Why You Should Consider a Farmhouse Style Remodel
“Farmhouse” is a decorating style and house trend that’s taken the remodeling world by storm! Homeowners in St. Louis and St.Charles counties are loving farmhouse style – and for good reason. The modern farmhouse trend is classic, versatile, and easy to create for your exterior or interior renovation. If you’d like to learn more about farmhouse style and how you can incorporate it into your home, read on.
What is Farmhouse Style?
How can we define our modern farmhouse style? While farmhouse style took off in the twenty-first century thanks to Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, this now-fashionable look has roots in traditional rural American architecture. And they weren’t called farmhouses at all – locals called them “folk houses!”
Folk houses were built in eighteenth-century America by farmers building their homes themselves to suit the land and their lifestyles in the countryside. The sprawling porches and metal roofs we now “like” on Instagram were originally adopted to suit life in the cornfields and pastures! These houses were designed with function in mind, rather than form, and their utilitarian look was irresistibly homey.
Modern farmhouse style takes the simple, unfussy beauty of rural colonial homes and brings it up-to-date with a modern edge. Today’s “farmhouses” have beautiful and welcoming exteriors, and include contemporary and industrial interior decor. Think rustic chic!
Hallmarks of a Farmhouse Style Home
The traditional exterior of a farmhouse home was clad in white clapboard siding. Modern renovators with an eye for farmhouse style have many exciting options for their home exteriors!
- Siding can be in any material: vinyl and fiber cement siding have a classic look with modern features. Fiber cement siding or vinyl siding look great, and they’re made of materials that are low-maintenance, long-lasting, and durable. A great choice for curb appeal that will stand the test of time!
- While white siding looks beautiful and creates a timeless farmhouse feel, you may want to consider trying a different neutral. Beiges and grays will also look great, and provide a fresh take on the farmhouse trend!
Lap siding or board and batten siding are a must to create a farmhouse look. No farmhouse style would be complete without these two styles of siding!
- Lap Siding: lap siding gets its name from overlapping horizontal planks. Lap siding comes in several sub-types which you can explore to find a favorite, including shiplap, bearded, and clapboard.
- Board and Batten Siding: this type of siding is also known as “barn siding.” It’s no wonder why that this siding is ubiquitous with a farmhouse style! Named for its narrow strips of wood, or “battens,” board and batten siding is a fail-safe choice if you’re committing to a farmhouse style for your home.
Have you ever seen a farmhouse-style home that looked dark and foreboding? Of course not! Part of the appeal of the farmhouse style is its hallmark expansive windows.
If you’re looking to renovate in this style, you may want to consider investing in large windows. This will help you achieve that wide-open, light, and bright feel so many people love about farmhouse style.
Expansive porches were originally incorporated into farmhouse style because family members needed someplace to leave their muddy boots after a day working the farm! Now homeowners favor large porches because they make a wonderful place gathering place. A big, beautiful porch will give you that HGTV Fixer Upper look in no time – and give you a beautiful entertaining space for your friends and family!
The farmhouse style is so popular because it’s so easy to mix and match with other styles! If you’ve created a farmhouse-style home, consider bringing in some contemporary decor so your home doesn’t feel too rustic. Consider gorgeous gas lamps or a fun front door! Modern and industrial accessories will keep your home firmly anchored to the here and now.
Why You Should Consider A Farmhouse Style Home
Leaning into the farmhouse trend for your home exterior or interior is a great investment! Part of the appeal of the farmhouse is that the style is eclectic by nature. You can mix and match your interior decor or bring in a few other influences you like, and it will feel totally natural and in keeping with modern farmhouse fashion.
There’s no one “right” way to create a farmhouse feel. That means you have endless options to customize the trend to suit your style! You can and should make the farmhouse style feel like your own.
And an added bonus: because modern farmhouses give you wiggle room to play with your interior decor, if you decide you want to revamp your home in a few years’ time, you won’t be trapped with a style you can’t change. Modern elements and appliances are right at home and work beautifully with a farmhouse style renovation. Farmhouse always feels fresh, and its versatility means you can reinvent your home to suit your needs in years to come.
Trust Siding Express for Your Farmhouse Style Remodel
Are you feeling the farmhouse fever? We’d love to help you create the farmhouse style remodel of your dreams. Check out our gallery page to see our previous work and get an idea of what we can do for you. If you’d like to discuss your project, get in touch with us here. We’d love to work with you.