I was getting modern farmhouse burnout until I saw Joanna Gaines's latest remodel – this is the best living room she's ever designed, and achieving the look is so easy

Modern farmhouse style became ever-present around 2010 when you couldn't move from one block to another without seeing one of these distinct house styles. However, circa 2024, I am noticing more and more designers and decorators moving away from this cookie-cutter style to something a little more individual, and HGTV star Joanna Gaines is championing this liberation.

Known for her early modern farmhouse style, Gaines has transitioned into a much more grown-up, elevated look over recent years, and this mid-century modern marvel – with a touch of Spanish Revival – is perhaps her best design yet. It tells a story...

'It always starts with the story of the home. How do I unearth that and bring that back to life?' Joanna explained in a conversation with Architectural Digest.

In the case of Joanna Gaines Lake House, the original owners wanted to blend their two favored styles: mid-century modern and Spanish Revival. For Gaines, it was important to honor the house's original architectural styles from 1965 rather than turn it into a farmhouse. The designer leaned into this and the final result is certainly impressive.

With its classic looks and pared-back style, mid-century modern decor is enduringly popular – and it is easy to see why this look is revered so highly, even now. However, it is one of the hardest looks to get right.

The simple shapes of this era, which spanned the decade between the Thirties and the Seventies, were inspired by earlier design movements, including the Bauhaus school in Germany. Materials such as molded plastics allowed some of the world's best interior designers to explore new textures, colors, and forms.

Paired with the modern Spanish Revival style – think terracotta tiles, plastered walls, curved lines, and arches – a marriage of these two styles, albeit unexpected, works wonders in Joanna Gaines's Lake House living room.

The beauty of the surrounding landscape with its panoramic view of Lake Waco served as further inspiration for the merging of two seemingly incompatible styles. It turns out it was a match made in heaven.

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My favorite elements in the room are the ones that correlate to the overall story. The rustic wall decor, the touches of brown accents, and the patterned rug underfoot are all standout details. They warm up the mid-century aesthetic.