Modern farmhouse design dominates the Twin Cities

Crisp white shiplap, black window casings and exposed wood beams have taken over home design in the Twin Cities metro area.

Why it matters: Modern farmhouses have dethroned McMansions as the suburban dream home.

• Minneapolis-based Martha O'Hara Interiors has worked on "more [modern farmhouse projects] than we can count," the firm's CEO Kate O'Hara tells Axios.

Driving the news: The breezy, neutral style was popularized 10 years ago when Chip and Joanna Gaines launched HGTV's "Fixer Upper."

Zoom in: City dwellers seeking more land in the suburbs or rural areas are especially drawn to the look, says Danielle Yegge, who owns Style & Structure, which has custom-built the trendy homes in and around Stillwater, Lake Elmo and Woodbury.

• "They don't want to give up that modern flair, but they love aspects of the farmhouse lifestyle," Yegge tells Axios.

The big picture: Retailers and home builders jumped on the bandwagon to give consumers what they want.

• Target's home goods section is stocked with farmhouse-inspired Magnolia and Studio McGee collections.
• The style dominates new-build communities around the country.

Of note: Some design experts predict the trend is here to stay.

• The ease of replicating the look "has played a significant role in the phenomenon of the modern farmhouse," says Veronica Valencia, host of HGTV's "Revealed."
• "As a homeowner, when you look at a simple modern farmhouse room, you immediately feel like, 'Oh! I can tackle that!' There are no bells and whistles to it. … It's simple and familiar," Valencia says.

If you want to incorporate the style at home, here are Valencia's top tips:

• 🎨 Paint your walls bright white.
• 🪑 Accessorize with antiques and modern lighting.

• 🖼 Frame large, contemporary prints with natural wood.
• 🔨 Install shiplap vertically instead of horizontally and then paint with your favorite color.

What's next: People are leaning into organic modern homes, O'Hara says. It's similar to a modern farmhouse but with fewer barn doors, farmhouse sinks or shiplap walls, she says.

Between the lines: The average consumer isn't ready to quit the approachable style.

What they're saying: "Pinners are also putting their own spin on the trend to make spaces feel like their own," says Swasti Sarna, global director of data insights at Pinterest.