They said it couldn’t be done. Modern design and farm living just don’t mix. Or at least that is what Carrie Norris’ friends and neighbors thought when she set out to design and build a modern style farmhouse near Altoona, Iowa. “People were skeptical that anyone would want to live in a home like this in the country, “ Carrie remembers.
Modern design can seem pricey, almost unattainable. A designer as well as modern farmhouse owner, Carrie wants people to know what a great option it is to go modern, “What people don’t realize is that these homes are really affordable. It’s an incentive to build using modern design because you get more home for your money – you don’t have the same type of construction costs like excess framing.”
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While modern design elements define this farmhouse, echoes of rural style and Iowa roots are evident in many details -- from its barn-red front door to its white, two-story frame.
As natural light flows from all corners of the home, no room takes as much advantage of this as the kitchen. Intentional use of high ceilings, exposed duct work, and open spaces lends this kitchen an urban loft feel, while retaining farmhouse practicalities of wide, open work surfaces and wear-proof wood floors.
A sliding barn door separates living spaces from the kitchen. Amber wood grains intersperse with mahogany, gray and red brick tones to create a tapestry of natural colors, enhanced by the bisque paint and industrial metal accents of vents, lighting, and hardware.
Honed metal cabinets replace traditional knobs and handles with soft-touch open doors, an affordable as well as practical option. Pinstripe etched glass doors obscure clutter and continue the streamlined, clean look of a modern kitchen.
Smartly tucked under the bright brick granite countertop, modern appliances are at the ready for busy families. Angled at a 45-degree turn, the variegated hickory flooring artfully contrasts with the rectangular placement of the center kitchen island.
A concrete-walled fireplace holds entertainment and comfort center stage. Not to be outdone, long, undressed windows showcase a farmer's pride - corn stalks growing knee-high by the Fourth of July.
East meets midwest as an elegant statue balances double sinks raised against a backdrop of natural stonework. A rich dark under-cabinet with elongated handles matches those in the kitchen.
Cedar-stained window boxes under pergola eaves remind those unsure of modern design that country style is a comfortable partner with clean lines, function and form.
The open concept of this farmhouse can be fully appreciated by viewing floor plans of all three levels.
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