During a recent trip to Ohio, I had the opportunity to stay with a high school friend. This sparked the idea for this post. So, here we go folks.
Linda has been a friend of mine since we were sixteen years old. Twenty-four years ago, a car ride along the back roads of Oak Harbor, Ohio changed Linda’s life. During this adventure, my friend and I stumbled upon a farmhouse that was for sale. It was tucked away in a country nook that was about thirty miles east of Toledo. She had been looking for a house. However, her focus was very specific. She wasn’t too concerned about where she moved, but she was adamant about what she would move into. Linda wanted to buy a farmhouse for herself, and a home for her horses. On this particular summer day in 1997, Linda’s ideal home sorta kinda somewhat fell into her lap. Venture down memory lane with me a bit.
As soon as we pulled into the gravel driveway, we saw three barns. I’m telling you these barns were huge. When I say huge you need to imagine a huge barn. Now, double this image in your head. Then perhaps triple it. Yes, that’s it. That’s about the size these barns were. I saw the look on Linda’s face when she first laid eyes on this property. She was awestruck and mesmerized by the barns.
Right after my friend turned off her vehicle’s engine, a man approached us. He was the homeowner, Zooley. He was also deaf, so between sign language and lip reading, Zooley and I were able to communicate with each other. He gave us a tour of the barns. Every time we entered a barn Zooley pointed to a tablet and pencil hung by a cord. He told me he often used these when he needed to communicate with others. The barns were immaculate. Having always been a horse-lover and currently owning three of her own horses, Linda had been on the lookout for a perfect home for her horses. Zooley proudly continued the tour as he led us through the incredibly organized garage and shed.
While Linda’s focus was the barns, the designer in me was dying to see inside the house. But unfortunately, after Zooley finished showing us the shed, the tour ended—right then and there. Zooley explained that he took care of the five acres and barns. However, his wife, who was also deaf, took care of the house. Linda would need to contact a realtor if she wanted to see the house.
As you can see in the before photos, the exterior was—you guessed it—all wood. Two stories of wood which seriously needed scraping off many years of old paint before any painting could be done. Two entire stories. God help Linda!
As I mentioned, the barns and garage were in immaculate condition, but the house would have been graded a grade of “F.” We soon discovered the house had been neglected for an exceptionally long time. And, most disturbing and altogether terrifying, the house needed a ton of work. However, a-ton-of-work can no way truly convey the reality of just how much was required. The realtor told us the house was built in 1950 and little had been done since. Oh my!
Nevertheless, Linda was instantly smitten and decided to purchase it, naively undaunted by the multitude of tasks she was about to take on. She saw a ton of potential while walking through the house and knew this was a place that she could transform into her forever home The realtor must have thought she was nuts. In fact, he actually tried to talk my friend out of buying the farmhouse. But Linda knew right then it was going to be hers. There was no going back.
It was pretty insane as we continued to walk through the house. It seemed as if time had stopped. I had the odd sensation that it was 1950—before I was born.
At first, I thought my high school friend had been pushed over the edge, into the abyss of insanity when she decided she wanted to take on this titanic-scaled task.
On the positive side, there were high ceilings on the first floor with original woodwork. It was the kind of woodwork most old house lovers only dream of. The negatives were numerous: the old farmhouse needed a new roof, furnace, windows, doors, plumbing and electrical repairs. Did I mention the bathroom faucet handles functioned only with a vice grip tool? The old-fashioned wallpaper was peeling, and the linoleum was worn.
So, where does a person start when everything needed attending to? Linda made all the necessary upgrades to the 1400 sq. ft., 2-bedroom 1-bath home, bit-by-bit. No two projects were the same. Each one presented new issues, discoveries, challenges, and yes—satisfaction when a project was finally completed.
Over the years the roof was replaced, a new furnace installed, along with new windows and doors. About fifteen years ago, Linda and I started to install distressed wood planks to her living room ceiling to add a rustic focal point to the room. But it turned out to be much harder than we anticipated. So, luckily her brother, Darryl and her son, Josh stepped up and finished the job. Another weekend Linda and I wallpapered the back door entryway. Let me tell you, hanging wallpaper over stairwells is not for the faint of heart.
Linda recently used chalk paint to redo her kitchen cabinets. Then last year, she decided to repaint an antique dresser she uses as an entertainment center for her television. Linda installed new kitchen flooring. She will tell you that “level” wasn’t really a thing back when this house was built. But Linda learned ways to work around all the weird angles and slopes.
Linda also installed salvaged wood on three walls, did all her own landscaping, painted the bedrooms, and changed up the décor a bit. It really brightened up all the rooms, and gave it more of the farmhouse look that she was going for. Over the years Linda has decorated with all kinds of repurposed finds, like old ladders, wooden tables, weathered shutters, an aluminum strainer, and birdhouses to offer some unique farmhouse charm to her wonderful home.
Linda loves her home. No matter that she might have had a difficult day, arrived home tense and overwhelmed, within minutes after stepping into her farmhouse, my lifelong friend feels much better. Isn’t this what a home should be?
Meet me back here next week. I have another story to share with you.
OH.MY.GOSH! That is so sweet, cozy and perfectly appointed! You two and especially your friend did a remarkable job! Thank you for sharing this! Does she still have horses? How much land does she have?
Although this farmhouse is situated on 5 acres, the homeowner’s horse lives at a boarding farm. I’m glad you liked the story. I sincerely thank you for your compliments.