Farmhouse Floor Plans: What to Compare Before Choosing a Plan
A farmhouse exterior can win you over in one photo. The porch, the gables and the simple lines look great, but the photo does not tell you where the bedrooms are, how much garage space you get or whether the house will sit well on your land.
That is why it helps to compare farmhouse floor plans by how they live, not only by how they look. SWLA Constructors & Development offers several plans in its House Plan Library with a Farmhouse elevation, so you can pick the layout first and the farmhouse look second.
Quick Answer: How Do You Compare Farmhouse Floor Plans?
Start with the inside of the home. Compare living square footage, total square footage, bedroom and bath count, room placement, porches and garage or carport space. Then look at the Farmhouse elevation and check how the full footprint may fit your property.
Key Takeaways
On many SWLA plans, Farmhouse is an exterior elevation choice, and the plan pages describe the interior layout staying the same.
Living square footage and total square footage are different numbers, so compare both.
Porches, garages and carports add to the footprint and affect how the home fits your land.
Listed price ranges are a starting point for comparison, and your final project cost depends on your property, site work, selections and any plan changes.
What Makes a Floor Plan a Farmhouse Plan?
Farmhouse is mostly a style, not a set room layout. People often link it with front porches, gable rooflines, board and batten or lap siding, and a simple, welcoming shape. Two farmhouse homes can look alike from the street and still have very different floor plans inside.
At SWLA, most plans that offer this look list Farmhouse as one of four elevations: Simple, Farmhouse, Craftsman and French. The plan pages describe the elevation as a way to change the exterior while keeping the plan's interior design. In plain terms, you choose a floor plan you like and then decide if the farmhouse exterior is the look you want.
Classic Farmhouse Plans vs Modern Farmhouse Designs
Many farmhouse plans you find online are labeled classic or modern. Modern farmhouse usually points to a cleaner take on the style, with simpler trim, more contrast between colors and a more open interior. There is no single official definition, so two builders may use the label in different ways.
If you like the modern farmhouse look, focus on the details you can actually see. Review the Farmhouse elevation drawings and any built example images on a plan page, and talk through siding, colors, porch posts and windows during your consultation. Those choices may shape the final look more than the label does.
SWLA Farmhouse Plans in the House Plan Library
The plans below come from the live SWLA House Plan Library and their individual plan pages as of October 2026. Specs and price ranges are listed the way each plan page shows them, and they can change. Always check the plan page and confirm current details with the SWLA team before you make decisions.
Compact Farmhouse Options
These plans list between 1,550 and 1,683 square feet of living space. They may suit smaller households, buyers who want less space to maintain or homesites where a smaller footprint matters.
Cozy Cottage: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1,550 square feet of living space, a 72 square foot porch and 1,622 total square feet. Listed price range: $196,990 to $221,000.
Cedar Tree: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and 1,601 square feet of living space with an open living area. Listed price range: $193,500 to $216,000.
Livingston: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1,673 square feet of living space and 2,629 total square feet under roof, including a 640 square foot carport and storage area. Listed price range: $268,000 to $299,400.
Pinehill: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1,683 square feet of living space, a 128 square foot front porch and a 576 square foot carport, for 2,387 total square feet. Listed price range: $205,650 to $233,400.
Mid-Size Farmhouse Options
These plans list between 1,908 and 2,305 square feet of living space. This range can give a growing family more room for bedrooms, storage and gathering space.
Aspen: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and 1,908 square feet of living space. Listed price range: $267,700 to $296,500.
Driftwood: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2,051 square feet of living space, a 32 square foot front stoop, a 228 square foot back porch and a 600 square foot garage, for 2,911 total square feet. Listed price range: $307,075 to $337,000.
Farmhouse: a dedicated farmhouse style plan with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and 2,279 square feet of living space, with open concept living and built example images on the plan page. Listed price range: $368,400 to $399,500.
Belle Vue: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2,305 square feet of living space, 405 square feet of covered porches and a 597 square foot garage, for 3,307 total square feet under roof. Listed price range: $345,155 to $369,900.
Larger Farmhouse Options
These plans list more than 2,500 square feet of living space. They may work for larger families, frequent guests or buyers who want more room to spread out.
Belle Chase: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and 2,517 square feet of living space. Listed price range: $309,000 to $336,400.
Allure: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and 2,826 square feet of living space, with expansive porches and an open layout. Listed price range: $448,080 to $479,135.
A listed price range is useful for comparing plans side by side, but it is not a quote for your home. Land, site preparation, utilities, selections and plan changes can all affect the final number. Our guide to house plans with cost to build explains what buyers should understand before using plan pricing in a budget.
