Photos by Spacecrafting
White board-and-batten vertical siding, large black-frame windows, and towering wood beams make up today’s typical modern farmhouse aesthetic. Love it or hate it, the style is here to stay as more suburban families are opting for a traditional, yet contemporary look. For the past 16 years, homeowner Scott Hutchinson watched the trend take over.
Working in marketing and customer relations for Pietsch Builders, Hutchinson has witnessed countless homeowners embracing modern design, and he wanted in on the action. Hutchinson learned from other Pietsch builds—combining components he liked and avoiding segments he disliked‚ all to design a custom 4,300-square-foot home with five bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms for his family of five. While some features are more modern farmhouse-esque in nature, others are strictly Hutchinson.
On a slope at the end of a cul-de-sac, the lot can be considered atypical. Building on the slanted site proved to be challenging, but retaining walls allowed the Hutchinsons to obtain the three things they wished for: “woods, water, and privacy.” But the scenery isn’t the only thing that sets this home apart. Unlike other two-story farmhouses, the Hutchinsons’ home is a single story with LP Smart Siding and zero entry, not to mention a massive three-car garage with 18-foot ceilings and 2,300 square feet. According to Hutchinson, these design decisions provide him and his wife with easy accessibility as they age and his three kids (ages 12, 14, and 16) with ample indoor car storage. Inside, the home has some specific surprises, too.
With lots of white oak and pine to offset the sleek whites and sharp blacks, the main space feels clean and cozy. “Efficiency of design and quality of finishes were our two biggest goals,” Hutchinson says. “There’s really no wasted space.” Vaulted ceilings with exposed pine beams add unity and a dramatic effect to the living area—centered on a painted brick fireplace, pine mantel, and built-in storage for added space—whereas the quartz kitchen countertops, ceramic backsplash, and gold accents give the open-concept room a polished look that’s perfect for entertaining. To decrease clutter and increase continuity, the paneled refrigerator and freezer are disguised as cabinets, and a skinny butler’s pantry is tucked away behind the dining space. Such superior details make the home less cookie-cutter and more distinct.
The slight differences between a standard modern farmhouse and this Pietsch Builders home stem from Hutchinson taking his own advice. When meeting with Pietsch clients, Hutchinson always says, “You have to design around how you live; you have to measure how you live by the amount of time you spend in a room.” While the main space is exceptional in nature, Hutchinson adds that his family can be found congregating in another area of the home: the screened porch. Here, the Hutchinsons can be found eating homecooked meals, drinking glasses of wine, and watching their favorite family shows. That’s all Hutchinson could have asked for when dreaming of his luxury home—a custom-designed space crafted distinctly for his family, with a style bound to withstand the test of time.
