One of the most iconic and enduring living styles Grace the housing market is none other than the cottage style home. With their clean lines, expansive porches, and typically set on acres of land, farmhouses are a timeless choice whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or move to a new state. So what makes these homes so classic and worth adding to your list?
We cover everything you need to know about farmhouses to help you decide if this home is the right style for you. Let’s start.
What exactly defines a country-style home?
Farmhouses are typically larger homes, originally intended for large households, minimalist in style and with lots of open spaces, a large kitchen and days of outdoor living. These houses are usually located on a large piece of land or in the countryside as the land was often used for agriculture. Today, however, not all farmhouses are on working farms. And many farmhouses are located out of the country in more suburban areas.
history of farms
There is no one “original style” of cottage-style house, as farmers often built houses to suit their own needs. Farmers built these houses using the materials available in their area and their own skills. For example, farmhouses in New England were typically built of wood, while farmhouses in Pennsylvania were inspired by German settlers incorporating more stone and masonry.
However, traditional farmhouses date back to the early colonial days, the 1600s, and survived as pioneers traveled across the country. The very early traditional farmhouses consisted of a single storey and had a rectangular shape, which is common in farmhouses today.
Common features of cottage style houses
While the original cottage style homes vary by region and building techniques, they all share some common characteristics. Regardless of where you look at farmhouses, here are some of the well-known characteristics of the style.
External features
One of the most striking features of a farmhouse is the porch. You can find every variation of a porch on the outside of a farmhouse, be it a screened or covered porch or a large wraparound porch. The porch served as an area for peasants to shed their muddy boots before entering the home, or as a place to cool off on hot summer days.
Farmhouses are typically one to two stories high and have simple square or rectangular floor plans. Depending on the age of the house, you may find a basement crawlspace or basement area. Some houses may have an attic that was commonly used for storage. However, some can be converted into a living area.
Most farmhouses have wood siding, particularly clapboard siding, designed to keep wind and water out. However, some modern farmhouse styles may feature more stone and masonry detail. They also have gabled roofs, often with dormer windows.
interior design
Farmhouses are often plain with minimal details, but have many of the house features you will know and love. The kitchen in a farmhouse is one of the most notable areas of the home as it is often spacious with lots of storage space and large appliances.
Kitchens typically have an island, a large pantry, lots of wood or open cabinets, and enough space for a dining table. In some older farmhouses you may find a fireplace room, also called a hold space, which includes a fireplace and a pantry. You will also find many exposed beams, usually as detailed as traditional farmhouses.
Floor plans of a traditional farmhouse
The floor plans of the farmhouses are almost identical, but not always. You’ll find formal front rooms for entertaining guests, while the kitchen and more casual living areas are in the back of the house. If there was a second floor in the house, that was where most of the bedrooms would be. Stairs were also near the kitchen rather than at the front of the house, although some modern farmhouse plans may differ.
7 types of farmhouses
Many versatile living styles, such as the farmhouse, come in many variations with different architectural details. Here are some of the common styles of farmhouses:
salt box
That salt box house is an early variation of the farmhouse, which is mainly characterized by its steep pitched roofs. Built in the 17th and 18th centuries, these houses are an integral style of colonial living. You can find saltbox homes throughout New England in coastal towns such as Plymouth, MA.
cracker
The cracker-style farmhouse is the smallest and simplest of the variations. It’s a one-story home that was built quickly when settlers needed shelter. The siding is usually made of cedar with a metal roof. You’ll also find plenty of symmetrical windows to catch the cross breezes and a sunken covered porch.
Pennsylvania Dutch
You’ll find that the Pennsylvania Dutch-style farmhouse is a little different than the others, thanks to the German immigrants who used their masonry skills to build these homes. In addition to the wood paneling, expect details of brick and stone masonry.
Classic revival
Classic Revival farmhouses differ in the way they are laid out. The center of the house is usually the entrance and main living area, with side “wings” extending to each side – think White House.
Greek Revival
The main feature that characterizes a Greek-style farmhouse is the Greek columns at the front of the house that support the porch overhang. They are usually medium to large in size square footage.
Victorian
One of the more dreamy home styles out there is the Victorian style house. And when combined with a farmhouse, it’s the perfect mix of both styles. You’ll find a full porch, often with columns and ornate brackets, steep gabled roofs, and white or colored exteriors. If you are lucky, the house may even have a tower.
Modern farmhouse
If you are looking for a country style house, you will most likely come across modern farmhouses. Modern farmhouses often reference the interior design of the home, mixing farmhouse style with reclaimed wood, metals, and clean lines. When it comes to the exterior of the modern farmhouse, you’ll often find white-painted wood paneling, a black or metal roof, lots of windows, and the iconic covered porch.
Where to find farms near you
Just because farms contain the word “farm” in their name doesn’t mean that these houses are only found in rural areas. While many farmhouses are located on large lots, there are many suburban areas where you can find modern farmhouses. So if a cottage style home is right for you, Redfin can help you find one in your town.
1. Go to Redfin.com and in the search bar type either the city name or zip code, for example Raleigh, NC, where you want to start looking for a house. Press enter.
2. At the top of the next page, you will see “All Filters” on the right side. Click on it and scroll to the “Keywords” box at the bottom of the page.
3. Enter the word “Farmhouse” in the “Keywords” field and press “Apply filter”. That’s all. The page will be populated with homes within the city name or zip code you entered, and you can start searching.
