James T. Farmer – How to Get the Look + Paint Colors! (Parts 1,2,&3)

Hi Everyone,

This is a three-parter. And below is the link to go directly to part 3. There’s a link to go directly to part 2 if you scroll down a bit. Or, please start reading at the top of the page to read all three parts.

Today, I will be answering some of your questions. I also answered some in the comments. In addition, I created a mood board and a palette of 16 colors I see in James’ interiors and especially the dining room we’re focusing on today.

Oh, Sorry. The link below doesn’t work as well as it should. It will get you near the bottom of part 2. I can’t figure out why it’s not going where it’s supposed to go.

 

Part 3 Begins Here

 

Hi Everyone,

This is a very short part 2, where we take a closer look at the beautiful style and furnishings used by interior designer, James T. Farmer. If you missed part 1, please start from the top.

However, there are two widgets. Please know that the first widget has changed by about 20%. So, please check that one out, as well.

Widget #1 focuses more on living spaces, with a bit of dining furnishings. Widget #2 focuses more on dining furnishings and accessories.

 

If you’d like to skip to part 2, please click the link below, but then scroll up a bit to see what I added to widget #1.

 

Apologies if you’re looking on a mobile device. I realize it’s a lot to scroll through. You’ll always have a better experience reading on a desktop computer.

 

Part 2 Begins Here

Part 1 is below:

 

Oh, Laurel! James T. Farmer?

OMG, I’ve been waiting for this for YEARS!

Oh, thank you, thank you!

Okay, calm down, and for heaven’s sake, please get up off the floor! ;]

 

 

Well, you can’t blame us, Laurel. James Farmer is divine. But what took you so long?

 

I’ll explain. It’s a wistful tale. You see, a little over three years ago, on December 29, 2022, I received a five-page threatening letter in my snail mail from a Boston Litigator. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t know where. Long story short, the photographer makes 95% of his living suing people like me. In my case, to the tune of $175,000 for one image.

 

Naturally, I was incredibly upset; however, the image they sent back to me had been uploaded to my blog two years earlier, and they captured it immediately afterward.

 

The date was right there at the top of the page. February 5, 2021. I mean, it was so devastating to this dude’s livelihood that they waited 23 months to let me know. They don’t ask you to take down the image. No. They threaten and demean.

 

Sometime early in January 2023, because I wanted to do the post you are reading, I summoned up the courage to contact James Farmer’s primary photographer. E.J. Followill.

 

She was cordial, for sure, when I asked her if there was a way to pay a small fee to use a few images. She had no idea how much to charge and was debating the entire situation with herself, (Well, James, I’m sure would love the publicity) as I sat in my den listening to her and the road noise as she was driving.

She didn’t give me a straight answer, and I didn’t press it.

 

The point is, I let all of it go and also got the nasty lawyer off my back.

 

However, I always wanted to do a post about James’ beautiful style and then share it with y’all.

It’s difficult to do that without sharing a few images. Of course, I encourage you to visit James T. Farmer’s website here. Please also visit James T. Farmer’s fabulous Instagram. He was one of the recent accounts I recommended to follow on Instagram.

 

Jeff Herr is another who takes photos of James’ work.

 

Okay, here’s the thing. These posts are a lot of fun, but whew! They take many more hours than there are in a day.

Therefore, I will need to break it up.

 

What I’m doing today is posting three images.

(They are either by Emily or Jeff)

 

The primary focus will be on the room with the warm red sofa. (below)

 

 

Let’s take a closer look at James T. Farmer’s interiors.

 

If there’s one word to sum up James’ style and body of work, it would be:

 

Gracious.

 

But not only that.

 

James is not only an interior designer, but he’s also selling an entire lifestyle— one steeped in immense beauty, warmth and the most calorific, delicious food imaginable.

 

If one is lucky enough to be in James’ company, we know we’re going to have a good time because he is the embodiment of the legendary southern hospitality, on steroids.

But that doesn’t mean over the top. No, never. His taste level is exquisite, and his rooms are a perfectly
composed symphony of timeless furnishings.

 

Wait, isn’t James T. Farmer a maximalist? 

 

I suppose one could say that. However, I prefer effortlessly layered, but so layered that it looks cluttered. It’s like a well-cared-for garden.

 

James T. Farmer’s Style

 

The overall umbrella is traditional, but it’s not the stuffy, formal traditional some of us remember from decades ago.

There is never a feeling that one can’t touch anything for fear of wrecking it.

French antiques live beautifully next to new pieces. 

James’ rooms almost always are full of warm colors and beautiful rich wooden vintage pieces and antiques.

He loves wallcoverings; everything from thickly textured grasscloth to Chinoiserie florals and geometrics.

 

Porcelain pieces can be found everywhere.

 

• In the dishes that often jump off the table and onto the wall.
• Lamp bases,
• Urns, stools, and vases.

 

Dining rooms are lit with classical, Regency, and French Empire-style chandeliers.

