There is no absolute prototype for a farmhouse, but most of us can recognize one when we see it. By definition, the originals were located on farms and were integral to the life and work of those farm families who lived there. Depending on when and where those homes were built, they could be made of stone, brick, shingles or clapboard.
Most farmhouses had porches since there was no air conditioning and many farm and family chores were undertaken there. The porch roof provided shelter from the sun and rain yet allowed the cool breezes to flow through and help make those steamy summers tolerable.
The center of family life in the farmhouse was the kitchen. Meals were prepared and often eaten there as well as home pickling and canning for the long winters. In the older farmhouses, a cooking fireplace was essential. Additional fireplaces were used to heat as many rooms as possible. Farmhouse kitchens have become timeless classics that are now replicated not only within spacious country properties but have also become a popular choice amongst city dwellers, looking to bring some of this relaxed country style to their properties’ interiors.
Introducing a few farmhouse elements into the home can make a potentially unwelcoming modern kitchen seem more homely and appealing. However, the complete farmhouse kitchen is set to remain a popular style, especially amongst families and those with large eat-in kitchens as it is easy to live with the practical choice. The style also suits most types of houses, from the modern house through to period properties and barn conversions.