Modern Farm House Inspiration

“The main volume presents a traditional front and is wrapped on the west and south by a deep porch,” says architect Erin Sterling Lewis. “Living and dining spaces access the porch.” A standing seam metal roof with a Kynar finish and HardiePlank Lap Siding cover the exterior of this 3,000-square-foot home.

A variety of guest bedrooms fill the top three floors, in a configuration that closely matches the original plan of the hotel.

"The most challenging part of the design was fusing the old part of the house with the new addition," says principal architect Alex Terry. The character and architectural integrity of the single-level 1950s ranch house was thoughtfully reconsidered during the addition and remodel. The home’s front porch, typical of the period, was refreshed with Ipe decking and railing.

You may think that an existing or historic home—known for its drafty windows, old-fashioned mechanical systems, and obsolete construction materials and techniques—would be one of the least sustainable, green-friendly buildings around, but you'd be oh-so-very wrong!

Lauren Ewing’s stylish, but unassuming shotgun-style house in Vincennes, Indiana, is set into a hill overlooking a field she has known since childhood. Read more about this home made of local materials here.

A white brick wall provides visual and material contrast to warm wood elements throughout the home.

A walnut-topped table and Womb chair, both by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, offer a cozy spot for reading.

The living room sports a panoply of wood: Douglas fir for the ceiling, hemlock for the walls, and stained oak for the floor. The sofa is the Neo model by Bensen and the rug is vintage.

A classic VW bus in vintage colors shows both the scale and scope of The Barn and its surrounding scenery.

Using technology to design a home as energy-efficient as possible was a priority for Hague, both from a financial and philosophical standpoint. Along with Passive House certification for the main house, a solar array on the roof of the barn keeps energy use near zero. In fact, the entire property was Net Zero before the addition of the pool, and it may soon generate an energy surplus with the addition of a second solar array at the main house.

Two hours north of New York City, an unusual barn emerges from a hill just off a country road. Its black siding and bright-red window frames hint at the imaginative playground inside. This space, with its rope-railed catwalk and indoor tent, is just one element of the multifaceted getaway architecture and design firm BarlisWedlick Architects designed for fund manager Ian Hague.

Pros: Concrete countertops are durable, resistant to heat, and can be less expensive than natural stone, especially when completed as a DIY project. Cons: Concrete must be sealed before being used; otherwise, its porous nature means that it will stain very easily.

Make sure your kitchen fits seamlessly with the rest of your home. A good entertaining space should have a look that's consistent with the overall design, so use finishings, colors, and other elements that compliment the rest of the space.

Just because your kitchen is on the smaller side doesn’t mean you can’t make it as efficient and effective as possible.

In the bathroom, a thin pane of glass separates the shower; an Aquaplane sink by Lacava hovers above a built-in vanity illuminated by a lean Adelphi light by Oxygen Lighting; and blue-green glass penny tiles by Terra Verre decorate the floor. The absence of a door, combined with windows on two sides, makes the bathroom feel like a continuation of the overall space.

The house may appear conventional at a glance, but a closer look shows how Oostenbruggen has pushed the boundaries of the traditional gabled typology. It has an asymmetrical roof, with slate shingles that extend down the eastern side to close it off completely.

The house's open plan is neatly divided into public and private spaces, with the front containing the kitchen and living areas and the back holding the bedroom and bath, overhung by a small mezzanine. A hidden wooden panel can be drawn closed between the two sections for greater privacy.

Tiny houses are spreading across the world—and probably because it really just makes sense. The tiny home lifestyle is the ultimate application of creative resourcefulness, and allows residents to reduce their environmental footprints without sacrificing good design.

Fine wood craftsmanship defines the dwelling's interior, where all the facilities—from the kitchen cabinets to the fireplace to the bathroom—are integrated into a single oak wall, handmade by van Norel. He also made the dining table, which is paired with Philippe Starck master chairs—the only ready-made items in the space other than fixtures and appliances.