 

Dining tables are often French provincial or English, either Georgian, or sometimes a more rustic style.

 

James loves 18th-century-style dining chairs. 

He also uses a lot of natural materials in his furnishings, such as bamboo and wicker.

 

Tole can be found in a cachepot or table lamp base.

 

Art could be a Chinoiserie mural, an old screen, floral prints,  fine old-master oil paintings in gilt frames, or a vintage painting done by somebody’s aunt. Everything feels loved and personal.

He loves to layer rugs, not always, but he often uses natural fibers as a base with a smaller Oriental over it. 

Or, sometimes, no rug at all!

Window treatments are either Roman Shades or drapes with a Parisian (Euro) pleat, like we were just discussing.

There is usually a trim whether the fabric is a print or plain.

 

James T. Farmer’s interiors mirror the colors of the flowers he uses in abundance.

 

Most rooms have several shades of green. And the other colors that stand out are coral, shades of orange and gold, with black accents and gold metals.

However, one sometimes finds a healthy amount of blue as well.

 

Here’s the thing. 

James doesn’t cheap out.

 

While not everything is ultra expensive, many items are way beyond the budget for most of us.

 

Let’s talk about upholstery for a sec.

 

He chooses classic shapes found in English Country and French styles. 

The pillows are usually expensive, iconic prints from sources such as hand-blocked prints from Sources such as Schumacher, Brunscwig et Fils, and Lee Jofa.

 

Incidentally, when it comes to throw pillows, 98% of the time, I say go for the real thing, not a cheap substitute.

 

First of all, we’re usually talking about a couple of yards of fabric, not 20. In addition, I’ve never had a pillow that wore out. Some of my pillows are nearly 30 years old. Please check out one of my favorite posts about beautiful throw pillows.

 

That beautiful fabric will elevate your room like nothing else.

 

Beautiful pillows are one of my favorite tricks for making a room look much more expensive than it is.

Below is a more formal living room by James T. Farmer.

 

James also uses touches of whimsy, such as the ceramic elephant stools used as drink tables. How clever is that!

The primary influences are English and French with accompanying Eastern designs.

 

Below is a classic vignette by James T. Farmer.

 

Above is the Palm Stripe Wallpaper by George Spencer.

 

Okay, it’s time for the widget, but there’s more to come!

 

This one is focused mainly on living room items; however, I want to focus also on dining rooms, lighting, accessories, pillows, window treatments, and more art in the next one.

So, it will most likely be two more blog posts.

Please enjoy all of the beautiful furnishings I found!

 

 

If there’s anything in particular you’d like me to focus on, please let us know in the comments.

 

Oh! This has been such a busy time, and I meant to say something last Sunday, but Zephyr, who kindly gifted me a range hood, did a lovely write-up on Instagram.

 

I sent a bunch of photos, and naturally, they chose the one of me from 2015. Haha! My cousin told me, “You don’t age.”

Anyway, if you’d like to check it out, here’s the link to my page, and you’ll see Zephyr’s post at the top. They also posted some images of my kitchen.

Please feel free to follow me on Instagram. I don’t post as often as other people think I should. lol Oh well. I’m incredibly grateful for what I’ve accomplished in the last 14 years.

xo,

 

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Part 2 Begins Here

Sunday April, 19, 2026

Hi Everyone,

This is the shortest part 2 ever! That’s because I once again pulled out all the stops (12+ hours!) to find many more beautiful items in the manner of James T. Farmer.

The thing is, I feel as if I’ve only truly scratched the surface.

Before I share the widget, below are three more images, so that what I’m sharing will make more sense. Of course, please check out James’ website for many more images.

 

Also, there are links to James’ books in the widgets above and the one below.

@southernhomemag @jamestfarmer – eclectic dining room – Zoffany wallpaper – checked fabric – Brunschwig and Fils

 

via instagram @jamestfarmer – @jeffherrphoto

 

@jamestfarmer on instagram

 

If enough of you want a third post, I will be happy to do it. Maybe you’d like me to create a virtual room, or do a paint and color palette. But if you’ve had enough, we can say goodbye for now. Please let us know in the comments.

 

In the meantime, enjoy this tribute to the beautiful interiors of James T. Farmer.

 

 

Please pin this image to Pinterest for Reference

 

April 18, 2026 – Boston Marathon weekend!

Happy Spring!

xo,

 

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Part 3 Begins Here

Wednesday,

April 22, 2026

Hi Everyone,

I debated making this a separate post, but then I figured if you weren’t already annoyed, you would have to switch back and forth.

This is not a long entry, and it will be the last.

Before I begin, I answered some of the comments, but one I didn’t answer, which I am repeating here, so you don’t have to go wading.

