Architects who design for families know the open kitchen is not optional — it is the room where the whole plan either works or it doesn’t. The Franklin Avenue is built around exactly that: an open-concept main living area, a main-floor primary suite, farmhouse bones that hold up to daily use, and a layout that keeps everyone in the same orbit without anyone tripping over each other.
Specifications
- Sq. Ft.: 2,004
- Bedrooms: 4
- Bathrooms: 2.5
Floor Plan – Main Floor
The main floor puts the primary suite and laundry on the same level as the great room and kitchen/dining area, with a powder room tucked near the staircase. Garage access runs directly into the entry, and a rear porch opens off the kitchen.
Floor Plan – Second Floor
Upstairs, three bedrooms and a flex room share a single full bath positioned centrally off the hall — no long walk from any room. Floored attic storage sits to the right of the stairwell. Both Bedroom 2 and Bedroom 3 have sloped ceilings, which nudges furniture placement toward the center of each room.
Fresh Cedar Deck Off the Back of a Brick Farmhouse Built for Backyard Evenings
New pressure-treated cedar stairs and railing cut a sharp contrast against the aged-look brick. The raised deck gives the back door real presence, and the garden hose coiled at the foundation keeps the whole thing grounded — this is clearly a house someone lives in.
Worth Knowing: Pressure-treated lumber gets its water resistance from preservatives driven deep into the wood fibers, not just coated on the surface. That matters for anything in ground contact or exposed to consistent moisture — untreated pine can start showing rot in just a few seasons. One catch: let it dry out fully before staining, or the finish will peel before the season is out.
Moving inside, the living area sets the tone for how the rest of the main floor feels to actually live in.
Dark Ceiling Fan Against White Trim Keeps This Living Room Grounded
Light hardwood floors and recessed lighting keep the room feeling open, while the dark-finish fan pulls the eye upward and adds just enough contrast to prevent the whole space from going flat. The glass panel in the front door pulls in extra daylight without requiring another window.
Navy Island Base with Granite Top Pulls This White Kitchen Off the Wall
White shaker cabinets dominate the perimeter, but the navy island base is what gives the room its backbone. Granite countertops carry movement without competing with the cabinetry, and the dark range hood anchors the wall above in a way that ties it all together. A built-in microwave tucks flush into the cabinetry rather than squatting on the counter. Two glass pendants keep the overhead scale human.
Try This: Painting an island a contrasting color while keeping perimeter cabinets white is one of the more cost-effective ways to add visual weight to a kitchen without a full renovation. Go dark like this navy and choose hardware in a matching or complementary metal finish — otherwise the island looks like an afterthought instead of a decision.
Pale Wood Floors and Five Windows Make Empty Feel Intentional
Crown molding runs the full perimeter, giving the room a finished quality even before furniture arrives. The hardwood floors read almost gray in the natural light pouring through corner windows on two walls — that kind of soft, shifting tone is genuinely hard to fake with paint. A matte black ceiling fan anchors the center without competing with the quiet palette below.
Style Tip: Dark-finish ceiling fans work well against light walls because the contrast draws the eye upward without demanding a statement fixture. And size up when you’re in doubt — an undersized fan in a room this large just runs harder and moves less air. Go bigger than feels right on paper.
Matte Black Hardware Against Marble and White Shaker Cabinets in the Primary Bath
Granite countertops with dramatic veining keep the vanity from feeling sterile despite the all-white cabinet run. The tower cabinet between the two sinks is a genuinely smart detail — it breaks up the horizontal run and adds storage exactly where you need it. Dual sinks, matching sconces, and a soaking tub surround are visible at the far right.
Trend Alert: Matte black fixtures paired with white shaker cabinets have become a reliable farmhouse-bathroom move because the combination references traditional hardware without tipping into full vintage territory. It’s also practical: matte finishes show water spots far less than polished chrome, which matters more than people expect in a daily-use bathroom.
Built-In Mudroom Locker with Shoe Cubbies Does the Heavy Lifting at the Entry
Dark-painted built-in combines upper cabinet storage with an open locker bay and three shoe cubbies below the bench seat.
Dark-painted built-in combines upper cabinet storage with an open locker bay and three shoe cubbies below the bench seat.
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The exterior shows a craftsman farmhouse with board-and-batten siding, brick accents, and a covered front porch. The floor plan below reveals a main-floor primary suite, open kitchen and great room, laundry with hanging space, and a staircase leading to the additional bedrooms above — with garage access feeding directly into the entry zone.
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