Text by Bethany Adams
Seventeen years ago, when interior designer Maggie York and her family moved into the farmhouse in Illinois they now call home, they were no strangers to the property. “This has been in [my husband’s] family for years and years,” says Maggie, who notes that they purchased the house from his grandmother and spent the next few years updating it to fit their needs as a young family.
From removing walls, opening doorways, and converting the original dining room into the primary suite to taking their time selecting furniture and paint colors, the Yorks brought the home into its next phase while defining “farmhouse” style in a fresh, fun way. “A lot of the wallpaper and things came into play probably in the last six or seven years,” Maggie says. “I feel like that’s when I really started adding more personality to the house—and more color.”
Maggie says that she loves traditional style, but since many of the projects she designs through her company, Margaret of York, are beach houses, some touches of breezy, coastal-inspired design found their way in. “I have a lot of cane or rattan mixed in, but then I love polished nickel finishes and wallpaper, and I like to mix the two, just to make it a little more playful and not too stuffy or too formal,” she says. “Overall, it really does feel pretty casual—but it’s not your typical, traditional farmhouse style by any means.”
To cater to the Yorks’ frequent entertaining, the kitchen underwent a makeover that created more space and introduced functional elements like cleanable barstools. For a thoughtful finishing touch, Maggie matched the window treatments to the café curtain that covers a functional cubby under the counter. “That’s just one little detail that I find really charming in there,” she says. “We really are here in the kitchen quite a bit.”
Because the Yorks are often hosting—something they do around the wooden pedestal table that can seat up to eight—the dining chairs were re-covered in a performance fabric, and Maggie’s collection of chinoiserie ginger jars serves as a backdrop for dinner parties. “A lot of the little ones my mom has picked up for me at flea markets or antiques shops,” Maggie says. “She has always grabbed them for me over the years and [added] them to my collection.”
In addition to highlighting original elements like the ceiling in the mudroom, the design translates classic essentials in a relaxed way, using block-print drapes to lend color and complementing antique-style picture frames with caned counterparts.
Natural woven pieces like end tables and ottomans contribute warmth to the pared-down, sophisticated palette—but it’s the walls that really talk in this house.
“The funny thing is that, originally, this was all wallpapered . . . and I remember spending hours taking that down 17 years ago,” Maggie says. “I’ve now slowly re-wallpapered almost every room in the house.” The fun, bold, and fanciful papers finish off the design with a flair that’s distinctly personal, showcasing Maggie’s favorite shades and patterns. “I’m a big grass cloth fan,” she says. “I just feel like you can’t ever go wrong with that.”
One of the spaces that was transformed the most, the primary bathroom is now a haven of elegance and serenity—owing in large part to the Quadrille Climbing Hydrangea wallpaper that lends the space its color. “I knew I wanted to use this wallpaper . . . somewhere at some point,” Maggie says. “It just felt like the right opportunity to do so with the bathroom.” Topping off a reconfigured layout that includes a standing tub and his-and-hers sinks, the popular pattern takes on a new life—just like so many of the details in this fresh family farmhouse.
