logo

Is Farmhouse Siding Still Popular?

Published on: May 16, 2023

Farmhouse siding is still popular for homes across the country and in a variety of home architecture styles. Upgrading your home’s exterior to a modern farmhouse style can refresh it, making it look new again.

Today, accomplishing a farmhouse style is much simpler because there are so many siding options to choose from that have far simpler maintenance requirements compared with wood siding. 

As you evaluate the best design for your home and smart ways to upgrade your home’s siding, here’s a look at some popular siding options to accomplish farmhouse styling.

Modern Farmhouse Siding Options

As you look for ways to turn your home into a modern farmhouse appearance consider these style choices.

1. White Siding with Black Trim and Accents

A simple way to pull off farmhouse style is to use all-white siding with black accents. The crisp appearance fits the style perfectly. And now there are plenty of siding options to help you accomplish the aesthetic with low-maintenance cement fiber or vinyl siding materials.

The dark accents will set off the crisp white of your siding to accentuate the look. Homes with gables or elaborate front porches tend to fit this style well because of how the dark and light contrast draw out these features.

Using board and batten as the siding style helps the black-and-white exterior look like a true farmhouse style.

2. Mixed Textures

Smaller homes tend to be somewhat limited in how to pull off the farmhouse style. But mixing textures can create a rustic appearance. Use board and batten siding on the gables with traditional lap siding on the home’s lower siding. A slightly lighter siding on the gables also offers the light and airy feel that is a classic farmhouse style. And the color difference will garner a bit more attention to the board and batten siding to draw the eye up. 

If your home has dormer windows, you can use yet another siding element here. These spaces are so small they lend themselves to some creativity without looking awkward or out of place.

3. Board and Batten in Varying Widths

Because board and batten are now so easy to accomplish without the need to mill boards vertically and fasten them with small batten seams, the siding style has grown in popularity. Now you can accomplish this appearance with sheets of vinyl siding if you want.

And a neat way to create a unique appearance is to use varying widths to set off various areas of the home and draw attention to unique details. Depending on the size of your home, you might also mix in some horizontal lap siding as an accent or add a small pop of color to an area of your home.

Allow the Professionals to Do It

4. Lap Siding

Lap or clapboard siding is also popular for farmhouse-style homes. Use two colors to make the look distinctive and fresh. This style of siding is classic and if you saw it on a home in person, you’d probably start thinking back to classic homes from 100 years ago. 

5. Accented Gables

While the style wasn’t all that popular with traditional farmhouses, accented gables are popular in modern farmhouse designs. But to make it work, you’ll need to have a home with large gables to really draw attention and make them stand out.

When accenting your gables, designers generally choose to use a neutral color for the rest of the home and then a bolder color for the gables. That’s not to say the gables need to be a bright color but they should stand out in comparison to the rest of the home.

6. Adding in Carriage Garage Doors

Once you have the ideal siding to create a farmhouse style, you need to consider other exterior elements and how they will tie everything together. Using large carriage garage doors can help round out the exterior appearance. That’s because these stylized doors pull inspiration from classic barn doors and are often oversized in style.

Some homeowners even opt for carriage doors on their homes. See if a carriage door might make an ideal front door for your home or fit in elsewhere to complete the look.

Siding Materials Designers Use to Create Modern Farmhouse Styles

While we’ve explained many design options to create a modern farmhouse style, it might be helpful for you to review your material options and learn more about their pros and cons.

Farmhouse Siding Still Popular

1. Wood Siding

This was the original farmhouse-style siding used to create the lap or clapboard appearance. But today there are far simpler ways of accomplishing the appearance of wood without the expense and maintenance. Still, some homeowners want the authenticity wood offers or they want to preserve the original materials and appearance of their traditional farmhouse.

Here’s a look at the pros and cons of wood siding.

Pros

  • Authentic farmhouse appearance
  • Natural appearance
  • Durable
  • Eco-friendly
  • Variety of wood types and styles available

Cons

  • Requires frequent painting and regular maintenance
  • Expensive upfront

2. Vinyl Siding

Vinyl is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and can be manufactured to accomplish many different appearances, such as board and batten, lap, shakes, shingles, etc. You can choose from many different colors and select how much insulation you want.

Depending on your climate and weather factors, vinyl siding can offer up to 60 years of protection for your home with minimal maintenance.

Pros

  • Low maintenance
  • Durable
  • Affordable
  • Many styles and colors to choose from

Cons

  • Up close, you can tell it isn’t true board and batten or lap siding
  • Must be installed well or can cause issues
  • Not as eco-friendly as other materials

3. Metal Siding

Both residential and commercial builders use metal siding as a durable exterior for buildings. Metal siding is either aluminum or steel and can help you create a farmhouse style with ease.

Metal siding offers long-lasting results and can withstand extreme weather. And it offers great protection from insects, fungus, and mold growth. It’s also fire-resistant.

Pros

  • Durable
  • Insect-proof
  • Fire-resistant
  • Low maintenance

Cons

  • Susceptible to dents and rust
  • Expensive
  • Noisy

4. Fiber Cement

This siding offers a semi-rigid style that provides excellent home protection while offering excellent curb appeal. Designers often use this siding in place of wood, metal or vinyl. You can purchase it in a variety of styles and profiles to accomplish the appearance you’re looking for.

Fiber cement is durable and can withstand weather-related incidents. It’s also fire-resistant.

Pros

  • The appearance of wood without the maintenance
  • Low maintenance
  • Option to paint to change house color later

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Challenging to install and requires unique expertise
  • Less energy efficient compared to other siding materials

Expert Siding Installation

Ultimately, a major factor in the final appearance of your modern farmhouse-style home will depend on the expertise of your siding contractor. You want to ensure you have the best of the best working on your home to ensure you get the full warranty from the materials and a strong installation warranty.

2FL Windows, Siding and Roofing can help you create a modern home exterior in the style you want. Schedule your free estimate now to learn more about our services and start building your project budget.

Further Reading:

1 comment

  1. […] you have a farmhouse-style home, one of your largest concerns when selecting exterior colors and designs might be maintaining that […]

Comments are closed.

What we do

What We Write

More Relevant Articles


Read the latest articles about siding.

link
How to Install J-Channel – Only Two Options
Learn all about how to install J-channel under existing vinyl siding. We explain the process for the two different ways to do this.
Read Full Article arrow
link
How to Install Undersill Trim with CertainTeed Vinyl Siding: Video Tutorial
Installing vinyl siding undersill trim takes precision. It’s an important visual element and seals your new siding around windows, doors and eaves.
Read Full Article arrow
link
Vinyl Siding Colors 2024
There are so many vinyl siding colors to choose from. We explain how to choose the one that’s right for your home and top considerations in the process.
Read Full Article arrow
link
How to Install Vinyl Siding
Learn how to install vinyl siding if you do it yourself. But we’ll also share the benefits you can experience when hiring it out.
Read Full Article arrow

    We Only Use Products That We Trust