Modern farmhouse style is one of those aesthetics that can look great with the right design choices. Should a modern farmhouse have touches of aged wood and clean lines? Yes. Antique buffets and handmade tables? Give me more. But when a homeowner opts for design faux paus like shiplap everything, gray interiors everywhere, and clichéd allusions to farm life like windmill fans and gather signs, then we start to have a problem. In other words, it’s an aesthetic that easily drifts away from its original style inspiration—the traditional, simple farmhouse—if we aren’t careful, plunging headfirst into the overly manufactured and trite.
I’m not saying all modern farmhouses are stale. The style espoused by Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper fame is one that celebrates classic homesteads and smacks of the simple life. Think exposed beams, handmade furniture, farmhouse apron sinks, and a crisp palette. (For more contemporary examples, see the six-acre property that Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis call home, or head down to Austin where Jared and Genevieve Padalecki transformed a traditional Texas Tuscan into a cozy compound.) It’s cozy but sophisticated, and, when sprinkled with modern hardware and industrial accents, modern farmhouse style feels appropriate for both rural and urban homes alike. For these reasons and more, I’ve long considered myself a devotee of the look.
But when modern farmhouse becomes overly popular, it becomes prosaic, something that Karens and Eat, Pray, Love crowds enjoy. Joanna Gaines herself is now mass producing the style via a partnership with Target, creating the Hearth & Hand line of modern farmhouse-inspired decor. And as a recent New York Times article suggests, the style figures heavily in the designs of the latest McMansions.
In this way, you could say that modern farmhouse style has an interesting Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde quality. On the one hand, it gestures back to a farm’s simple charms in all their rustic, authentic glory; on the other, the style is starting to feel like a factory-made imitation of life on the farm. And we started to wonder: What do real farmers actually think of modern farmhouse style anyway? Do they like it? Do they not?
I spoke with five people working in agriculture about their views on modern farmhouse style, the feeling of being connected to the land through farming, and what owners of modern farmhouses might wish to reconsider when approaching the style—from ditching the suburban lawn and embracing a wild, natural garden to making their homes more authentically farmhouse in terms of their structure and organization.
Leslie Svacina, owner and farmer of Cylon Rolling Acres, raises grass-fed goats and sheep in Deer Park, Wisconsin
As someone who works in agriculture or farming, what do you think about the modern farmhouse’s romanticization of life on the farm by people mostly living in the suburbs?
While I appreciate the broad nod to the farmhouse and rural life, there is a bit of irony in the whole style with all the white. Many farmhouses in our area are turn-of-the-century and have a lot of great architecture, big front porches, and beautiful woodwork. But the reality is when you live on the farm, you’re in and out of the house in between work projects. While we keep shoes off and try to keep things clean, it’s hard to keep it all out. White just isn’t ideal for a real farmhouse. I admit, I do have a white kitchen, and it is hard to keep up with keeping it clean!
What do you think of the modern farmhouse that tries to blend modern accents with more rustic takes on farmhouse style?
I do like the modern farmhouse style as it combines more rustic and neutral tones. A lot of the design elements tend to be more nostalgic of the early 1900s with farming and rural life, which isn’t what you’d find on many farms today. (For example, metal windmills or milk cans.) Also, metal accents or fixtures that are galvanized metal are more of what you might find outside around the farm, rather than inside the home. However, as someone who loves my work as a farmer, I do like the feel of this style of farmhouse design. It’s fun to have decor that’s inspired by farm life in a real farmhouse, even if it’s from an earlier time.
What version of contemporary farmhouse style do you like best: Scandinavian farmhouse, rustic farmhouse, traditional farmhouse, French cottage, etc.? Of all the recent farmhouse styles out there, which is the closest to being the most accurate representation of what it’s like to live on a farm?
The traditional farmhouse is likely the most accurate representation of living on a farm. In some cases, younger farmers have built newer homes since their parents, the older generation, still live the in original farmhouse. Many of those houses are similar to what you might see as modest homes in the suburbs depending on what was popular when it was built.
Personally, I really like the American four-square style farmhouse. That’s a pretty common style in our area of the Midwest, and what we live in. I love the big wraparound style porch. While I like the clean look of the the Scandinavian and rustic farmhouse styles, I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a true farmhouse in that style, unless the owners recently remodeled.
What else do real farmers think about modern farmhouse style?
Even though the farmhouse style isn’t a totally realistic representation of many farmhouses, I know myself and many of my friends who are farmers still like the concept of the styles.
Jordin Bjelland, farmer’s wife and homemaker at her family’s farm in Montana
As someone who works in agriculture or farming, what do you think about the modern farmhouse’s romanticization of life on the farm by people mostly living in the suburbs?
I think it is safe to say that life on a farm is anything but simple. Whether you raise livestock or raise crops, you are constantly faced with variables out of your control. Acts of God (weather), politics, economic market trends, globalization are just a few of these variables. People get nostalgic for solitude and open vistas reaching the horizon in every direction, as they should, after all, places like these are becoming more and more rare. But this is a lifestyle that you must embrace, you either love it or you don’t. I don’t think there is an in-between.