What to Compare Before Choosing Farmhouse Floor Plans
Once you have a short list, compare each plan using the same questions. This keeps you focused on how the home will work day to day instead of only on the front porch.
Living Square Footage vs Total Square Footage
Living square footage is the heated space you live in every day. Total square footage, or area under roof, can also include porches, garages, carports and storage. For example, Livingston lists 1,673 square feet of living space but 2,629 total square feet under roof, so the house takes up more of your lot than the living number suggests.
Bedrooms, Baths and Room Placement
Bedroom count is a good first filter, but placement matters just as much. Look at where the primary suite sits compared with the other bedrooms, and think about home offices, guests and future needs. Open the floor plan drawings on each plan page so you can see the actual layout instead of guessing.
Porches and Outdoor Living
Porches are a big part of the farmhouse look, and they also shape how you use the home. A small front stoop and a large covered back porch serve very different purposes. Decide whether you want a front porch for curb appeal, a back porch for family time or both.
Garage, Carport and Storage
Covered parking and storage are easy to overlook when you are focused on style. Some farmhouse options here list a garage, while others list a carport, and the sizes vary from plan to plan. Think about how many vehicles you have, where tools and outdoor gear will go and whether you may want a separate shop later.
If shop space is high on your list, you may also want to compare a barndominium. Our guide on choosing barndominium living space, shop space and layout walks through that decision.
Exterior Elevation and Curb Appeal
Because many of these plans offer four elevations, it helps to compare the Farmhouse version with the Simple, Craftsman and French versions of the same plan. You may find that you love a layout and only need to settle on the exterior. Built example images, when a plan page has them, can give you a better feel for the finished look than a drawing alone.
How the Plan Fits Your Land
A plan should be reviewed with your homesite before you lock in major decisions. Lot size, setbacks, driveway access, drainage, utilities and wastewater needs where applicable can all affect where and how the house sits. Our guide on how to prepare land for construction before building a home covers what to think about early.
Farmhouse Homes in Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas
SWLA Constructors & Development builds custom homes from locations in Sulphur, Louisiana, and Brookeland, Texas. That includes homesites around Sulphur and Lake Charles in Southwest Louisiana and the Brookeland and Sam Rayburn area in Southeast Texas.
Properties across these areas can vary a lot in size, drainage, access and utility setup. A farmhouse plan that fits one lot well may need a different garage or porch arrangement on another. You can read about building with SWLA on our custom home builders page.
If you plan to use financing, the plan, property and project details can all play a part. Confirm loan options and property requirements with your lender before you commit to a plan.
Can You Customize a Farmhouse Plan?
If a plan is close to what you need, it may make sense to ask about changes before you start over with a different design. SWLA's Design-Build process lets you explore available house plans and discuss modifications for your home and property. Common topics include room layout, storage, porch areas, garage setup and finishes.
What can change, and how a change affects the project, depends on the plan and your property. You can see how planning, design and construction come together in our overview of the custom home building process from consultation to walkthrough.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are farmhouse floor plans?
Farmhouse floor plans are home designs paired with a farmhouse style exterior, which often includes porches, gables and simple lines. The style describes the look more than a fixed room layout. At SWLA, several plans offer a Farmhouse elevation along with other exterior choices.
What is the difference between classic and modern farmhouse plans?
Modern farmhouse usually refers to a cleaner version of the style with simpler trim and more color contrast. There is no single official definition. Review the actual elevation drawings and discuss materials and colors to get the look you want.
Does choosing the Farmhouse elevation change the floor plan?
The SWLA plan pages describe the elevations as exterior choices that keep the plan's interior design. If you want interior changes as well, those can be discussed during the Design-Build process. What is possible depends on the specific plan and project.
Are the prices on the plan pages what my home will cost?
Not necessarily. The listed price ranges help you compare plans, but your final cost depends on your land, site work, utilities, selections and any plan changes. The SWLA team can walk you through the details for your project.
Can I build a farmhouse plan on my own land?
SWLA builds on customer-owned property within its service area in Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas. The plan should still be reviewed with your homesite, since footprint, access, drainage, utilities and setbacks can affect the project.
Which farmhouse plan is right for my family?
It depends on how many bedrooms you need, how you use outdoor space, how much covered parking you want and what fits your land. Narrow your list by living square footage and room placement first. Then compare the Farmhouse elevations of the plans that remain.
Find a Farmhouse Plan That Fits How You Live
The right farmhouse home starts with a layout that works for your daily routine and your property. Compare living space, total footprint, room placement, porches and parking, then choose the exterior that feels like home.
When you have a few favorites, schedule a consultation with the SWLA Design-Build team to review the plans, your land and any changes you have in mind. We can help you understand your options before you make a final choice.
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