 

I enjoyed seeing these rooms designed by James Farmer. I especially like his color schemes (not much gray!). About layering, some of it feels just right, and in other cases, a bit too busy. I kept finding myself blocking out bits of some of the photos and imagining how much better the room would look with a few solid colors (e.g. drapes or throw pillows) mixed in with the busy patterns. How do you know when there is enough layering of patterns vs too much? Maybe the advice of Coco Chanel, “before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off,” would apply here? Or is it all just personal taste?

 

This is such a wonderful question because I believe there’s a bit of a misconception when I admire a designer and share their work.

 

No matter who it is, even if it’s Gil Schafer, there is never a time when I love every element.

 

In fact, there are times when I’m seriously bothered. This happens all the time, and I’m including my own work on occasion.

One thing you might not realize is that when we’re looking at photos in an editorial in a magazine, there is usually a team of stylists who showed up with a van filled with stuff for the shoot.

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What? Do you think James is out in his garden picking flowers and artfully crafting them in vases?

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Oh, he might on occasion, and for big shoots it’s highly likely that he’s there. Of course, I might be wrong about that. Styling is his thing. Still, they do move things around.

The point is that the room might end up looking somewhat different from the way it did the day before.

 

There are other reasons things might end up a certain way.

 

• The perfect fabric was discontinued or on a six-month back order.
• Or, the client’s husband had an aversion to caning and mismatched chairs, so they went with the less cool chairs that matched the table.

 

Laurel, does anyone disagree with someone like James Farmer? Isn’t that why they hired him?

 

Well, I’m not there, but I imagine most likely agree to at least 95% of what he’s proposing. And some might just give him the keys. I don’t know. However, I always felt that no matter how much I loved something, if the client didn’t, I never pushed it on them.

One thing you might notice is that James’ rooms are often “mix and match.” What I mean by that is that you could take furnishings from one house and use them in another.

Ramona mentioned in the comments that she’s tried to like James’ work but can’t get there. It’s okay if you don’t like anything. But maybe you’ll like a mirror or a chandelier. You’ll see the scale. Even if you’re a minimalist, scale is still important and most likely doesn’t change much. You can pick and choose. Or, you’ll learn what you don’t like.

 

It’s 100% okay to dislike something I like.

 

I have a fairly broad spectrum of furnishings under the umbrella of classical that I’m fond of.

And yes, you can distill the maximalist look without losing the charm and beauty.

By that, I mean that you don’t have to have patterns on everything or even anything.

 

For those who own the Laurel Home Paint and Palette Collection, I would say that a distilled look is what’s on most of the 40 boards in the collection. Sure, I’ll use three or four fabrics for the sofa and chair pillows, but on most of the boards, that’s it.

Below is a board I made about 3.5 years ago when I was inspired by the gorgeous work of McGrath 2. 

 

This gives a good idea how much pattern I’ll use for a room.

 

The final point I need to make, and I’ve said this many times, is usually when it comes to my home.

 

Looking at a two-dimensional photo is an entirely different experience from living in a room.

 

So, what looks busy and too much in a photo might very well not look that way at all in person. It’s important to understand that, if you’re not already aware.

 

Okay, there’s one more widget coming up.

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This one is centered on one dining room and there’s a board coming up that includes a palette of 16 Benjamin Moore Paint Colors. 14 of the colors are from the Laurel Home Paint and Palette Collection.

 

I added a couple of colors that are not in the upcoming dining room, but they are in other Farmer rooms.

 

 

The colors with Italic labels are all in the Laurel Home Paint and Palette Collection.

 

The ones with Benjamin Moore’s writing on them are colors I selected that best mimicked the wood tones and would also make terrific wall colors, particularly Deep Taupe.

Incidentally, that is not taupe. Taupe is a warm, slightly pink, brownish gray. Chelsea gray is a beautiful color that doesn’t always look like taupe, but is much closer than Deep Taupe.

 

Below is the “in the Manner of James T. Farmer” board I made.

 

For more images of this beautiful home, please check out James’ Instagram.

 

 

The wonderful hurricane lamps that James uses are from Makenzie Bailey and Company.

They are sold on her website, and I can’t find them anywhere else. No one else makes anything like them. They’re so fabulous, and they’re not as hellishly expensive as many items out there these days.

For the Chinoiserie server, you will notice that the one in the widget looks different. That’s because I antiqued the one on the board. Virtually, of course. I did that before in this post with a similar Chinoiserie cabinet.

It’s a lovely piece; it just looks too new!

Please enjoy the widget, below.

 

Okay, I hope y’all have enjoyed this series. We’ll be moving on to another topic.

 

But… Get this. Serena & Lily has put their entire site on sale– AGAIN! So, I will definitely be doing a new edition of the Hot Sales for Friday. In the meantime, the widgets were updated today, and I did a big overhaul of the vintage widget a few days ago.

xo,

 

 

***Please check out the recently updated HOT SALES

 

 Also, if you’re doing some shopping on Amazon, please click this Amazon affiliate link or the graphic below.

 

Thank you so much!

I very much appreciate your help and support!