For the last decade, few home styles have been as recognizable as Modern Farmhouse. White siding, black windows, open floor plans, Shaker cabinets, apron-front sinks and plenty of shiplap became staples in new homes across the country. But like any style that becomes incredibly popular, some of its most recognizable features eventually became trends rather than timeless design choices. Does that mean Modern Farmhouse is out? Not necessarily.
Farmhouse design has been around much longer than the recent Modern Farmhouse trend, and many of the things that made us fall in love with it in the first place—natural materials, practical spaces, comfortable rooms and simple architecture—aren’t going anywhere. What’s changing is how we’re using those elements. Today’s farmhouse-inspired homes are becoming warmer, more natural and more individual. Instead of trying to recreate a specific “farmhouse look,” homeowners can take the best parts of the style and combine them with materials and details that feel more personal and timeless. If you love comfortable spaces, natural wood, simple cabinetry and homes that feel casual and welcoming, Modern Farmhouse may still be part of your design style.
What Is Modern Farmhouse Style?
At its core, farmhouse design comes from practicality. Traditional farmhouses weren’t designed around trends. They were working homes built around family life, available materials and everyday function. Kitchens needed to work hard, entries needed to handle dirt and weather, and materials were chosen because they were durable and accessible. Modern Farmhouse takes inspiration from that simplicity and adapts it for the way families live today.
You’ll often see straightforward architecture, functional layouts, natural materials, simple cabinetry and comfortable gathering spaces. The difference between a farmhouse-inspired home that feels timeless and one that feels trendy usually comes down to how literally those ideas are interpreted. You don’t need every recognizable farmhouse feature in one house. In fact, the style often works better when you don’t.
Moving Beyond Black and White
One of the most recognizable Modern Farmhouse palettes has been bright white paired with black: white siding with black windows, white cabinets with black hardware and white walls with black light fixtures. There’s nothing inherently wrong with black and white, and it can still be a beautiful combination. However, when every selection follows the same formula, the home can begin to feel more like a trend than a reflection of the people living there.
A warmer interpretation introduces more variation. Creamy whites, mushroom, taupe, earthy green, warm brown, charcoal and natural wood can all work beautifully within a farmhouse-inspired palette. Black can still provide contrast, but it doesn’t have to appear on every fixture and surface. You might pair creamy cabinetry with aged brass hardware, use natural wood doors against warm white walls or introduce muted green cabinetry instead of another all-white kitchen. The result still feels farmhouse, but it feels a little warmer and more layered.
Bring Back the Wood
One of the easiest ways to add warmth and longevity to Modern Farmhouse is through natural wood. For years, painted cabinetry and trim dominated the style, but natural wood can add depth and character that painted surfaces alone sometimes can’t provide.
White oak, walnut, alder and other warm wood tones can be introduced through cabinetry, kitchen islands, vanities, ceiling beams, doors, built-ins and furniture. The wood doesn’t need to look heavily distressed to feel appropriate, either. Allowing the natural grain and variation of the material to show often feels more authentic than intentionally making something brand-new look old.
Painted cabinetry can absolutely still have a place in a farmhouse-inspired home. In fact, combining painted and natural wood finishes can create a much more interesting space than choosing one finish for everything.
The Farmhouse Kitchen Is Evolving
The kitchen is probably where we’ve seen the Modern Farmhouse look used most heavily. The classic version often included white Shaker cabinets, black hardware, a white subway tile backsplash, an apron-front sink and pendant lights over a large island. Each of those elements can still work beautifully, but they no longer need to be used as a package.
Today’s farmhouse-inspired kitchen might have warm wood cabinetry paired with creamy painted cabinets. The backsplash could be handmade-look tile, natural stone or a warmer variation of subway tile. Hardware might be aged brass, polished nickel, bronze or black depending on the rest of the home. Countertops can also bring more warmth and movement into the room. Instead of choosing the brightest white surface possible, materials with softer veining, warmer undertones or a more natural appearance can help create a space that feels less stark.
And yes, you can still have the farmhouse sink if you love it. The important question isn’t whether something is “in” or “out.” It’s whether you genuinely love it and whether it works with the rest of your home.
Shiplap Isn’t the Only Way to Add Character
Shiplap became almost synonymous with Modern Farmhouse, and there are still places where it can look great. The problem comes when it becomes the default solution for every empty wall. There are many other ways to introduce architectural character, including traditional paneling, vertical tongue-and-groove, beadboard, simple wall molding, substantial trim, built-in cabinetry and thoughtfully designed fireplaces.
