Tennessee’s capital and the heart of country music, Nashville, combines the charm of Southern living with the electric vibrancy of a national music mecca. As one of the fastest growing cities in America, its allure lies in its quintessentially American yet innovatively trendy culture. Beyond its cutting-edge music and culinary scenes, Nashville’s spirit is within the fabric of the region’s architectural landscape.
Middle Tennessee’s most popular home style, The Modern Farmhouse, is the culmination of the blending influences that define Nashville’s character. With its fusion of traditional country charm and on-trend qualities, the Modern Farmhouse celebrates the rustic simplicity of country living while adding modern design elements. This style will be found in the most coveted zip codes around Middle Tennessee, like in Franklin, Brentwood, Murfreesborough, and Clarksville.
You may be reading this from your East Coast suburban home or city apartment. Perhaps you are trying to block out the sounds of screaming children or city sirens, and secretly daydreaming about the sleekness and serenity of a Modern Farmhouse, nestled in the countryside of Middle Tennessee.
Time to snap back to reality! With HD’s help, you can bring the essence of a contemporary farmhouse into your own home, too. Keep reading for our tips and tricks on incorporating farmhouse furnishings and creating a rustic-chic style, no matter where you live.
Modern Farmhouse Exterior
Tip #1: Neutral Board and Batten
Similar to a traditional American Farmhouse, the Modern Farmhouse exterior will give a homestead look with its gabled roof, large front windows, and oftentimes, a wrap-around porch. However, this is not the red wooden barn you might be picturing when you hear the word “farmhouse.”
Instead, the exterior of a Modern Farmhouse is painted a neutral color–typically white–giving it a freshness that stands out against its lush green surroundings. Middle Tennessee’s Modern Farmhouses are typically built using board and batten. This is a type of siding that involves overlapping strips of wood. Neutral board and batten is an effective choice for the exterior of a Modern Farmhouse because its texture evokes a rustic feel, while its color (or lack thereof) keeps a fresh, modern edge.
The textured siding on this Modern Farmhouse–constructed with white board and batten–resembles the layered exterior of a traditional American farmhouse.
Accent colors, either on shutters or the front door, will be in dark-neutrals, most commonly black. This high-contrast choice accentuates the crisp whiteness of the siding, enhancing the clean-lines of the home’s facade and producing a more streamlined, contemporary look.
Carbine & Associates, a Middle Tennessee home construction company based in Brentwood, TN, specializes in custom Modern Farmhouse builds. In an article in The Tennessean, vice president of operations Daryl Walny is quoted, saying: “Ninety percent of the houses we build are farmhouse style.”
Carbine & Associates pushes the envelope when it comes to Modern Farmhouse builds, crafting unique exteriors that maintain the style’s devotion to high-contrast neutrals and striking clean lines.
Notice how this Carbine & Associates home incorporates a patch of black board and batten instead of the usual white. It is unique and eye-catching, yet effortlessly modern.
Modern Farmhouse Interior
Tip #2: Natural and Reclaimed Wood
A fundamental aspect of a Modern Farmhouse is the usage of natural materials, specifically wood. Given the strong connection to the outdoors that the traditional farmhouse represents, bringing elements of nature inside is essential for cultivating authentic country charm.
This can be seen in HD’s project, A Transitional Blend of Rustic and Modern, our renovation of a colonial-style home in Greenville, Delaware. The light hardwood floors and exposed cedar beams add character and simplicity to the space, which provides a beautiful contrast to the black-and-white chef’s kitchen and the black velvet sectional in the family room.
The wooden accents infuse a rustic and natural ambiance into the otherwise contemporary atmosphere of the home.
The HD team also incorporated reclaimed wood accents in our Modern Farmhouse Neutral project. This rustic-modern redesign took place in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Two handmade walnut bookshelves in a faded caramel color serve as both a functional storage solution and striking design element. The hand-distressed wood and asymmetrical shelving appears natural and rugged for the PA home in an intentional way.
Sandwiched between the rustic wood shelves, a bright-white fireplace with decorative trim molding stands out boldly. The striking contrast of the fireplace’s clean lines against the off-center shelving creates a visually captivating focal point.
Notice how both the modern fireplace and rustic bookshelves work together in harmony, each feature refining the impact of the other.
Tip #3: Vintage and Animal-Inspired Decor
To cultivate that reclaimed farmhouse feel, ditch the colorful coffee table books and trendy glassware and instead dive headfirst into the world of industrial decor, metal accents, animal prints, and curated vintage finds. HD’s Country Living themed Pinterest board has all the inspo you need; think cowhides, pendant lighting, wicker and rattan accents, rust metal artwork…. even a decorative cow skull if you’re feeling adventurous!
Check out the one we hung over the living room fireplace in our Transitional Blend of Rustic and Modern project.
HD used this fixture as a daring homage to authentic country living that still works with the home’s contemporary neutral color palette in Greenville, Delaware.
The Henck Design team is here to help you create the timeless charm of the Modern Farmhouse style, whether you live in Middle Tennessee or not. This HD curated space is not only for Residential spaces, our Design Team is capable of designing for Commercial spaces as well. Give your team the space they deserve!
Don’t forget to follow our instagram @think_henck to keep up with our latest projects and find inspiration for any design aesthetic you desire!
Share this Post