Building A Modern Farmhouse With Antiquated Twists: What You Can Incorporate
Farmhouse plans do not look much like the farmhouses of a hundred years ago. However, if you are interested in building a modern farmhouse with antiquated and quaint details, you can definitely do that without sacrificing modern conveniences. The following suggestions are some of the things you can incorporate from farmhouses of yesteryear while still making your modern farmhouse, well, modern.
Bathroom in the Basement
Who does not need an extra bathroom when it really counts? For old farmhouses, indoor plumbing was meant to serve as a means of washing up after coming in from the barn and the fields. Showers and wash sinks were quite common, and sometimes even toilets were installed, too. Put a bathroom, half or full, in your basement, and you will be copying what farmers used to do all the time (plus you will have that extra bathroom and shower when you need it).
Clean Root Cellar
A root cellar was a place to store canned goods for the coming winter. The walls were lined with shelves, and the object was to line those shelves with jar upon jar of pickled, preserved, and jellied roots (hence, "root" cellar) and pureed fruits to consume over the coldest season of the year. A very clean and properly cared for root cellar in your new farm home is an excellent place to store lots of canned goods and, if you so choose, preserved foods you have made yourself. Since a root cellar is just a room in a cool dry place in your basement, you can easily make plans in your blueprints for this feature.
The Parlor
The "parlor" was a place where you received guests and had tea or lunch while you visited. It is a quaint idea, but one which a lot of people are returning to as they design their homes. Essentially, a parlor is either a room off to the left or right of the front hallway. The room opposite of the parlor was either a study or a men's smoking room, but you can choose to do as you wish with that space. To make this space a true parlor for greeting guests, there should be no TV and no modern entertainment appliances or contraptions. Place all entertainment items in a family room, separate living room, or den instead.
The Country Kitchen
A farmhouse kitchen was always a hub of activity, from sun up to sun down. They are usually large, spacious kitchens, which is why they appeal to even modern homeowners. You can incorporate an island, but a true farmhouse kitchen will have a large dining table and chairs as the central focus of the room. Cabinets and appliances line the walls, and a big picture window over the kitchen sink lets you see out over the backyard.
For more information on modern farmhouse plans, talk to a home designer near you.
