In Vermont's beautiful hills and valleys, home design blends New England tradition with practical solutions for our four-season weather. At Arocordis Design, we see emerging 2025 home design trends to share with Vermont homeowners wanting modern-inspired homes that connect to our traditions yet respect the environment and our green mountains.
The New Vermont Look: Fresh Takes on Tradition
Drive down any Vermont back road and you'll spot the change. The classic Vermont farmhouse is getting a modern update. This does not discard our building history adds to it.
Vermont homeowners still love the modern-farmhouse style, but with simpler, cleaner modern-inspired designs. You can see this in:
Metal roofs in more colors than just red and green
Black window frames that pop against white siding, natural wood, or fade into dark gray or black stain or paint
Creative roof shapes and window placements
Three season porches and outdoor spaces for better living and gathering.
These homes feel both timeless and modern—clearly Vermont, but fresh for the years ahead.
Open Living Spaces That Make Sense
Open floor plans remain popular in Vermont homes, but we design them more thoughtfully now. Today's open spaces create distinct areas that flow together while serving different purposes.
At Arocordis Design, we create open living areas as a series of connected spaces—gathering spots for family time, quiet corners for reading, dining areas that work for both everyday meals and special occasions, and kitchens where people can cook and socialize.
Sound matters in these open homes. We use special ceiling treatments, exposed timber, and sound panels, soft furnishings, and smart material choices to control noise. This lets a family cook, do homework, talk, watch TV, and enjoy music all at once without too much noise.
A well-designed open living space helps family members connect visually while still doing their own activities or joining together in group fun near each other.
Lighting That Works for Vermont Living
In Vermont, where winter days are short and summer evenings are long, good lighting does more than just help you see. It shapes how your home feels, highlights distinctive features, creates mood, and supports different activities throughout the day.
A good lighting plan for a Vermont home thinks about:
How natural light moves through rooms in different seasons.
How spaces change from day to evening
The specific needs of each room
How different lighting creates different feelings - ambient, task and accent
The kitchen, often the heart of the home, needs layers of light, good views, and natural daylight. Work surfaces need bright light, under-cabinet lighting adds glow, and well-placed hanging lights create focal points. This makes a kitchen that works well for cooking but also feels cozy for gatherings.
For art collectors, the right lighting brings artwork to life. Adjustable track lights, recessed fixtures, and wall washers show off textures and colors that flat lighting would miss.
Throughout the home, thoughtful lighting creates warmth and togetherness during Vermont's long winters. Warm LED lights, dimmers, and well-placed lamps create layers of light that you can adjust to different moods and activities. Smart controls can set the perfect scene with one touch, whether from a wall switch, or your phone.
Bringing the Outdoors In: Connecting with Vermont's Nature
The most important part of modern Vermont home design is connecting indoor and outdoor spaces showcasing nearby natural features and views. Vermont's beauty is not just a backdrop, it is part of how we actively experience our homes.
We create this connection through:
Windows frames specific views and that can show seasonal changes.
Spaces like covered porches and outdoor living areas that extend your home into the landscape.
Using similar materials inside and outside to blur boundaries.
Landscaping that brings nature close to native plants and wildlife-friendly features.
Indoor and outdoor lighting adding warmth and connective ambience.
At Arocordis Design, we see each building site as a chance to create a conversation between architecture, landscape, sunlight, and views. We often place homes to catch morning light in the kitchen, or bedrooms, frame mountain views from living spaces, and shelter from prevailing winds—all while fitting naturally into the surroundings.
This indoor-outdoor connection is not just visual. We position windows for cross-breezes to bring in fresh air and the sounds and smells of Vermont. Doorways sized and placed to encourage movement between inside and outside spaces invite spontaneous outdoor living. The result is a home that changes with the seasons while protecting you from harsh weather.
Building Tough: Design for Vermont's Changing Climate
Vermont's weather is becoming more unpredictable. Recent years have brought weather patterns that stress our homes in new ways. Because of this, resilient homes have become a top priority for us.
At Arocordis Design, we think about resilience in our design as a core theme:
Weather resilience means creating homes that can withstand erratic freeze-thaw cycles, high winds, and changing moisture patterns. Our plans include extended roof overhangs, robust water management systems, and durable materials.
Energy resilience means reducing dependence on external systems through passive solar design, superior insulation, and renewable energy. Often, Vermont homeowners want battery storage with their solar arrays and generators to keep essential functions running during power outages. We help them place these systems safely while providing the backup power they need.
Lifestyle resilience means homes that adapt to changing needs. Multi-purpose spaces, first-floor bedrooms, and accessibility features allow Vermont homes to serve their owners through different life stages. We call this forward-flexible design. Does this resonate with you?
Sustainable Choices That Make Sense
Sustainability has long been important to Vermonters, but our approach goes beyond just saving energy. Today's sustainable home design includes material choices, green construction methods, operating affects, recyclablity, and long-term adaptability.
The most thoughtful Vermont home designs consider:
Effective building orientation, energy efficiency, and climate positive design.
The full lifecycle of building materials, favoring those with clear environmental benefits and local sourcing favoring nearby artisans and makers.
Reducing construction waste through careful planning.
Water conservation through efficient fixtures and easy to care for native landscaping.
Indoor air quality through careful material selection and good ventilation.
At Arocordis Design, we see sustainable design as basic to the practice of great architecture. Every decision—from which way the house faces to what windows we specify—has countless environmental benefits and effects that we think about and think through.
Embracing Multi-Generational Living: Connected Yet Independent
Designing homes to accommodate multiple generations is a growing trend in Vermont's residential architecture. We continue to experience a rise in the demand for thoughtfully designed accessory dwelling units and flexible spaces for extended families. Practical concerns and deeper values are both addressed in these multi-generational designs. Sharing housing in Vermont eases the strain of high housing costs by letting families combine finances while respecting privacy.
In addition to economic benefits, this approach fosters stronger families and communities. Grandparents maintain independence yet have easy connections to their adult children and families. They may even be available to provide childcare, adult children save money while supporting aging parents, and the whole family enjoys shared meals and daily time together. Multi-generational home design requires careful consideration of accessibility, added entrances and bathrooms, well sized living spaces, noise reduction, and circulation patterns to meet individual needs while encouraging family togetherness.
Start Your Vermont Home Journey Here
Whether you want a custom new home with modern-farmhouse style, want to renovate a historic property with modern features, and aim to create a more resilient and sustainable living environment, the process starts with thoughtful design and planning.
At Arocordis Design, we bring deep Vermont knowledge to each project, combining local expertise, decades of experience and connections with consultants and trade partners. We understand that your home is more than a building, it is where life's most important moments happen. Let us guide you into your future!
Ready to Build Your Vermont Dream Home?
Contact Arocordis Design today for a consultation. Our team creates modern-inspired home designs that blend innovation with tradition. Call us or visit our website to begin your journey toward a home that is uniquely yours yet connects to the Green Mountains of Vermont and recent design trends.
**Disclaimer:** The information provided in this post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Please consult a licensed architect or qualified professional in your area for guidance specific to your situation.