Farmhouse

A farmhouse is a building that serves as the primary living quarters on a rural or agricultural property, historically combining residential space with accommodation for livestock or standing alongside a separate barn. Its form varies considerably by region: American farmhouses commonly followed a simple rectangular plan built of local materials around a dominant central fireplace used for cooking and heating, while German farmhouses ranged from the Low German house, built around a central hall with internal posts supporting the roof, to distinct South German regional variants. French farmhouses included the brick walled, wood roofed Bresse house and the mas of Provence, while Italian examples arranged rooms around a courtyard in a form descended from the Roman villa. North American farmhouses carried these European influences forward, with Canadian examples ranging from Gothic to Victorian styling depending on the province, while American farmhouses generally favored plain, practical construction suited to a working farm.