by Glenn M. Travis, Principal, GMT Home Design
Clean lines, welcoming look: This rendering from a 2021 modern farmhouse project combines classic features with current style
New England's low stone walls are famous. While they look amazing, these stones hint at the story of farming in this region.
Early colonists faced not just a short growing season, but also seriously rocky soil. Those picturesque walls were built from rocks tilled (or frost-heaved) out of the ground, one at a time. The tough ground meant early colonial farming was more about subsistence than about getting rich, and lower income in the rural farming areas of our states led to simple, rustic houses.
Despite those humble origins, today the Modern Farmhouse is an in-demand style of architectural design, not just here but all over the U.S. For GMT, it's up at the top of the list of customer requests, alongside Shingle Style homes. No doubt shows like Fixer Upper have helped raise the profile of this design. But it's also a clean, natural style that has enduring appeal and rarely looks 'dated'.
These older local farmhouses typically featured steep roofs to shed heavy snow, large front porches for relaxing, and functional spaces like the NE-favorite mud room. Of course, the modern version combines that rustic charm with modern convenience and, often, high-end features.
Key architectural and design elements of modern farmhouse homes
Here are some of the most common modern farmhouse features. This list does double-duty as inspiration if you're considering updating or remodeling your home in this style! Even the most modern conveniences or additions can be designed in a way that maintains a consistent style throughout the whole house.
Open floor plans: Modern farmhouse homes don't face the structural challenges and limitations of older buildings or boxy Colonial layouts. They often feature open and airy floor plans with a sense of spaciousness and easy connectivity between different living areas. Great for modern entertaining (or keeping an eye on the kids from the other room).
Reclaimed and mixed materials: Incorporating reclaimed or repurposed materials, such as barn wood, exposed beams, and vintage fixtures, adds authenticity and character to your interiors. These materials bring a sense of history and rustic charm to the space. Combining our region's natural or historical materials like wood, metal, stone, and glass creates visual contrast and adds depth to the interior.
Shiplap and wainscoting: These features add texture and visual interest to the walls, so the clean farmhouse interior style doesn't look overly plain.
Wainscoting is mostly decorative and can really add a beautiful touch to the home. Real shiplap, on the other hand, was originally not decorative but functional, featuring an overlap between adjoining panels, because it was created as a way to keep ships watertight. Then it made its way into houses for insulation purposes. Today, decorative shiplap-style materials, including DIY kits and even wallpaper, are widely available.
"Nickel gap" is also a popular option with our clients, with a similar but slightly more contemporary look than traditional shiplap.
(Short sidetrack: According to Google, a popular search is "Did Joanna Gaines invent shiplap?" The correct answer is NO, unless she's a 1,700 year old Viking. But congratulations to the Gaines on the power of their marketing.)
Farmhouse sink: The classic farm sink is also known as an apron sink due to its overhanging front lip — a signature kitchen feature. It adds a touch of nostalgia as well as practicality, making it a focal point of the space.
Large windows: They bring in abundant natural light, provide views of the surrounding landscape and outdoor living areas (next point), and contribute to the overall airy and inviting ambiance.
Big front porches and outdoor living spaces: A welcoming front porch provides a space for relaxation and outdoor living while echoing the traditional farmhouse aesthetic. Other hardscaping and exterior construction is also commonly used to further expand the usable space of a farmhouse.
Barn doors inside: Sliding barn doors are often used as room dividers or closet doors in modern farmhouse interiors. They add a rustic touch and a sense of uniqueness to the space. Interior barn doors aren't great for keeping noisy areas separate, although a good quality door, properly installed, can inhibit sound better than you might think.
Functional mudroom: As noted up top, many modern farmhouse homes incorporate a mudroom or entryway designed to accommodate boots, coats, and other outdoor gear, keeping New England's weather and rocky soil out of the main living areas. Today we find lots of families really appreciate their mudroom as an organizing spot for getting kids out the door, whether it's for school or playtime.
Remodeling and updating a Modern Farmhouse: Mix, match, and create your own perfect version
The great thing about this home style is that you can lean more toward 'modern' or 'farmhouse' depending on your personal preferences, mixing and matching the elements above. Exposed beams (or sometimes faux beams), pendant lights and light sconces, vintage built-ins — you name it, someone has worked it into their farmhouse design and decor.
This is also why updating or remodeling a modern farmhouse, when the time comes, can be relatively flexible, compared to more narrowly defined styles like Victorians or Saltbox Capes. At any rate the homeowner has lots of choices available that will fit beautifully into this architectural design.
Hopefully this post gives you some new ideas!
About the author:
GMT Home Designs founder Glenn M. Travis has lived and worked in New England all his life, with 30+ years' experience in architectural design. Learn more about our architectural design services.
Read more in our series on New England home styles:
Classic colonials| remodeling ideas
Saltbox colonials | updating your saltbox