You might use paneling in an entry, beadboard in a mudroom or a simple wood treatment on a kitchen island. When those details are placed intentionally, they feel architectural rather than decorative. That’s an important distinction when we’re designing a new custom home. We want the character to feel like it belongs to the house, not like it was added simply because a wall needed something on it.
Function Should Come First
One farmhouse principle we absolutely aren’t leaving behind is functionality. This is especially relevant for families living in the North. Mudrooms need to handle winter coats, boots, gloves, backpacks and everything else that comes through the door. Kitchens need enough storage for the way your family actually cooks. Pantries should make everyday life easier, and laundry rooms need to function beyond looking nice in a photograph.
A beautiful bench in a mudroom is great. A beautiful bench with drawers underneath, hooks at the right height, space for boots and a nearby closet is even better. This is where the original farmhouse philosophy still makes a lot of sense: design the home around real life first, then make it beautiful.
What About the Exterior?
Modern Farmhouse exteriors are known for simple forms, gabled roofs, porches and straightforward materials. White board-and-batten siding with black windows became incredibly popular, but it’s only one interpretation. A farmhouse-inspired exterior could just as easily be warm cream, taupe, muted green, charcoal or another earthy color. Natural wood, brick and stone can add warmth and help the home feel connected to its setting, while mixing siding profiles can create interest without covering the entire house in board-and-batten.
Porches are another farmhouse feature that goes beyond appearance. A deep front porch can provide shade, shelter an entry and create an outdoor living space. When an architectural feature looks beautiful and serves a purpose, it tends to have much more staying power.
What Are We Leaving Behind?
We’re not interested in creating a list of things you’re “not allowed” to put in your home. If you love something, there is usually a thoughtful way to incorporate it. What we are moving away from is the idea that choosing a design style means checking off a list of required features.
Modern Farmhouse doesn’t require white siding, black windows, gray flooring, white Shaker cabinets, black hardware, subway tile, barn doors and shiplap all in the same house. In fact, removing some of those expected elements gives you more room to create something personal. We’re also moving away from cool gray-on-gray palettes in favor of warmer, more natural materials. Character is being used more intentionally instead of adding a decorative treatment to every surface, and more thought is being given to whether a trendy selection actually makes sense with the architecture of the home.
The goal isn’t to make your home look current for the year it was built. The goal is to create something you’ll still love years from now.
Modern Farmhouse vs. Modern Cottage
Modern Farmhouse and Modern Cottage share quite a few characteristics, which is why homeowners often find themselves drawn to both. Both can use natural wood, painted cabinetry, traditional details and comfortable furniture, but the difference is often in the overall feeling.
Modern Farmhouse tends to be a little simpler and more utilitarian. Its architecture is inspired by rural working homes, so you’ll often see straightforward forms, practical spaces and fewer decorative elements. Modern Cottage tends to feel softer and more collected. It may incorporate more pattern, traditional detailing, curved forms, wallpaper or vintage-inspired elements. If you love both, there’s no reason they can’t overlap. Your style might sit somewhere right between the two.
Is Modern Farmhouse Your Style?
If you’re drawn toward simple architecture, comfortable gathering spaces, natural wood, practical layouts and a home that feels casual rather than formal, Modern Farmhouse might be part of your design style. Maybe you love the exterior architecture but want a warmer, more traditional interior. Perhaps you love farmhouse kitchens but prefer the natural materials of Modern Mountain, or maybe you’re drawn to the simplicity of farmhouse design but want some of the softer character found in Modern Cottage.
Instead of asking, “What do I need to put in my house to make it Modern Farmhouse?” try asking, “What do I actually love about Modern Farmhouse?” Maybe it’s the porch, the warm wood, the uncomplicated cabinetry or simply the fact that the rooms feel comfortable enough for your family to actually live in them. Once we know the answer to that question, we can take the elements you love and leave behind the ones you don’t.
Finding Your Design Style: What’s Next?
We’ve explored Modern Mountain, Modern Cottage, Scandinavian and now Modern Farmhouse. Next, we’re heading toward a style with a little more Old-World influence. In Part 6 of our Finding Your Home Design Style series, we’ll explore French Country, a style that combines natural materials, traditional details, warm colors and a sense of history without making your home feel overly formal.
We’ll look at how stone, wood, aged finishes, softer colors and classic architectural details can bring character into a brand-new custom home.
Next up: French Country — Old-World character designed for modern living.
At Bison Build Co., we believe you shouldn’t have to choose between a home that’s beautiful and one that works for everyday life. The best custom homes do both. Our job is to help you identify the things you’re naturally drawn to and turn those ideas into a home that’s designed around your family, your lifestyle and your personal style.