A Customized Texas Farmhouse

The exterior of this Texas farmhouse has a broad triangular archway over a table ready for guests!

Photography by Michael Hunter

Styling by Holly Lauritzen

What’s better than renovating your home? Having a life partner along for the ride. For Instagram couple Holly and Brad Lauritzen of Our Faux Farmhouse, DIY may just as well stand for “Duo it Yourself.” Together, they’ve crafted their way around their Texas home, creating everything from wood paneled walls to beds for their children. This charming home is one DIYnamic Texas farmhouse, as Holly and Brad continue to bring their dreams to life.

The rustic wall art above their Texas farmhouse outdoor patio table says "Southern Feed & Seed" in a mixture of fonts. — A mixture of different woods and neutral colors can spin an everyday house patio into a modern Texas farmhouse dream.

Creative Couple

“Our first home was a small 1947 ‘rambler’ which had a basement that we sublet as an apartment,” Holly says. “It was then that we began our DIY renovation home design journey.” Along the way, each partner has developed a definitive role in the creative process. “Most of our ideas we dream up in our heads,” Holly says. “I’m in charge of design, while Brad brings all of these thoughts to fruition.”

The high ceiling of their living room gives a very open and light feeling in their Texas farmhouse. — Whether it’s on your walls, ceilings or doors, your paint color is critical. “We added the straight lay herringbone above the fireplace mantel and painted it a shade darker than the walls,” Holly says.

With the help of sources like American Farmhouse Style, Pinterest and Instagram, Brad transforms Holly’s ideas into real-life decorations and furnishings. “Brad works best seeing an image first. But after seeing it once, he can generally make it happen,” Holly says.

The view from the back of their kitchen stretches all the way back to the living room so that there's an open atmosphere and to make it easier to keep an eye on the kids. — “Our floor plan is very open concept, which we love for raising a large family,” Holly says. “My favorite part of our kitchen/living space (aka Great Room) is the warmth that we added with the DIY faux wood beams.”

This open floor plan Texas farmhouse boasts comfy gray couches with yellow accent pillows and a rustic wood coffee table. — Though her home is mostly neutral, Holly added pops of color here and there with pillows and plants.

Now living in their current farmhouse, Brad and Holly allow their artistry to flow through the woodwork. “When we moved into this house in April 2017, our goal was to DIY a different wood feature wall in every room,” Holly says. “We’re about 75% of the way there!”

This Texas farmhouse kitchen has white chairs, a modern black chandelier and a large neutral accent rug. — Try out a new color on your cupboards. “We came from a home with white cabinets previously. This time we wanted to go with a medium gray,” Holly says. “We DIYed the faux oven hood and added in a crisp white and natural wood element.”

Decorative Doors

Barn doors also make an appearance in the multi-faceted abode, both functionally and ornamentally. “During the build phase, we added a large closet in the game room with the idea of adding four large bypass barn doors to hide all the toy storage,” Holly says. “It’s beautiful to look at, but also serves as a moveable wall— one we can keep open during playtime but hides all the toys when it’s not time to play.” In addition to installing the features, Brad handcrafted the system “with simple materials found at the local home improvement store.”

The mantel above their white fireplace has four different pieces of gray-scale sign art layered over each other. — Their Texas farmhouse fireplace is adorned with several signs. “We want everyone to know they’re welcome in our home,” Holly says. “We are raising five young children who we want more than anything to learn that they (along with their friends) always have a place here.”

This Texas farmhouse hallway has green plant accents and a large circular mirror with a gold frame. — Natural and faux plants are a creative and fresh outlet for pops of green accent colors.

The back wall of this room has a hugs sliding barn door made out of four panels. — These functional barn doors, one of Holly and Brad’s many do-ityourself projects, conceal one of the most important storage spaces in the home. “This closet hides every single toy we own, and it is glorious,” Holly says. “I never have to see any toys! And behind the doors are lots of bins, cubbies and shelves that help the children keep everything organized, which is the key to keeping this space under control.”

This Texas farmhouse office space has a dark gray zig-zag shiplap wall and two chalkboard signs with cursive script. — Holly and Brad fashioned their own elegant workspace for two with a few simple materials. “Most people wouldn’t think to use a kitchen counter as a desktop,” Holly says. “But it serves us well.”

