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<\/a>Farmhouse design is America\u2019s #1 home style<\/h2>\n
For the catalyst behind country-chic\u2019s rise in popularity, look no further than interior design guru Joanna Gaines, who paraded farmhouse design across America on her HGTV show \u201cFixer Upper.\u201d In less than a decade, the country\u2019s obsession with Gaines\u2019 style propelled her into a successful brand in her own right, her testaments to success including 12.7 million followers on Instagram, a printed magazine, a Target collection, and most recently (and impressively), an entire media network<\/a>.<\/p>\n By our research, farmhouse style won\u2019t be fading into the background anytime soon. Google\u2019s Top Charts, which highlights topics with a high search volume each month, listed farmhouse style as the number-one trending home style of 2019<\/a>. This August, the popularity of the term climbed to new heights<\/a>, with more people searching \u201cfarmhouse\u201d than ever.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s interesting \u2014it\u2019s like the gray walls in the homes. Once something is popular and going down a trajectory, people just want what everybody wants, and then it just grows more and more,\u201d explains top real estate agent Janice Overbeck<\/a>, who sells homes 53% quicker than the average agent in Atlanta, GA.<\/p>\n A recent study found that homes peppering “modern farmhouse\u201d into their listing typically sold for 10.3% more than expected<\/a>. Overbeck confirms the strong and increasing buyer demand for farmhouse style homes, sharing that she even bought a farmhouse herself: \u201cit’s definitely a cute trend, in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n Farmhouse curb appeal starts with a bright, cheerful exterior. Paint your home white and see if it just doesn\u2019t turn your grass a little greener and the sky a little bluer. With shades ranging from eggshell to buttermilk, you\u2019ll need to swatch up a panel before committing (Sherwin-Williams alone offers 48 shades<\/a>!). Here are a few of our favorites<\/a> to get you started:<\/p>\n If your taste leans more contemporary, go for light grey siding with white trim for gentlemanly contrast. Overbook suggests selecting an additional, darker shade of grey for the gutters, front door, and garage door, remarking, \u201cit stands out and is very popular.\u201d<\/p>\n Avoid the lackluster appearance of a flat exterior<\/a> by incorporating a few of these dimension-building details:<\/p>\n \u201cYou go to people’s homes all the time and the front porch and the stair rails are just so faded with green and dirt that’s been on there forever. You have to have that pressure washed,\u201d Overbook shares.<\/p>\n \u201cIt makes all the difference in the world because people feel like [they\u2019ll] know the condition of the inside of the home based on the outside. So, you gotta make that great first impression.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Pressure washing is an easy and affordable DIY project with pressure washer rentals<\/a> starting around $30 at Home Depot. Just take care to spray with the appropriate pounds per square inch<\/a> (psi) to protect your home\u2019s finishes.<\/p>\n While rustic metals define the farmhouse look, there\u2019s no excuse for decaying structural elements. In HomeLight\u2019s Top Agent Insights Q1 2020 Report, our surveyed agents suggest replacing your windows and siding to recoup over 80% the cost<\/a> at resale. As for gutters, you\u2019ll see a 60% ROI, though this is the most affordable project of the three at just under $3,000.<\/p>\n Nodding to America\u2019s agrarian past, farmhouse curb appeal is all about the porch. As early as the late 1700\u2019s, European settlers deemed this breezy architectural feature<\/a> essential for seeking refuge from the stifling summer heat of the Southern states. Today, the porch remains a highly sought after feature, providing outdoor living space<\/a> and a douse of country glamour.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re blessed with a sizable porch, arrange a conversation area by grouping rocking chairs, benches, and, ideally, a porch swing. Mix and match new and vintage pieces, softening their surfaces with neutral throws and gingham accent pillows. For modern farmhouse style, Overbeck recommends choosing darker, glossier furnishings such as these black rocking chairs<\/a> from Cracker Barrel. Further establish where your design falls on the scale of vintage to contemporary with a neutral or light blue rug in the style of your preference.