Modern Farmhouse, Reimagined: A Southern Living Showcase Home

When custom homebuilder Mark Schmidt and interior designer Jo Howell set out to create their latest Southern Living Showcase Home, they weren’t just building a house – they were crafting a fully realized experience. Located in the East and Mason neighborhood of Wilmington, North Carolina, Mason’s Farmhouse reimagines the modern farmhouse, balancing architectural tradition with contemporary livability.

We sat down with the partners, owner of Schmidt Custom Builders and principal owner and interior designer of Ginger Interiors, to go behind the scenes of the thoughtful and layered home that pushes the boundaries of what a farmhouse can be.

As partners in both business and life, their full-service studio makes them a one-stop shop for their homeowners. Unlike most custom builders, Schmidt Custom Builders operates an integrated design-build model, partnering closely with Ginger Interiors to manage projects from initial concept through final installation.

“In our office, we really can handle it from the beginning. We can really kind of do everything,” Schmidt explains. Together, they deliver an exceptional experience that includes architecture coordination, material selections and interior styling. With every detail considered within a single team, this approach improves decision making and workflows, ultimately delivering a stronger design outcome and a cohesive look across the project.

For Schmidt Custom Builders and Ginger Interiors, no two homes are alike. Their philosophy centers on creative collaboration with clients, architects and each other. In the absence of a client, the team started with a concept to define the visual and functional goals of the home. “The farmhouse includes a lot of natural materials in the house—woods, stones and marble,” remarks Howell.

The home’s design draws inspiration from traditional farmhouse architecture but with a more refined and modern sensibility through material selections, spatial flow and interior detailing. “We draw from inspiration images, architecturally, windows, tile, color palette, the textures of the furnishings, light fixtures, all of it,” she adds.

Each room is designed to have a different experience. A warm and saturated color palette anchored in neutral tones modernizes the interior. Thoughtful detailing, like a backsplash behind the range, a coffee and wine bar in the primary bathroom and wood veneer wallpaper on the office ceiling create distinct experiences in every room.

Central to the farmhouse design is the intentional use of windows and natural light. Schmidt explains, “We’re big proponents of natural light. So, the more light, the better.”

From the moment you enter the home, long sightlines and expansive glass create a sense of grandeur and openness. “We really wanted to capture the light and the vantage point of walking through the home and being able to see to the backyard,” said Howell. “The house plan we had chosen couldn’t have been a better design for showcase of the windows.”

The team selected low-maintenance Pella® 250 Series vinyl windows for their aesthetics and functionality. The vinyl casement windows, double-hung windows and fixed windows, are finished in Fossil to complement the home’s warm and neutral color palette. They are strategically grouped in high-impact spaces to make the home feel larger.

“We had a few people that were amazed at how big they thought the house seemed,” Schmidt adds. By intentionally layering in traditional farmhouse grilles and low lights and task lighting, the eye is naturally drawn around the room and to the surrounding landscape.

Built for jobsite efficiency and long-term performance, Pella 250 Series double-hung windows deliver the consistency builders need. Consistent product quality helped minimize the need for adjustments to fit and finish. Schmidt notes, “The windows were packaged and shipped beautifully. They were square and stout. Pop them in a hole and trim it out and no issues.”

The low-maintenance windows also deliver the functionality both the builder and homeowner value. “I’m a huge fan of the tilt-in window. You can pull them out and clean out the tracks,” he explains. The window's two sashes tilt toward the interior of the home for easy cleaning, making it easy to clean up after construction, and for the homeowners long after move in. The windows also feature a secure vent stop and a unique tamper prevention system with interlocking checkrail, steel hardware reinforcement and a unique anti-jar sill.

As a longtime member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Network, Schmidt brings more than 15 years of experience to the showcase home. “It was definitely one of those bucket list items,” Schmidt explains. Mason’s Farmhouse highlights not only the exceptional craftsmanship of Schmidt Custom Builders and Ginger Interiors, but the role of the trusted program partners too.

Schmidt explains, “It's really the vendors included that have become almost like a family. It's like a family of support.”

With long-standing relationships that extend beyond the showcase home, partners like Pella support both the design process and construction experience through product quality, resources and collaboration. “Pella makes a wonderful product—a lasting, wonderful product,” Schmidt states.

Mason’s Farmhouse showcases the impact of strong collaboration, smart product selection, and craftsmanship—proving that when builders and partners align early, the results speak for themselves.

Pella is the proud exclusive window sponsor of the Southern Living Custom Builder Network.