Sunken Hot Tub on Timber Deck

Design notes

Modern farmhouse design keeps things honest: white board-and-batten or painted brick, black-framed windows and doors, standing-seam metal roofs, cedar posts and beams. Outside, that means gravel and bluestone rather than fancy paving, a big lawn, raised beds, a porch or pavilion with a fan, and simple furniture in black or natural wood. Lighting is gooseneck barn lights and warm string lights, never anything glossy.

What to look for

• Board direction and how it changes the apparent size
• Edges: built-in benches and planters instead of rail where allowed
• Stairs wide enough to double as seating