<\/p>\n No porch to play with? Achieve the look with a wooden bench next to the front door or nestled under a tree, accented with a whimsical bird bath<\/a> or rustic milk jug<\/a>.<\/p>\n Farmhouse design balances its light, feminine color palette with dark, masculine fixtures. Add weight to your vignette with front door hardware<\/a>, address numbers<\/a>, and prominent lighting fixtures<\/a> such as symmetrical sconces<\/a> or a welcoming pendant<\/a>. Typically, iron is the finish of choice, though bronze provides a softer alternative.<\/p>\n With retailers from Target to HomeGoods cashing in on the farmhouse trend, there\u2019s an endless array of country-adjacent decor to jazz up your porch \u2014 just don\u2019t go overboard.<\/p>\n \u201cJust a little touch of the country mixed in as far as knick knacks go, to some people, would be enough. I think that you have to be really mindful of that,\u201d Overbeck comments, mentioning that her porch\u2019s piglet statue adds more than enough kitsch.<\/p>\n What\u2019s a country home without a blooming garden? Farmhouse curb appeal welcomes an eclectic assortment of foliage, even continuing the greenery onto the home itself with window boxes<\/a> and hanging ferns<\/a> on the porch.<\/p>\n Layer your landscaping<\/a> to create the illusion of an ample garden. Mix in breezy ornamental grasses<\/a> with taller sculpted shrubs, like these recommendations<\/a> from country home tastemaker Southern Living:<\/i><\/p>\n For bonus farm-to-table imagery, group together a few galvanized planters<\/a> and fill them with herbs like rosemary and lavender. Snuggle them into a pocket of the landscaping and top off the beds with fresh pine straw or mulch<\/a> for a \u201cfinished\u201d look.<\/p>\n Flowers are essential to selling the farmhouse lifestyle. Overbeck advocates sellers to include at least a couple of planter boxes with flowers even if they\u2019re doomed to wither in the weather:<\/p>\n \u201cIn the summer here in Atlanta, Georgia, the flowers burn up. But I recommend planting anything that’s a bright color flower in the planter boxes along with the hardy greens for the first month on the market. Just go all out and make it beautiful, even if it\u2019s just for those two planter boxes.\u201d<\/p>\n Guide buyers to your home with natural, organic walkways such as flagstones set in gravel or weathered brick pavers. For added definition, edge the walkway and driveway<\/a> with larger rocks of a similar shade.<\/p>\n Last, but not least, make your home glow for those enchanting evening listing photos. Stagger a selection of iron lanterns<\/a> on the porch steps, line the walkway with solar path lights<\/a>, and strewn a favorite tree with vintage string lights<\/a> for a firefly twinkle.<\/p>\n Striking the perfect balance between elegant and homely, it\u2019s easy to understand the allure of farmhouse style. Play up the country charm in your curb appeal and you\u2019ll have buyers\u2019 hearts melting like butter on hot toast.<\/p>\n Header Image Source: (Ursula Page \/ Shutterstock)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Farmhouse curb appeal is all about creamy whites and rustic details. Achieve the look with these enchanting exterior design tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":111,"featured_media":18369,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[320,246],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-add-value","category-curb-appeal"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGussy up your exterior with light paint and refurbished fittings<\/h2>\n
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Create dimension for a lasting first impression<\/h3>\n
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Pressure wash to perfection<\/h3>\n
Replace weathered windows, siding, and gutters<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Create a story with a welcoming porch<\/h2>\n
Arrange seating to settle into<\/h3>\n
Balance the design with hearty iron fixtures<\/h3>\n
Accessorize, but don\u2019t over-theme<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Transform your landscaping into a wildflower bouquet<\/h2>\n
Layer whimsical shrubbery for added depth<\/h3>\n
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Say yes to flowers, no matter the season<\/h3>\n
Bring the country road home<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Illuminate the scene with rustic lanterns and fairy lights<\/h2>\n
Farmhouse curb instantly puts buyers at ease<\/h3>\n