A New Take on the Classic Farmhouse

Bethany based her clapboard farmhouse on the style's basics—two stories with a gable roof and lots of porches—but she gave it her own signature.

"Instead of duplicating the compartmentalized way rooms are laid out in old farmhouses, I employed post-and-beam barn construction to open up the inside and get a more modern floor plan"

Southern meets Swedish in the kitchen with blue gingham fabric and whimsical carved-wood pulls.

Mike Puopolo made the concrete kitchen counters with white sand for a light hue. Bethany chose the chandelier in the dining area for its pale blue hue.

"In lieu of wood floors, Mike and I randomly laid all colors of slate dug from our land, making the house feel more connected to the outdoors" — Bethany Puopolo

The slate found in a quarry on their property lies atop a radiant-heat grid to create continuous flooring.

Shiplap pine wall paneling sets off Puopolo's personal touches like Italian watercolors, African antelope horns, and an heirloom chair.

Barn builders used post-and-beam construction in rough-hewn yellow pine. Linen curtains with vintage trim add elegance to the rustic room.

Similar curtains here.

This bedroom's Gustavian bed is framed by an upholstered cornice and draperies. Instead of drywall, Bethany paneled the bedroom with charming board-and-batten and painted it Fanfare by Benjamin Mooore.

Handmade wrought iron hardware on the bedroom windows lets the screen swing in and the casement swing out.

"I wanted windows with the traditional four-light look that is at once classic and also modern, but I also wanted them to be large—I like the purity of having my windows made. I bought the individual sashes and had my barn builders turn them into operable casement windows with handmade hardware."

Bethany's Swedish heritage drew her to a palette of white with blue accents. Here, an exterior door is painted Skylight by Farrow & Ball.

In good Southern tradition, Bethany wanted plenty of porches. On the wraparound front porch is a large seating group consisting of a classic Lutyens bench paired with all-weather wicker.

"Farmhouses always have porches, but I added even more. Half the home's 2,400 total square footage is devoted to breezeways and porches where we can see the animals, take breaks from gardening, or have a meal and watch the sunset."

Bethany designed the chicken coop with board-and-batten construction. Their farm also has goats, guinea hens, honeybees, dogs, and (of course) a barn cat.