Modern Farmhouse: Design Trends of the Last Decade

This year marks the end of another decade and we’ve had so many things happen over the last ten years. Home design is no different. Ten years ago, we would have never guessed what would end up being the most popular trends. One of those trends from the last decade was the modern farmhouse. In both home design and interior design, the modern farmhouse trend has skyrocketed, and it doesn’t look like its going to be coming back down to earth any time soon. Thanks to people like Chip and Jo Gaines and Ree Drummond, the modern farmhouse look is here to stay.

And I have to admit that I’m a fan of this look, too! Its something that is simple and timeless and lends itself to many different spaces. Of course, if you can start out with a great farmhouse house plan, then that’s so much better for you! So, let’s look at some great farmhouse plans and see if we can’t tickle your fancy towards this down-home style one more time.

Modern Farmhouse House Plans

The modern farmhouse house plan is one that blends the simplicity of the traditional farmhouse with modern conveniences and accents. Many of these plans will have rustic or simple exteriors and feature large open floor plans and massive kitchens. The heart of these types of plans will be in the common family areas and that is where you will find the most space.

St. Augustine Place (MEN 5212)

This dreamy farmhouse house plan from Award Winning designer Michael E. Nelson is not one you want to miss. This lovely plan gives you just over 1,800 square feet of living space with 3 bedrooms and 3 full baths. I love that this is more of a traditional farmhouse house plan. This house plan gives you plenty of space to entertain on the first floor while providing you and your family with loads of privacy and the master bedroom on the second floor. With wrap-around double porches, this home will have you saying, “I do declare that I need to build this plan."

As you approach the home, the first thing that your notices are the double wrap-around porches on the front and side of the home. The first level porch gives you a great place to sit and watch the comings and goings on a hot summer day while the second story porch is perfect for a romantic evening with your honey.

Stepping into the home, you find yourself in an open-floor plan that includes the great room, dining room and kitchen. The great room is the first room that you find yourself in. This large space features the stairs to the second floor and the optional stairs to the basement.

Along the left wall of this space you will find a large fireplace. This gives you a great focal point for decorating and entertaining. The great room is open to the second story making it feel much more open and inviting. The windows on the front of the home add to that.

Moving into the home, you find yourself in the kitchen. This space is “separated" from the great room by a large island and table combination. Perfect for informal dining and prep work, this island and table combo gives you seating for 4 and plenty of room for preparing even the most elaborate meal.

The rest of the kitchen is “L" shaped and features all of the major appliances that you are going to need. The large farmhouse sink faces a window that looks out over the side of the property so that doing dishes isn’t that large of a chore. Adjacent to the kitchen is the dining room which is certainly big enough to accommodate a large table and features both an entrance to the covered porch and two windows facing the side of the home.

Down the short hallway, you will find the laundry room, a small bedroom, a full bath and the garage. The laundry room gives you plenty of space and opens up to the grilling porch between the garage and the home.

Bedroom 3 features two windows that face the side of the home and a small walk-in closet. The full bath is accessible to both the bedroom and to the rest of the home making it ideal for guests.

On the second floor of the home, you will find bedroom 2 and the master suite. As you come up the stairs, you find yourself in a small loft that overlooks the great room below. This area has built in shelving and is perfect for a drop zone for all of your things. The loft also connects you to the hall bathroom on this floor.

Bedroom 2 has two windows that face out to the side of the home and a long closet that is perfect for anyone who needs extra storage space. The master bedroom features a boxed ceiling and a fireplace along the left wall of the space.

The fireplace in the master bedroom is bracketed on each side by windows facing the side of the home. The master suite gives you a private entrance to the second story covered porch making it a perfect getaway on those warm summer nights. The master bath features a double vanity, a very large whirlpool tub, a glass shower and a large walk-in closet.

Whispering Winds (MEN 5236)

This is one of the newest plans by award winning designer Michael E. Nelson. This farmhouse style house plan is sure to please with just over 2,000 square feet of living space, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths and 2 half baths. The exterior of this home design combines the traditional farmhouse look with rustic stylings to generate massive curb appeal. On the inside of the home, you will find a split layout that goes against the traditional farmhouse style house plan and incorporates the more modern element of an open floor plan. Be sure to check out the massive walk-in closet in the master suite and the huge pantry just off the kitchen!

You can’t have a farmhouse without a covered front porch and this house plan delivers with a lovely covered porch with exposed timber beams to give it a rustic feel. The porch also has a lovely vaulted ceiling that make sure you and yours are going to stay dry coming into the home.

Entering the home, you find yourself in the foyer. This unique space is a traditional foyer is every sense except for the bank of windows on the wall on the left side. This bank of windows gives you a great view, but it also lets in tons of light in what is traditionally a dark and gloomy area of the home.

To the right of the foyer is a bedroom that can be used as a guest room or study. This room is accessed through barn doors from the foyer and features a double window that looks out under the covered porch in the front of the home.

Bedroom 3 also gives you a large walk-in closet and access to a shared bathroom through a sliding or pocket door. The walk-in closet is so large that it has to have its own window! This shared bathroom is on the interior of the home and can be used in case of severe weather as a safe spot.

Moving through the shared bathroom, you find yourself in the second bedroom. This large room has plenty of space for kids to grow into and has two windows that face the side of the home. Bedroom 2 also has a large walk-in closet. This space can be accessed either through the shared bathroom or from a short hallway between the great room and the bedroom.

This hallway also has one of the two half baths making it a convenient guest bathroom. You can also access the outdoor living area from this small hallway. The outdoor living area is located on the rear of the home.

