Farmhouse Style Homes
As you drive around North Raleigh, Wake Forest, Rolesville, and other northern Triangle communities, you may notice that even though there are fewer farms than residential neighborhoods, there are “farmhouses” aplenty. This is because the farmhouse style of homes is experiencing a renaissance and our area is fully participating. Winslow Homes is a custom builder of this design and has built many of the dream farmhouses in the area.
What exactly is a “farmhouse”?
Architecture experts will be quick to tell you; there is no official design style called a farmhouse. Instead, the “farmhouse” term reflects the feel and a purpose of a house. A practical home of any size and style that would function well in a rural, farming dynamic is a farmhouse. While this may be a vague definition, it encompasses homes like those you may see on your favorite HGTV show and the houses you see in storybooks, as well as everything in between. However, certain features characterize this type of home, giving it a unique category all its own.
Common elements of a farmhouse
Prominent porches: Because a farm is an outdoor-focused environment, farmhouses have transitional spaces that allow workers to relax, kick their boots off, and gather. You will find wide porches that often wrap around from the front to one or more sides of the house. These are perfect spaces for watching the kids play together or relaxing evenings spent in a rocking chair with a glass of sweet tea.
Steep roofs
Dormer windows that add extra space to the top level a farmhouse is a common feature, as well as gabled sides — also likely with windows. The roofs themselves are generally steeper, but there are exceptions on occasion. Steep roofs have become somewhat of a trademark for farmhouses across the board.
No ornate detailing
The practical, functional feel of a farmhouse does without the fancy touches of other classic styles. The beauty of a farmhouse is in its simplicity and quality, not in flashy upgrades. This does not mean that a farmhouse cannot be grand, it simply means that farmhouses are typically streamlined and unadorned.
Rustic touches
A farmhouse usually has a few rustic touches scattered throughout the home to create a lived-in feel. The touches that make the home unique and can include stone fireplaces and hearths, exposed shiplap, open beam construction, and country cupboards. For farmhouses, the charm lies within their subtleties.
Are you interested in building your own farmhouse in the Triangle?
The beauty of a farmhouse is that it is a perfect home for customization. It is by nature “eclectic” and allows for borrowing from various architectural trends as needed. Each person’s ideal farmhouse will be uniquely theirs and may include elements of Greek revival, southern, colonial, craftsman, and other styles.
In the areas that Winslow Homes serves, like Wake Forest, North Raleigh, Rolesville, Knightdale, and Oxford, there is plenty of land for farmhouse style homes. We’ve built countless custom homes across the area and have been recognized time and again as the best custom homebuilder around. Call us today at (919) 556-4700 to learn more or to get started designing your custom dream farmhouse.