Stone Fountain in Farmhouse Courtyard

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

• The paving material and how its joints are handled
• Whether the furniture footprint fits with room to move
• Shade at 4 pm, not just at noon