Modern Farmhouse Style Spring 2020

An old house is rarely a perfect house—at least not in the sense of having flooring that doesn’t creak, doors that don’t stick, and plumbing and electrical that meet every 21st-century code requirement. But it’s often these very imperfections (plumbing aside, perhaps!) that give an old home its enduring charm. It’s also one of the main reasons Autumn Carfagna was hesitant to build a new house in North Carolina when she and her family relocated there from Florida several years ago. Autumn had been raised in century-old homes, her mother owns an antiques store, and she wasn’t convinced that a new house could ever hold the allure of a “perfectly imperfect” old house. But husband Ian convinced her otherwise, and together they infused their new farmhouse with character that belies…

Character Build Traditional building elements—whitewashed brick, basic lap siding, and slate-color shingles—take on a rural sensibility when paired with hints of farmhouse style. Builder Todd Wilson crafted this Georgi a home using a house plan available for purchase at southernlivinghouseplans.com. It touts such country-inspired features as metal roofing and tall, narrow windows with a two-over-two grille pattern. An unexpected shade of turquoise on the front door takes a turn toward contemporary, while the wide front porch beckons with time-honored allure. 1 Natural Look This durable fiber-cement siding has a textured surface that mimics the look of cedar. HardiePlank Lap Siding, Select Cedarmill in Arctic White, pricing varies; jameshardie.com 2 Glowing Character Hang a pendant with a traditional lantern silhouette and candelabra lightbulbs for timeless appeal. Warren Outdoor Pendant Light, $399; feiss.com 3 Point of View Tall wood…

Lindsey Black loves to be in the kitchen of her family’s newly built Memphis home. She and daughter Molly, 9, place cookies onto cooling racks at the island in a kitchen outfitted with a professional-grade range and quartz countertops. The feel is decidedly timeless thanks to classic design references, such as the Shaker cabinets and milk-glass pendant lights. “The theme of our house is a mix of modern and vintage,” says Lindsey, an interior designer. Even the rich, of-the-moment jade color she chose for the cabinets has roots in an earlier era, says architect Michael Walker, who worked with Lindsey, husband Josh, and builder Ryan Anderson on the project. “Older farmhouses always seem to have white walls, a medium-color stained floor, and some bold color,” he says. “This seems like an…

“The kitchen is our happy place. The reclaimed wood and the pine shiplap only add to the soul of this space.”—homeowner Lauren Stisser Sometimes what you’re looking for is right in your own backyard. That rings true for Lauren and Tim Stisser, who searched high and low for their “forever” home only to realize they were already living in it. With three growing girls—daughters Ella, Olive, and Pippa—the couple knew it was time for a larger house. But each potential upgrade they toured had the same problem: It was too perfect. “There’s something about old houses that you just can’t replicate today,” Lauren says. “Our home was built in 1767, and it’s ‘perfectly imperfect’ in the most wonderful ways.” And so the Stissers decided that rather than move out they’d simply…

farm made modern lesson number 03 Navy-painted cabinets offer a twist on trendy farmhouse kitchen style. Stone flooring and a wood countertop balance more typical materials—a marble counter, white tile backsplash, and gold-tone hardware. “More than looking good, she insists that the house must work,” Ben Muldrow says of his wife Leigh’s restoration mantra driving the work on their circa-1924 Colonial Revival home. “It is the foundation of every decision we make. There are aspirational things we do, for sure, but then there is reality. Even with our family of seven, we can whip things into shape in less than two hours because everything has a place.” Both Ben and Leigh have ideal skill sets for reviving an old house. Ben works in urban planning and design, branding hundreds of U.S. communities and historic…

“Michael always relished the space and freedom he had growing up and has dreamed of giving his kids a similar or even better experience,” Fran Derham says of her husband, Michael Robertson. A decade ago, when he started looking for land in rural Victoria, Australia, she says, “we weren’t married and didn’t have kids.” In 2011, Michael found what he was searching for—a postcard-perfect property in a little pocket called Wensleydale near the Anglesea River. The rolling hills, little clumps of forested areas, and a few cows lazily strolling across the landscape charmed the Melbourne-based couple. So much so that they renovated an RV as their country home. “But we always wanted a house; it was just a matter of time,” Fran says. In 2015, construction began and Michael’s vision—inspired by…