What do you think of the modern farmhouse that tries to blend modern accents with more rustic takes on farmhouse style?
There are some that have taken the essence of the farmhouse vernacular and kept all the good parts, but added certain modern touches that compliment seamlessly. One example I can think of that does this successfully is the transitional design style. This new twist on the traditional farmhouse design highlights key features such as steep pitched roofs, vertical cladding, wraparound front porches, and dark metal accents, but in a modern fashion by using more glazing, mixing exterior cladding materials, and strong contrasting color palettes.
What version of contemporary farmhouse style do you like best: Scandinavian farmhouse, rustic farmhouse, traditional farmhouse, French cottage, etc.? Of all the recent farmhouse styles out there, which is the closest to being the most accurate representation of what it’s like to live on a farm?
French cottage all the way! I am a sucker for colossal front doors, real stone facades, entrances with trellises supporting beautiful cascading vines of sweet-scented blooms, and old-world charm accents like window shutters with flower boxes overflowing with colorful flowers. This, in my view, is the quintessential “postcard” dream home on a farm setting.
The one that is closest to being the most accurate, however, is anything but the French cottage. If you look at the farmhouse style of America, you will find rustic and traditional to be the most common. This I think is due to practicality. In the past, rural areas had limited access to building materials and highly skilled labor and craftsmanship, so the typical floor plan layout that has been known to withstand the elements became the prototypical farmhouse style of America.
What else do real farmers think about modern farmhouse style?
Farm life is a lot dustier, white never stays white, and you have to plan and decorate around wind and ever-changing climates. Life on the farm is anything but what you see in stores or movies. True farm life is honestly a world of its own. It’s something I think a lot of people in today’s world yearn for.
However, farming and living on a farm is not for the faint of heart. It requires an unmatched dedication tending to the land. Hard long hours all for the summers harvest. Living in a farm home is a blessing, almost a right of passage. You agree to care for all that it is. My husband, three kids, and I live in an 1950s farmhouse on his family’s farm 20 miles from the nearest town and over and an hour from the closest small city in Montana. We love our home and the history here; we have made several updates to keep our home current, but we also maintain some of the originality of it. It’s really all about practicality and, most of all, making lifelong memories and building traditions that we can pass down to generations to follow like our family before us did.
Marjolein VanderHulst, co-owner of Vander Farmers, humanely raises Wagyu beef in Sturgis, Michigan
As someone who works in agriculture or farming, what do you think about the modern farmhouse’s romanticization of life on the farm by people mostly living in the suburbs?
I completely understand the allure of simpler times, but the reality is that life on a farm is hard work. It comes with a lot of planning, calculating, science, and business skills to run efficiently. The farmhouse style you see trending is derived from farmhouse life but often only in aesthetics.
A true farmhouse is both beautiful and functional at the same time. We have an old farmhouse ourselves that we renovated in 2014. When we fixed it up, I intentionally designed it with farm life in mind. We live and work every day on the farm, so you have to think about that, which is why we have a shower right there when you walk in through the back door and next to the laundry room for getting cleaned up quickly. As Wagyu beef growers and dairy farmers, we come back in after work pretty dirty, so it's vital to have access to both those areas right as you enter.
Additionally, a true farmhouse holds history, something that cannot be recreated through modern design. Our house dates back to 1869 and was built by one of the first settlers of Sturgis, Michigan, so the house has a lot of stories. There is even a connection with the Lincoln family, and one of the daughters that once lived in this house was married to a famous opera singer [from the 1930s and ’40s] from Italy named Bernando DeMuro. I just don’t think you get the same feeling when you walk into a house that is simply designed to follow the farmhouse trend.
What do you think of the modern farmhouse that tries to blend modern accents with more rustic takes on farmhouse style?
I love mixing old and new! We bought our house “as is,” so there was a lot of treasure we found within that we repurposed, but we made modern updates as well. When walking into this house, it was like walking into a time capsule. There were old paintings, doors, mirrors, furniture, cool tubs and sinks dating from early 1900 all the way to 1980 that we fixed up and put all back in, but we purchased new furniture throughout that was a good mix of modern, rustic, and classic as well.
Additionally, we took a lot of walls out to open up the space as well, so the house is now an open concept instead of all the little rooms it had before and much more airier like contemporary homes. We also put a whole new kitchen in with, of course, a large farm sink with a backsplash in a mother-of-pearl tiling. We did the same with the bathrooms. One has the old clawfoot tub, a large sink from American Standard dated 1876, and an old mirror I found in the house, but then we used a modern tile. There was also a potato cellar going into the basement that had two large doors, which our then 13-year-old son turned into a dining table and a desk. I’m really happy with how we put it back together, the old, the new, and the classic.
What version of contemporary farmhouse style do you like best: Scandinavian farmhouse, rustic farmhouse, traditional farmhouse, French cottage, etc.? Of all the recent farmhouse styles out there, which is the closest to being the most accurate representation of what it’s like to live on a farm?
