ANYTHING But Cookie Cutter

A new farmhouse in Kansas is the showstopper of the neighborhood.

This white and bright home in Olathe, Kansas has instant curb appeal. Decked out in white, the home is not only a stunning take on modern farmhouse style, but with its brilliant shade and rich cedar accents, no other home on the block quite compares. In fact, the color was recently accepted into the planned community. “White was approved just two months before we started painting,” says Scott Hilligus, homeowner and realtor. “There aren’t many houses painted white in our subdivision, so we certainly stand out.” Scott and his wife Jennie wanted farmhouse style, and that meant a large front porch. “In our city in Kansas, they don’t do large porches, but that was something we really wanted. It was our main goal with the exterior,” Jennie says. Several features make the exterior feel farmhouse, from the big double doors to the gable decorations. These are made of cedar car siding. “They feel very farmhouse to us,” Scott says. Although the whole build took about 10 months, the couple’s dream home was years in the making. “We wanted to find a lot that backed up to trees. We watched this lot for 5 years,” says Scott. “It’s all trees back there, which is why we chose black window frames. They are like picture frames framing the beauty of outside.”