic distressed look!
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Hello, I'm Morgan, half of the creative force behind CharlestonCrafted.com! With a passion for DIY that dates back to 2012, I've transformed three homes and now I'm dedicated to helping others craft their dream spaces. Let's turn your house into a home together!