I love the Scandinavian look and the simplicity of it. But I love the traditional farmhouse because that is what we live in now. In our house, you can feel and touch and sometimes smell the history that is in this house.
What else do real farmers think about modern farmhouse style?
The good thing about the farmhouse style is that it’s pretty timeless, as it has been around in some fashion or another for centuries. We will always have farms, so I don’t think this trend will go away, and it is a pretty safe direction to style your home after. You’ll love it for years to come. I predict it will continue to evolve as it has already with the modern farmhouse style you see so popular now.
As I said before, farm life isn’t always easy. There is also still a lot of misconception and false information out there, and it’s a lot harder than people understand. I think the key word is “style.” The trend will achieve the look for the most part, but it won’t have the same quality and craftsmanship you’ll come to find in an authentic old farmhouse. If you really want to know what life on a farm is really like, take your time to visit a real farm and talk to the farmer—we will show you around and tell you!
Alex Kantor, owner of Perfect Plants Nursery, grows plants in northern Florida
As someone who works in agriculture or farming, what do you think about the modern farmhouse’s romanticization of life on the farm by people mostly living in the suburbs?
I appreciate the growing popularity of modern farmhouse design. While it may not replicate life on an actual farm, the style incorporates elements that can be great additions to people’s homes and lives. By evoking an atmosphere of simplicity, the trend encourages people to appreciate their surroundings and be content with what they have. Modern living can be stressful and overwhelming, causing people to focus on “what's next” instead of appreciating the present. The farmhouse style provides a nostalgic appeal, reminding us of simpler times and allowing us to savor the moment.
What do you think of the modern farmhouse that tries to blend modern accents with more rustic takes on farmhouse style?
I personally like the style of blending rustic with modern elements. Again, it is not tantamount to life on an actual farm but is a more practical way of bringing farm life into your home.
What version of contemporary farmhouse style do you like best: Scandinavian farmhouse, rustic farmhouse, traditional farmhouse, French cottage, etc.? Of all the recent farmhouse styles out there, which is the closest to being the most accurate representation of what it’s like to live on a farm?
I personally have a strong preference for the rustic farmhouse style. It captures the essence of what it truly feels like to live on a farm. This particular style takes a simple and uncomplicated approach to farmhouse design, seamlessly blending natural elements into our indoor spaces. The use of abundant natural wood and stone is a hallmark of this style, creating a genuine connection to nature.
What else do real farmers think about modern farmhouse style?
It’s essential to recognize that residing in a farmhouse-style home is not synonymous with the laborious life of working on an actual farm. The demanding nature of farming is a reality that farmers wholeheartedly embrace because they understand its significance.
Taras Hrabowsky, head distiller and owner of Standard Wormwood Distillery in Orange County, New York
As someone who works in agriculture or farming, what do you think about the modern farmhouse’s romanticization of life on the farm by people mostly living in the suburbs?
When you’re doing the actual farm work, the process of working the land is reflected in the house. You don’t get to recreate that experience without doing the work, and it’s that engagement over time that molds the farm house, ultimately giving it a distinct feel. That said, when we’re dealing with aesthetics, we’re creating spaces for our imagination, so I have no problem with recreating environments to reflect different aesthetics and eras.
I don’t have a lot of experience being inside of a newly constructed modern farmhouse, but I’m probably more concerned with what their relationship is to the land, so the lawn might trigger me a bit more before getting in the door. Maybe it’s just not for me! Or maybe it’s a matter of asking the questions of the house, how does it facilitate my engagement with the land.
What do you think of the modern farmhouse that tries to blend modern accents with more rustic takes on farmhouse style?
For my personal aesthetic, it’s not for me. My first take is that there’s something jarring going on, but I really shouldn’t judge without spending some time interacting in these spaces. Growing up in an old farmhouse and spending time at friends’ farmhouses, the authenticity is apparent immediately. Imperfections abound and give the flavor. Most of these farmhouses have been expanded multiple times over the course of their lives, original layouts and flows of the space have been rethought to accommodate each family passing through over the course of generations. Awkward angles protrude near every cabinet, closet, and window. But I like it when a floorboard creaks.
What version of contemporary farmhouse style do you like best: Scandinavian farmhouse, rustic farmhouse, traditional farmhouse, French cottage, etc.? Of all the recent farmhouse styles out there, which is the closest to being the most accurate representation of what it’s like to live on a farm?
There’s a certain warmth in some of the rustic farmhouse styles that is hard to ignore. Natural wood and hammered metal patinas will probably always resonate with me. A little less slick overall. But there’s some beautiful aspects of all of these styles that I’m a sucker for.
What else do real farmers think about modern farmhouse style?
I would just want to return to the connection to the land, even in a suburban setting. Reducing the lawn footprint, planting native, emphasizing on different seasonal pollinators. Making the connection from the exterior to the interior in your life is the big takeaway. This can exist in many different variations—exploring that relationship is the important part.