Another set of barn doors in the master bedroom brings a rustic quality to the space. “The sliding barn door in our bedroom serves solely as décor, as we decided to keep the original door in place as well,” Holly says. “We wanted to add that farmhouse feel to the space without losing our privacy in the bathroom.” And when it comes to honing your aesthetic, ambiance is everything. “Barn doors don’t always have to function to serve a purpose,” Holly says. “In this case, [the door] is used as a large décor piece.”

This gray scale bathroom has an open shower plan with two spouts and arched doorway entrances. It also has a bathtub in front of it. — “The bathroom is what sold us on the house to begin with,” Holly says. “The large open-shower concept along with the elongated garden tub sealed the deal.” Add extra vibrance in your own bathroom with potted plants. A textured rug will also go a long way in personalizing your washroom.

This Texas farmhouse master bedroom is a gray-scale room with yellow, green and dark teal accents in the pillows and faux greenery. — Brighten up your bedroom with statement pillows in bold hues and expressive patterns. “Since our walls are all some varying shade of gray,” Holly says, “we love to add fun pops with home décor that can easily be switched out once the trend has gone. We are really loving teal and mustard at the moment.”

Functional Farmhouse

In the Lauritzen home, function mingles with aesthetic. This results in a family-friendly living space that’s in line with their style. Holly and Brad have five children, so they’ve become masterful conservators of space. They installed open shelving in the half bathroom for supplemental storage. They house their five children in three bedrooms. Additionally, the family maintains a tidy closet that has “every single toy [they] own.” And, Holly and Brad created their own double desk to meet their needs and save money.

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The kids' bedroom has a bunk bed with gray cross-hatched comforters and yellow pillow accents. There's also a black and white, vintage-inspired sign that says "Crew Hall" above the beds. — When you have five kids in one Texas farmhouse, bunk beds are the way to go. This L-shaped bed accommodates two children with supplemental storage along the side.

This modern Texas farmhouse bedroom has DIY metallic gold polka dots painted onto the gray wall behind the bed. — Metallic gold polka dots add a glimpse of modern glam to this Texas farmhouse bedroom.

This small Texas farmhouse bathroom has a white shiplap accent wall that pops in the gray scale color palette. — Tight spaces can be an opportunity for a little extra creativity. “Just because it’s a small hallway bathroom doesn’t mean it has to be boring,” Holly says. “We maximized the space by adding a large multipurpose farmhouse sink and open shelving above the toilet. We planked the wall to create that cozy farmhouse vibe.”

In terms of decorating, the couple opts for versatile gray-and-white backdrops throughout the home. “Gray is calming to both Brad and me,” Holly says. “We love white as well. So we often pair shades of gray with white, natural wood elements and greenery to create that modern farmhouse vibe.” Not only are these soothing colors the perfect farmhouse fit, but they also accommodate a wide range of accents.

Outside patio space with a DIY potted plant wall rack behind the plush seating area. — Consider L-shaped seating with plenty of pillows for a welcoming patio experience.

Their continual commitment to DIY projects and strategic organization systems is an inspiration. With their cozy farmhouse design and rustic decorating style, Holly and Brad have crafted a lovely and lively dream house.

Farmhouse kitchen with two farmhouse lighting pendants. — Holly chose rattan bar stools for the island overhang, which adds a modern flavor to the kitchen.

This Texas farmhouse is a gray-scale creation with stone countertops and plenty of naural light coming throught the window above the sink. — Even the kitchen has textiles, such as this runner rug. “This is a runner from Boutique Rugs,” Holly says. “We find it much more helpful in long, narrow spaces versus a traditional rectangular kitchen rug.”

This Texas farmhouse kitchen has a white and black old-fashioned "Mercantile" sign outlined with a wood frame. — “This was a blank wall before we added the gray cabinet as an anchor and open shelving to display some of our favorite kitchen accessories,” Holly says. “We did this ourselves and chose simple white subway tile to complement the herringbone backsplash throughout the rest of the kitchen.”

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