[dropcap]Think[/dropcap] of a farmhouse and you probably envision a potbelly stove in the kitchen, an old-fashioned dining room, maybe even a Victorian parlor where tea is served. But this home in Edmond’s Sugar Hill has all the charm of an early day farmhouse with a modern look.
Designed by Paige Sheller and Jennifer Farrar of A-Line Designs in Edmond, this contemporary farmhouse has numerous features that enhance the country spirit the homeowners hoped to achieve. “We used a fresh, crisp color palette mixed with rustic stone on the exterior of the home and in the great room to suggest the upscale farmhouse look,” Sheller says.
Sheller’s color theme features white as the foundation for almost every room, enhanced by soft greens, grays and blues. The names of the paint colors throughout the home are highly descriptive: Sea Salt, White Dove, Coastal Plain. “The colors are very calming,” she says.
The entry provides the first clue to the casual country style of this home. It features floor-to-ceiling Shiplap, a popular wall finish once reserved for barns and sheds. It helps set the tone for this urban farmhouse.
An entry console table was painted in a distressed fashion by Manny Rodriquez of Edmond. It hosts family portraits and mementos, creating a homespun theme for visitors. Rodriquez did all the finishes in the home.
In an earlier era’s design, the kitchen would have been the star of the home. Here, the great room, kitchen and dining room are the heartbeat of this home. The vaulted ceiling in the great room adds drama. The room overlooks a covered patio with an heirloom swing, a pool and a stone fireplace beckoning guests on cool autumn evenings.
There’s a comfortable feeling in the great room, which measures 31 feet by 24 feet. Two sofas, slip covered in white linen, flank the fireplace, accented by two brown leather chairs, all resting on a cocoa brown rug. Sheller and Farrar didn’t want the television to dominate the room, so they covered it with white doors that mimic a barn door style. A similar style is used on the pantry door. The unusual globe chandelier from Restoration Hardware adds a classic touch.
Early day farmhouses were not complete without a pantry and this contemporary home is no exception. But this one doesn’t hold your grandmother’s pickles or spiced peaches. This upscale pantry includes a wet bar, a wine cooler, open shelving for crystal glassware, and a chalkboard stating, “Always Be Joyful.”
The master bedroom has special features, including automatic black-out shades for the sleeping hours. The suite also includes a private alcove perfect for reading or watching television.
Particularly noteworthy in the home are the millwork, cabinets, crown moulding, windows, floors and custom-made doors, which Sheller and her seven-member staff at A-Line Designs chose for the project. “We do much more than choose paint, draperies and furniture,” she notes.
Special stains were used on wood surfaces and the pine floors to define the setting and highlight the muted color theme. “The builder let us use all our talents on construction details and lighting in the home,” Sheller says. “Lighting makes a large impact on a room and it can make or break the look of a home. The homeowners have a very classic and casual style.”
This contemporary home may not have the lineage of a 1920s farmhouse, but its functional charm surpasses anything you might find at a rustic, country home from the turn of the 19th century.