This large outdoor space is perfect for entertaining in all kinds of weather. It’s split into two sections. The larger section, which is closer to the great room, has a vaulted ceiling and is perfect for grilling. The smaller section is still covered and has a large fireplace along one side of it that would be great for snuggling up close to on a chilly day.

The central core of this home design is the open floor plan. This open floor plan incorporates the great room, kitchen and dining area into one seamless space. The great room features a vaulted ceiling which continues the trend from the front porch.

The great room also gives you two sliding doors that open up to the grilling porch on the rear of the home where that vaulted ceiling is brought to the great outdoors. The great room has exposed faux beams and a large fireplace to give you that rustic vibe in the space. The other side of the great room gives you a bank of windows that looks out into the front of the home. This section of the landscaping would be a great place for a bird feeder or a butterfly garden.

The kitchen and the great room are separated by a very long kitchen island that spans nearly the width of the room. This island has seating for 6 and gives you a perfect place to prep dishes and to clean up after a meal with the large sink and dishwasher. This lets you keep an eye on the comings and goings while you are cleaning up.

The rest of the kitchen has loads of counterspace and room for a large range that is centrally located in the left wall of the space. Don’t forget about the large pantry! This pantry is perfect for those who don’t like to go to the store very much or who want to buy in bulk.

Adjacent to the kitchen is the dining room. This large space gives you tons of room for entertaining. I think you could probably fit a 10-seat table easily into this space. The dining room also features a bank of windows that look out onto the rear of the home.

If you are entering this plan from the garage, you will find yourself in a long hallway. This hall gives you access to the second floor and its bonus room with the vaulted ceiling. You will also find a space with a bench with hanging storage that would be perfect for a mudroom.

Just before you reach the master suite, you will find the large laundry room. This laundry area is perfect for those busy families. The laundry room has space for both a counter and sink as well as storage over the washer and dryer to hang clothing or to air dry them.

The master suite is int the rear of the home and has plenty to offer. The master bedroom features a boxed ceiling that lends elegance and space to the room. Speaking of space, nothing makes a room feel more spacious than windows and this master bedroom definitely delivers with a triple window that looks out onto the rear of the home.

The master bath gives you everything you would need to relax after a hard day of work. It features a double vanity, a free-standing tub and a corner glass shower. Don’t forget about the large walk-in closet! Not only does it give you plenty of space, but putting clothes away is a breeze because of the connecting door to the laundry room.

St. Thomas Place (MEN 5237)

This modern farmhouse design by award winning designer Michael E. Nelson combines the classic farmhouse look with all of the modern conveniences we’ve come to expect from one of Michael’s plans. This house plan gives you just under 1,900 square feet of living space with 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths and a half bath. This home design also makes sure you have a convenient place to store your vehicles with a 3-bay garage. The exterior of this house plan has all of the curb appeal that you love about a farmhouse plan, but there is more to see on the inside. Inside the home, you will find a large master suite with plenty of room to relax and a modern open floor plan.

This lovely farmhouse style house plan gives you plenty of curb appeal with a small covered porch and a mixture of exterior materials. The materials used on the exterior of this home give it a very rustic look and is sure to make your home stand out from the rest.

Approaching the home, you find yourself on the covered porch. This covered porch may seem smaller than other farmhouse style plans, but it packs a big punch. This porch gives you beautiful stone accents on the columns and exposed beams on the front.

Stepping into the home, you find yourself in the foyer. This one is actually a very traditional foyer in that it is a very small room that is not part of a larger room or an open floor plan. This foyer is perfect for greeting guests or just coming in out of the cold and gives you a perfect place to get out of your cold weather gear before moving into the rest of the house.

To the left of the foyer is the first of the 4 bedrooms offered in this home design. This one could also be used as an office. This bedroom gives you a large double window that faces the covered porch on the front of the house and a small closet.

Moving around the home in a clockwise motion, we find ourselves in a short hallway that gives you the other two smaller bedrooms and their shared bathroom. Bedroom 3 and 4 each have a double casement window that faces the front and rear of the home, respectively and share a hall bathroom with two vanities.

From this area of the home, if you continue in that clockwise motion, you will find yourself in the great room. This great room is part of the open floor plan that includes the great room, kitchen and dining area. The great room is very large and takes up the majority of that space.

The great room features a large stonework fireplace. You will be awed by the vaulted ceiling and exposed beams running throughout the great room and the kitchen. The great room also features a large sliding glass door that opens up onto the grilling porch on the rear of the home.

The kitchen is separated by a large island that runs in between the great room and the kitchen. This large island not only gives you seating for 5 on the bar side but makes a perfect place to have informal meals or to snack while you are keeping an eye on the children while you clean up from a meal.

The rest of the kitchen gives you lots of counter space and room for a large range. The kitchen also has a very large pantry that is perfect for the cook in your life. The dining room is adjacent to the kitchen and gives you windows on two sides of the space. This dining room is perfect for the family that loves to entertain.

Coming in from the garage, you find yourself in the kid’s nook. This small hallway is perfect for a mudroom. This space gives you a bench with hanging storage and easy access to both the kitchen and the laundry room.

The laundry room gives you access to the master suite’s walk-in closet. The laundry room gives you plenty of room for storage over the outlets. The laundry room also has a soaking sink that is perfect for dye projects or for really bad stains.

The master suite finishes up this floor of the house plan. The master bedroom features a large bank of windows the look out over the rear of the home and a high vaulted ceiling that gives the room a bright, airy feeling. The master bath features a double vanity, a free-standing tub and a very large glass shower.

Here at Nelson Design Group, we are always ready to make your dream home a reality. If we don’t have the plan that is right for you, we’ll make one. We are experts in our field and have been doing this for over 30 years. Give us a call today and we will be glad to help.

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