Tour a Global Farmhouse Style Home

The exterior of a modern farmhouse style home with white paint, wood beams, and a black roof.

Photography by Laura Metzler Photography

This abode combines global designs with a cozy farmhouse feel.

Farmhouse style is an aesthetic that can easily combine with many other looks. For a great example of this, look no further than this global farmhouse style home. The house sits in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Washington, D.C and underwent a whole-home renovation with help from MV Architects and builder MK Development. The home’s overall charm changed to bridge global designs with the welcoming vibe of farmhouse style.

A mostly white interior with dark metal stairwell railing and a wood bannister. — The dark accents of the metal in the stair railing balances with lighter pieces like the wood bannisters. Uniting the light and dark colors is a common thread running through many versions of farmhouse style homes.

Hanging black lamps dangle over oak wood floors and crisp white walls. — Classic farmhouse style black lamps dangle over an oak wood floor. Pops of black marry the crisp white walls and ceiling together in a cohesive global farmhouse style interior.

Global Influences

Cozy spaces host the homeowner’s preference for global designs, creating a unique global farmhouse style. “Accomplished interior designer, Grace Gottlieb, skillfully infused the homeowner’s collection of Afro-Cuban art and furnishings throughout the home to give a global look or feel,” says architect Michelle Vassallo of MV Architects. In fact, in the living room, the crisp white paint of the farmhouse style walls is juxtaposed with the Afro-Cuban artwork adorning them. Nearby the prints on the throw pillows reflect Afro-Cuban as well.

Aged wood beams sit on a white ceiling above a gray couch. — Pops of gray and oak wood offer a relief to the crisp white paint. “If everything in a room is the same color, style or texture,” says Michelle, “it feels bland and falls flat.” So the team made sure the home had a nice blend of styles.

Afro-Cuban print pillows sit on a gray window nook with farmhouse style black window frames. — Afro-Cuban print pillows sit on a gray window nook, working to mirror the pillow arrangement on the gray couches in the living room.

Inside this global farmhouse style home, a white interior has an A frame-like peak roof overlooking a square window with black metal farmhouse style window frames. — The roof’s peak acts as an A frame and hugs the black metal window frame below. Wooden African figures offer a nice global appeal.

Modern Farmhouse Touches

Yet several features of this global farmhouse style ensure the look overwhelmingly embraces farmhouse vibes. “We took the warm, comfortable farmhouse design and added modern touches throughout the home,” says Michelle. “This includes a neutral color palette, clean lines and stainless-steel appliances,” she says.

Similarly, the fireplace includes other classic farmhouse accents like large format tiles evocative of the farmhouse look. Concrete countertops on the kitchen island, large windows and doors, and the metal stair railing are some other great features that lean more modern farmhouse.

The exterior of a modern farmhouse style home with white paint is surrounded by verdant green trees. — Outside the home, verdant green trees frame the bright white exterior, offering a natural touch to the farmhouse. “Special attention was given to retain inviting, tranquil views of Rock Creek Park, blurring the lines between interior and exterior spaces,” says Michelle.

A mostly white interior with dark metal stairwell railing and a wood bannister in this global farmhouse style home. Above, a large light fixture meant to look like a woven basket ball hangs. — The light fixture hanging in the hallway reflects the woven look of the global style embraced elsewhere in the house.

A Beautiful Blend

The home strikes a stunning balance seen in many modern farmhouses. The home pairs dark accents with lighter motifs, a combo embraced by many modern farmhouse style homes. So it makes sense for a global farmhouse style abode to do the same. Dark metal in the stair railing juxtaposes with lighter pieces like the aged wood in the ceiling beams or the basket-like light fixtures.

An 1890 Farmhouse Brings the Outside In

“If everything in a room is the same color, style or texture,” says Michelle, “it feels bland and falls flat.” But mixing light and dark elements like the dark metal in the stair railing with the white oak floors allows the viewer’s eye to move throughout the space, she says. “It’s all about balance.”

Large light fixtures made to look like baskets hang over a gray kitchen countertop in the global farmhouse style home. — Concrete countertops on the kitchen island pair with the homespun look of the hanging basket-like light fixtures. “We took the warm, comfortable farmhouse design and added modern touches throughout the home,” says Michelle.

Large black tile acts as an accent wall framing the white tub. — Large black tiles create a unique accent wall in the bathroom. Wooden African figurines offer more global accents.

The mudroom has a bold back color meant to offset the white walls of the global farmhouse style home. — The mudroom is a strident black color that works to offset the white areas celebrated in the rest of the home.

Ready to view explore more home tours? Try this California home with DIY renovations. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!