If you love the Tuscan Modern look, here's what I'd do
Pinterest is overflowing with beautiful Modern Tuscan farmhouse interiors, and it’s easy to see why they've become so popular.
They feel warm, relaxed and timeless. The rooms are layered with natural materials, beautiful timber, soft linens and furniture that looks as though it's been collected over generations.
But here's the thing…I wouldn't try to recreate a Tuscan farmhouse room exactly.
Instead, I'd borrow the feeling.
For me, that's where the most successful homes begin.
Start with artful lighting
One of the biggest contributors to the Tuscan farmhouse aesthetic isn't actually the furniture - it's the lighting.
Rather than relying on lots of recessed downlights, I'd look for decorative lighting that becomes part of the room itself.
Think:
ceramic table lamps
aged brass wall lights
woven pendants
sculptural floor lamps
Lighting adds warmth, personality and atmosphere long before you start styling shelves. You might like to look at Ivory & Deene and Lighting Collective.
Invest in feather-filled cushions
This sounds like such a small thing, but it makes an enormous difference.
Feather inserts allow cushions to soften and relax naturally rather than sitting stiffly on a sofa. They instantly create that comfortable, lived-in feeling that Tuscan interiors do so well.
The trick is to combine different textures and subtle patterns rather than matching everything perfectly. My go-to suppliers are Weave Home and Eadie Lifestyle.
I recently wrote about how to choose cushions that make a sofa look professionally styled, which pairs beautifully with the ideas in this article.
Choose a generous, simple sofa
Tuscan interiors aren't usually filled with ornate furniture.
Instead, they're grounded by large, comfortable sofas that invite people to sit down and stay awhile.
I would always choose comfort first.
A timeless sofa in a natural fabric will still look beautiful years from now, even if you change everything around it.
Add a vintage timber piece
If there is one thing I'd include in almost every room, it's a vintage timber piece.
It might be a coffee table.
A sideboard.
A console.
Or an old bench.
Vintage furniture brings history, texture and character that simply can't be manufactured.
It also stops a home feeling as though everything arrived on the same delivery truck.
Mix old and new artwork
Artwork is one of my favourite ways to make a home feel collected rather than decorated.
Don't be afraid to mix contemporary pieces with older artworks, vintage frames or even family heirlooms.
The contrast is often what makes a room interesting.
A home should tell your story—not feel like you've bought every accessory from the same shop.
If you're planning a renovation, my One-off Interior Design Consultation can help you confidently choose finishes, furniture and layouts that suit both your home and your lifestyle.
Use plants that feel natural
Plants soften a room immediately.
I particularly love olive trees, fiddle leaf figs or trailing greenery in rustic terracotta pots because they introduce texture without feeling overly styled.
The goal is for them to look like they've always belonged there.
Introduce colour and texture through your rug
A rug is one of the easiest ways to add warmth and depth to a room.
Rather than choosing a plain rug that disappears, I'd look for one with subtle pattern, texture or tonal variation.
It helps anchor the furniture while adding another layer to the overall scheme.
The result? Modern Tuscan Farmhouse
What I love about this approach is that it doesn't feel themed.
Instead, it captures the essence of Tuscan farmhouse style while still feeling relaxed, timeless and perfectly suited to an Australian home.
It's not about copying a Pinterest image.
It's about understanding why you're drawn to those spaces and recreating that feeling in a way that works for your own home.
Bringing it all together
When clients tell me they love a particular style—whether that's Modern Tuscan, Modern Country or Coastal—they're often responding to a feeling more than a checklist of furniture and finishes.
My job isn't to recreate someone else's home.
It's to understand what they're drawn to and interpret it in a way that suits their lifestyle, their architecture and the way they actually live.
That's how you create a home that feels personal, timeless and beautifully considered.
If you're planning a renovation or furnishing your home and would like help bringing your vision together, I'd love to help. I work with clients throughout the Illawarra, Southern Highlands and Sutherland Shire, helping them make confident design decisions from concept through to completion. I’ll also travel further afield for the right project.