Elements Of A Modern Farmhouse

Elements Of A Modern Farmhouse

We had no idea that our new home would end up being a modern farmhouse when our family decided that we were ready to build. When we first met with our builder, Cameron Curtis of Curtis Homes, he asked us what we thought about the idea of building a modern farmhouse. He shared that the particular lot we were interested in building on was slated for a modern farmhouse.

Being from the midwest, my husband T.J. loved the idea of building a modern day farm home. Initially T.J. was mostly excited about the idea of having covered porches (one common element of a modern farmhouse). I knew very little about modern farmhouses as ours will be one of the first in our small town. After our meeting with our builder, I went home and started searching the internet for key elements of a modern farmhouse so I would have a good understanding of what a modern farmhouse consists of. Here’s what I found:

Exterior Elements Of A Modern Farmhouse:

• White Exterior

  • While not all modern farmhouses are white, the majority that I found in my search were white. The second most popular color I found was grey. There’s something though about a bright white house that really makes everything pop. Here’s an example of a beautiful modern farmhouse exterior with white paint:
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    Photo by Anthology Interiors – Look for exterior home design inspiration

• Black Roof

  • Almost every single modern farmhouse that I found online had a black roof. Some had shingles while others had black metal roofs. I personally think that the black metal roof looks AMAZING on a modern farmhouse, however a metal roof is substantially more expensive.
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    Photo by Planstyles, Inc./ Kerry D. Dick, AIBD – Search exterior home design ideas

• Board & Batten Siding

  • Many of the modern farmhouses I found online featured board and batten siding. I did find quite a few with fiber cement siding as well, but my favorite examples all had board and batten siding included. This first example here from HOUZZ features a combination of both board and batten as well as fiber cement siding.
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    Photo by Anthology Interiors – Look for exterior home design inspiration 
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    Photo by Larsen Development Company – Search exterior home pictures

• Black Trim Windows

  • Not all farmhouses I found had black windows; however, those with black trim windows really popped with the white siding. Black trim windows are certainly more expensive than white trimmed windows, but the aesthetic of the black windows really adds a lot to the look and feel of a modern farmhouse.
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    Photo by Lisle Architecture & Design – Browse exterior home photos
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    Photo by Redbud Custom Homes – Browse exterior home ideas
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    Photo by Feldman Architecture, Inc. – Discover exterior home design inspiration

• Covered Porches

  • I continued my search for exterior elements and found that covered porches are probably one of my favorite elements of the modern farmhouse. A covered porch expands the house’s footprint and allows you to have outdoor living space year round. Almost every modern farmhouse I found online had at least one covered porch. Here’s a few nice examples of how a covered porch can expand the living space of a modern farmhouse:
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    Photo by Larsen Development Company – Browse exterior home ideas
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    Photo by Barnes Vanze Architects, Inc. – Look for porch pictures
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    Photo by Tim Brown Architecture – Discover porch design ideas

• Black Front Door

  • A front door definitely appears to be a statement piece on all modern farmhouses that I found while doing my search online. Most modern farmhouse doors appear to be black and feature glass windows. Here’s a few examples that I found on HOUZZ:
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    Photo by Linc Thelen Design – Look for entryway design inspiration
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    Photo by M House Development – Look for exterior home pictures

• Exterior Lighting/Industrial Lights

  • I found that most modern farmhouses online featured industrial lighting. Many farmhouses featured barn lights and many had a matte black finish. Here’s a few examples that I found in my search for modern farmhouse lighting:
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    Photo by Timber Trails Development Company – Look for exterior home pictures
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    Photo by R C Kaeser & Company – Search entryway design ideas
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    Photo by Gast Architects – Look for exterior home pictures
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    Purchase outdoor wall lights and sconces on Houzz

Of course not all modern farmhouses have these particular design elements, but there definitely appears to be a theme among modern day farmhouses. What do you think? Are there any key elements of a modern farmhouse that I’m missing? Tell me, what is your favorite element of a modern farmhouse?

Comment below, I’d love to hear from you!