An Upcycled Fall Farmhouse

Nina's mudroom uses everyday items to create a chic upcycled fall look. She has a flannel hanging by a hook above rain boots-turned planters and a woven basket.

Written by Emily Irby

Photography by Nina Hendrick

The well-known phrase “Life isn’t perfect” can easily be extended to “Design isn’t perfect.” Blogger and DIY queen Nina Hendrick, of Nina Hendrick Home, is no stranger to making compromises work to her advantage in her upcycled fall farmhouse designs. Sometimes it’s finding a happy medium between expensive taste and a realistic budget. Other times it’s hunting for seasonal décor that will work year round, or stylizing a house while keeping it livable. Whatever the challenge may be, Nina happily accepts it when it comes to decorating her Massachusetts farmhouse home.

Nina is a master of upcycled fall decor. Her rustic wood coffee table looks beautiful in contrast with her white couch with an orange pillow accent. — Nina’s fresh white furniture and pillows are balanced with distressed wood and natural-looking branches. This gives her home a charming farmhouse look that never strays over too far into chic or shabby.

Little Touches

Nina’s number one tip for effortless transitions through the seasons is to have a simple and timeless base. “I start out with a neutral foundation and then bring in lots of natural elements for each season,” she says. Her white slipcovers, beige rugs and wood furniture provide more space for accent colors when autumn comes around each year. With a clean palette, her small but carefully considered details are all the more striking.

Nina's primarily white, farmhouse style living room has pops of orange fall decor in the pillow, foliage and mantel garland. Beautiful upcycled fall decor! — “Overall, we’ve done a blend of trying to use decorations over years and building our own furniture,” says Nina. “It’s a high-low mix. I bring in natural elements to make it look fresh year to year.”

Nina uses bright and colorful fall leaves with candles to decorate her fall dinner table. Another step into her upcycled fall masterpiece! — When decorating her dining room table, Nina stays away from fussy designs and sticks to upcycled fall farmhouse simplicity. She says, “I love to use branches and leaves and things that can be taken off easily. I try to find a happy medium between a decorated tablescape and being able to live with it.”

Fresh for an Upcycled Fall Farmhouse

Nina’s favorite decorations for the fall are those she has to restock each year: fresh produce of all kinds. Nina says, “I love to use things as they become available—fresh fruits, apples, any harvest.” She takes advantage of the heirloom pumpkins and bright sunflowers that are sold in her local farmers’ market.

Nina's dresser has a white-paneled mirror leaning against the wall with pops of orange in fresh and artificial foliage with a plump pumpkin. — Nina doesn’t fret if a piece she picks up isn’t fabulous as is. Instead, she finds a way to make it work. The window-frame mirror was almost perfect for her buffet table, but its original gold color wasn’t working, so Nina painted it white to work with her décor.

One of Nina’s go-to ways to make artificial flowers look more natural is to mix real flowers in with them. And great news—she’s certainly not one to underestimate the quality of a good dollar-store bouquet. She says, “Dollar and craft stores have really stepped up their game.” She frequents them when she’s on the hunt for affordable upcycled fall farmhouse decor, like the leaves on her mantel and dining room centerpiece.

Nina created a wall gallery above her living room couch with different-sized family photos, a small green wreath and the letter "H" for "Hendrick". — Nina breaks up her family photo wall by adding a wreath, letter decals and a rustic lock-and-key piece. It’s a fun take on the typical gallery wall and allows for a little creativity when designing the layout of the frames.

Family Matters

When her husband championed a television over the mantel, Nina (who grew up without a TV) resisted. However, the couple found a compromise that made them both happy. They decided on a Frame TV, so that when they weren’t using it, it would look like a piece of art rather than a clunky electronic. Nina has it set to display one her of grandfather’s paintings: an autumn landscape. That’s not the only place you’ll see his work in Nina’s home—the painting in her dining room is also one of her grandfather’s originals.

Nina's TV is framed with a black border and is disguised as a piece of art by constantly displaying family artwork. It hangs above their fireplace. — Nina creates an effortless but striking mantelpiece design with artificial leaves and berries. Instead of completely redecorating the space for the new season, she brings in a few autumn items that can be swapped out once winter comes around.

Helping Hands for an Upcycled Fall Farmhouse

From the artwork to the numerous pieces she and her husband built or refinished together (like her coffee table, fireplace and kitchen island) to the yard-sale vintage trunk (once rumored to be a family heirloom), Nina’s upcycled fall farmhouse seems like one big group effort. However, it’s the little touches that Nina brings with her eye for design that tie the whole project together.

Nina's dining room has a simple wood table with wood chairs to complement her gorgeous and intricate chandelier that looks like fall branches hanging over the table runner. — Nina’s chandelier was one of her big ticket items. She saved up for it, and when it was time to install it, the family stood around to admire it—only to have it come crashing down seconds later. All worked out in the end, though. Nina was sent a new one and reinstalled it properly the second time around.

Nina added a bright orange pillow to the plush white armchair in her living room to add a splash of cheer. — A simple way that Nina incorporates fall colors into her living room design is by adding a few orange pillows. She says, “I bring in something with a pop of color.”

Now you know how to create your own upcycled fall farmhouse style. For more tips on how to DIY on a budget, click here! And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!