Warm hues, layered textures and vintage décor come together to create an inviting, curated farmhouse in Pennsylvania.
Blogger Wendy Zock of The Curated Farmhouse loves classic, vintage farmhouse style—and the fall season—because of its homey feel. With muted, warm tones and soft, inviting textures, fall offers a sense of coziness, comfort and familiarity. For Wendy and us farmhouse enthusiasts, it’s the perfect time to showcase down-to-earth simplicity and charm.
This stairway was once dark and dingy, so Wendy decided to remove the carpet, DIYed the paneled wainscoting and trim and painted everything white. “The accent wall helped add some texture to the space,” she says. Pumpkins, fall foliage and textured throws add that cozy autumn feel.
Wendy loves classic, vintage farmhouse style because of its homey feel. After a cancer diagnosis left her unable to work, she started her own small business crafting painted wood signs. That was when she discovered a love for home décor and DIYs.
Finally, this military wife and mom of three shut down her business and now focuses solely on creating and sharing her home décor. “Finding the perfect items for each space made my home feel cozy, and that is how the Curated Farmhouse was born,” she says.
Warm, autumnal hues bring a touch of fall to the kitchen and dining area. An overhang on the butcher block-countertop island was an easy way to add a bit of seating without taking up too much extra space.
Finding Home
When Wendy’s husband retired from the Army, they purchased their home in Portage, Pennsylvania. “After being away from family for 20-plus years, he wanted to slow down and have our children live the small-town life,” she says. The 1913 house had seen a previous remodel but still retained much of its charm and character. Wendy was able to take this and create her own curated farmhouse from what was already there. “Growing up in Arizona, I was used to ‘cookie cutter’ style homes, so this was a nice change for me,” Wendy says. “I love white walls, wood tones, with pops of color for the seasons.”
Butcher block countertops bring warmth and a bit of farmhouse charm to the light and bright cabinetry and backsplash. Coming from a family of woodworkers, Wendy decided to do a DIY install of the countertops for a budget-friendly solution. In addition to the look, she wanted the counters for their ease of cleaning and durability. “It’s also so much fun at Christmas when we are making cookies to just be able to throw the flour on the counters,” she says. Vintage amber glass canisters, metal candlesticks and a tobacco bushel lid above the range add interest. “I always try to bring vintage into all my spaces,” she says.A neutral palette lets Wendy’s fall décor pop against the white cabinetry and subway tile. “I love the blank slate … and it also makes my spaces feel cleaner and simpler,” she says. Having a farmhouse sink was a dream come true for her, and the added texture on the front was a bonus. Wendy opted for steel cage lighting to continue her vintage theme.
She describes her style as “vintage, rustic and traditional farmhouse.” She focuses on creating simplified, functional spaces for her curated farmhouse. “I love white walls, wood tones, with pops of color for the seasons,” Wendy says. Her vintage finds fit into her home for a timeless feel. “I tend to find pieces by luck or accident each season that set my soul on fire, and I go with that,” she says.
Simplicity is the focus of the dining area. With a light-plank finish on the tabletop and a collection of dark wood vintage cutting boards, Wendy added multiple wood textures into the room for more depth.
All About Autumn
For Wendy, making a house feel like home involves blankets and pillows. “I want my spaces to be functional and lived in, and you will always find a ton of throw blankets and cozy, comfy pillows to snuggle up with in my home,” she says. This layered look, which also involves florals, textiles and books, is part of her quest for coziness in her curated farmhouse. “Cozy to me is comfort and making all of your senses feel at home,” she says.”I like to create focal points in each room, a special place that draws my guests in.”
Wendy’s inspiration for her dining room was fully farmhouse. “I wanted a space that reminded me of a farmhouse dining room,” she says. A cute display shelf on the wall allows Wendy’s vintage cutting board collection to shine. “I love a good charcuterie board when entertaining, so I love that they are different sizes and shapes,” she says.These vintage lockers take center stage in Wendy’s entryway and are a key focal point in her décor. Originally they were baby blue, but she painted them white to match the rest of her home. “They are so much fun to decorate each season,” she says. “I can hang things inside or off the doors and in the cubbies or on top.”
Using the warm tones of the season, Wendy curated her fall décor so it exudes a sense of relaxed comfort. “This year it was all about deep, rich colors, from the burnt orange to the burgundy,” she says. Creating her design for each space often involves one or more items as inspiration. “I like to create focal points in each room, a special place that draws my guests in,” she says.
Taking her inspiration from nature, Wendy decorated her master bedroom
with all the colors of a Pennsylvania fall. “Burnt orange, mustard yellow
and burgundy leaves: I wanted my fall décor to reflect that beauty,” she
says. The painting above the bed was a $5 vintage find, and the amber
bottles are part of her vintage collection. “I count down the days until I can
break them out for fall,” she says.
Going Vintage at the Curated Farmhouse
A self-professed collector, Wendy’s love for vintage shows up through the many antique pieces throughout her home. “My heart sings for big, chunky furniture and pieces that look like they have lasted a few lifetimes,” she says. An avid garage-sale and antiques store shopper, she learned quickly to only buy those pieces that she absolutely loved. “I am very intentional about the items I buy for my home,” she says.
Classic, timeless and very farmhouse, this master bathroom reflects
Wendy’s desire to simplify every space in her home. “My inspiration was to make this
room as pretty as we could, on a budget, until we can completely remodel it,” she
says. Butcher block countertops mirror the counters throughout the house, and the
white palette provides a canvas for Wendy to display her vintage and fall finds. “From
wall décor to hand towels, I try use my décor to show my personality,” she says.These signs are crafted from vintage barnwood, and the bottles are also
vintage. “I just love chippy vintage items,” Wendy says. The wood pops against the
white shiplap and adds a rustic feel.
One of Wendy’s favorite vintage finds are the lockers in the entryway of her curated farmhouse, which are perfect for adorning with seasonal décor. Her other vintage collections include spindles, books, bells and bottles. For her, it is the little things that make the most difference in a space. “It’s often the things that you cannot see in a photo that I truly love the most,” she says.
This vintage key and cow tag collection demonstrates how décor can be a great way to express your own unique hobbies and interests. “My son has been collecting them since he was younger, and I thought this was a great place to display them,” Wendy says. Signage and shiplap, which she DIYed, reflect classic farmhouse style.This wash area is located in the entryway bathroom, comprised of repurposed vintage furniture, is another of Wendy’s DIY projects. “I found the old dresser and knew it would look amazing in this space, and the shelf on the wall is actually part of the top drawer we had to cut out to install the sink,” she says. Fall foliage on the wall shelf brings a bit of autumn into the space.This painting is a very old vintage piece and one very near and dear to Wendy’s heart. “It’s barely hanging together, but I couldn’t live without it,” she says. The wood of the vintage cabinet adds warmth, while the fall foliage is another pop of color and reminder of the season.
A lover of history, good stories and beautiful spaces, Laura finds that writing for American Farmhouse Style is a wonderful outlet. Residing in the rugged West, she enjoys watercolor sunsets and finding beauty in the unexpected. She is a wife to a wonderful husband and a brand new boy mom. When not cuddling with the baby or her two cats Tigger and Scout, she enjoys dabbling in fiction writing, attempting soap making, baking and DIY home projects.
