Today, there is a growing interest in a simple, back-to-nature lifestyle. The American farmhouse symbolizes that ideal, and it gives today’s homeowners a tangible and sentimental connection to the nation’s history.
The design of the American farmhouse was initially influenced strictly
by function and geography. The farmhouse was always unpretentious,
straightforward and functional—shaped by the needs of the farmers, the
local climate and the materials available.
The American farmhouse was a functional home before it was an architectural style.
In fact, it is a hybrid of
architectural styles that were blended to produce these practical
houses that would shelter farmers and their families and serve as a
functional center to farm life.The American farmhouse was a functional home before it was an architectural style.
Keys to American Farmhouse Style
- Straightforward, functional design
- Designed to function on a farm
- Simple, rectangular floor plan, sometimes in a T shape
- One-and-a-half or two stories
- Often built with local materials
- White or light-colored exterior
- Side gable end roofs
- Dormer windows
- Welcoming, functional porches
- Formal rooms in front, separated by walls and doors from family rooms in back
- Dominant fireplaces
- Thick walls
- Few, small windows
- Built without the guidance of an architect
