Farmhouse designs: 7 features to look for

There’s something welcoming and reassuringly familiar about a farmhouse. Maybe it’s the sense of freedom that comes with having space to spare and views forever?

Or the sense of tradition that comes with classic Australiana?

Maybe it’s simply the thought of veggies freshly harvested from the kitchen garden and eggs from the henhouse?

Whatever the reason, it’s hard not to be drawn to this enduringly popular design style and the values it represents.

And today’s farmhouse-inspired home doesn’t have to be traditional either. Farmhouse designs have evolved over the years, with options today for a more modern, streamlined look to suit rural blocks, semi-rural sites and larger blocks in the suburbs.

From Esperance to Albany, growing families, retirees, young couples and anyone else in search of a rural idyll continue to seek out homes modelled on the iconic Australian homestead.

Take the designs in our Farmhouse Range, for example. We’ve poured our heart and soul into this collection of traditional and modern farmhouse designs featuring expansive layouts, as well as the key features we associate with a life lived well in the country.

With options for sprawling rural blocks and standard corner blocks in new estates, the designs take inspiration from the iconic Australian homestead, whether you’re after old-school country charm or something a little more contemporary.

What’s more, those key farmhouse features won’t break the bank.

There are three-bedroom and four-bedroom designs, all with a big central kitchen and living area, and plenty of outdoor space. You’ll also find secondary living and entertaining areas such as home theatres, internet zones, studies, home offices and activity rooms, along with parents’ retreats, workshops, store rooms and big garages.

There’s a tonne of farmhouse appeal from the get-go, with wide frontages featuring everything from classic red brick and cream-coloured render, to blue-grey painted weatherboards and the look of natural stone. Bush poles are quintessentially farmhouse, as are gabled porches. All set the scene for warm, welcoming, homely interiors.

Check out the designs in our Farmhouse Range and you’ll notice they have a few things in common. These are the features that help turn a house into a farmhouse. Farm optional.

Wide frontage

Nothing says homestead quite like a long, low frontage. Anywhere from around 26m wide, up to 35m wide, our farmhouse designs typically put their longest side forward. If you don’t have a big block to play with, there are designs that deliver bags of country charm on a 15m-wide corner lot.

Low roof line

The combination of single-storey layout and wide frontage naturally makes the roofline appear long and low, with options for a grand gabled porch, or maybe a skillion roof for contemporary appeal. But don’t be deceived. The interiors feel anything but long and low. These homes are voluminous and filled with natural light.

Verandah

Sweeping across the front of the house, a shady verandah or substantial porch brings that added touch of Australiana we so often associate with country living and those evenings spent on the deck reflecting on a good day, or just pausing with the morning cuppa to enjoy the view.

Grand living space

Central to the farmhouse design is the kitchen and living space. Classic or contemporary, casual or formal, it flows easily outside, so you can enjoy the great outdoors summer or winter.

Zoning

The floorplan of a farmhouse-style home is usually divided into two wings, one either side of the central kitchen and living area. The minor bedrooms are typically to one side and the master suite to the other. The house can easily be orientated to take advantage of views and passive solar design. You’ll often find a winter room and a summer room, so you can seek out shade and sun according to the seasons.

High ceilings

Extra high ceilings are often combined with raking ceilings and triangular highlight windows to really open up the home to the glorious views outside.

Country kitchen

A big central space, with lots of storage and worktop, plus a generous pantry or scullery, the country kitchen is at the heart of any farmhouse design.