Do you love the modern farmhouse aesthetic? You might have Joanna Gaines, the “Fixer Upper” star and Magnolia Network founder, to thank for that. Her signature style, characterized by light, airy spaces with rustic and antique touches, has become quite the trend. Fortunately for fans, her style is quite easy to recreate in your own home. A hallmark of her renovations is shiplap, a modern twist on wood paneling that strikes a balance between rustic charm and minimalism. “I’m always an advocate for shiplap because it is simple to expose behind the walls in older homes, it adds effortless character, and elongates the space — giving the illusion it’s larger,” Gaines mentioned on the Magnolia Blog.
So, how can you bring this material into your kitchen design? There are numerous options. Whether you’re aiming for a subtle accent on your kitchen island or ready to commit to an accent wall, rest assured that the mastermind behind this popular renovation style has experimented with it all. With a few boards, some nails, and a bit of time, you can transform your kitchen into a “Fixer Upper” masterpiece in just a few hours.
Customize Your Vent Hood
The vent hood is often overlooked in kitchen design. Typically, it blends into the background, only noticed when smoke fills the kitchen during meal prep. However, with a bit of creativity, you can turn your vent hood into a stylish focal point that complements your kitchen’s design. While altering such a functional appliance might seem risky, it’s safe to cover the vent hood’s exterior as long as the fan remains exposed.
Concealing your stove range hood is trendy, so why not take inspiration from Joanna Gaines and introduce some texture with shiplap? For an authentic rustic feel, leave the wood raw to showcase its natural beauty. On the Magnolia Blog, Gaines illustrated this idea by having a vent hood cover custom-made from the same wood used for decorative shutters in the room, ensuring a cohesive look. If the natural wood style isn’t your preference, you can paint the vent hood to match your cabinets, island, or walls.
Add Some Texture to Your Island
Many of Joanna Gaines’ transformations embrace the modern farmhouse style, providing excellent inspiration if it aligns with your taste. For a subtle introduction to this aesthetic, consider a smaller accent like shiplap on the sides of your kitchen island. This project is simple, low-risk, and cost-effective, covering a small area and typically going unnoticed at first glance. If you’re concerned about permanent changes, use Command Strips for a rental-friendly DIY.
Though a minor change, this project can significantly impact your kitchen’s ambiance. Minimalistic or monochromatic kitchens can sometimes feel flat or sterile. A touch of shiplap on the island adds texture, whether you leave it raw for a natural wood look or paint it to match your cabinetry.
Create an Accent Wall
One of the easiest and most versatile ways to incorporate shiplap into your kitchen is by creating a feature wall. Joanna Gaines is well aware of this, offering a Shiplap Wallpaper in her Magnolia store designed for this purpose. Whether opting for faux shiplap or the real deal, adding this accent to a plain spot in your kitchen significantly contributes to the cozy modern farmhouse look.
With any shiplap DIY, you have ample flexibility in style and placement, allowing you to tailor the final look to your desired impact. Install panels horizontally for a cozy, grounded feel, or vertically to draw the eye upwards and create the illusion of higher ceilings. For a dramatic change, choose a large wall or paint your shiplap a bold color that contrasts with the kitchen. For a subtle accent, opt for a smaller area and match the accent wall to the room’s existing color, adding texture without overwhelming the design.
Maximize the Backsplash
If a full feature wall feels excessive, shiplap can serve as an affordable and sleek alternative to a traditional kitchen backsplash. As with any backsplash DIY, this project involves precise cutting and placement but avoids the need for tile grouting. While this accent suits various kitchen designs, Joanna Gaines particularly enjoys pairing it with open shelving. By removing upper cabinets and using shiplap on the walls with added shelves, she achieves a more open, airy look, especially beneficial in smaller kitchens.
However, consider a few factors before choosing this backsplash for your kitchen. Real wood isn’t very durable against fire or water if not properly sealed, making it unsuitable for areas directly above burners. Instead, consider wood-look tile to combine porcelain’s durability with shiplap’s rustic charm, offering the best of both worlds.
Spruce Up the Ceiling
If your kitchen feels dull and you can’t pinpoint why, look up. Ceilings often go unnoticed as potential design canvases. Adding shiplap is an excellent way to make a statement. This approach enhances any kitchen that feels bland and is particularly effective in open floor plans. On the Magnolia Blog, Joanna Gaines shared insights from her design process during Season 3, Episode 11 of “Fixer Upper.” Faced with an open room, she added raw shiplap to a small area of the kitchen ceiling to define the space better.
When adding shiplap to your ceiling, color is a crucial consideration. Light-colored ceilings reflect light, creating an airy atmosphere, while darker ceilings offer a cozy, intimate feel. Raw wood or dark shiplap ceilings provide a bold accent to warm up the space, while light paint or whitewashed wood maintains a breezy ambiance.
