Site designed by Sherry
After living for 30 years in a downtown suburban home with lots of noise, congestion, and ever higher taxes, we decided to return to our more rural roots and made a pro/con list of criteria for our (hopefully) last move. Of course, this criteria encompassed the 'ideal' environment and, therefore, it was impossible to achieve in toto. However, many of the cons (such as too much area to mow) were correctible; and the rolling wooded terrain, house porches and floor plan of this 5-acre property convinced us to make the move. Thus the adventure began and progress is ongoing. |
Fifteen years old when we purchased this home, the house needed some upgrades. Before moving in, we had wall-to-wall carpeting replaced with hardwood floors, and Corian kitchen countertops and sinks as well as new appliances installed. Within the first year, a new heatpump was required, so we upgraded ductwork and energy efficiency during the replacement.
Due to hazardous potholes at the busy highway entry, we had the gravel driveway paved. The following year saw a new 'architectural' roof put on. Later came new garage doors with space-saving automatic openers (old doors were painted red like center entry door shown here). Then in 2006, along with painting, we began exterior upgrades, both for aesthetics and better maintenance.
A concrete turnaround (referred to as the 'Courtyard') defines the end of the drive and avoids having to weed and track crusher run into the garage. An artificial stone veneer around the new garage doors "grounds" this side of the house and keeps it from overwhelming the driveway entry. Stone retainer walls were tied in to each side of the garage entry, and house trim color was coordinated with the stone, roof color and new plastic lattice porch skirting installed by Jerry.
Several years before the courtyard was done, Jerry had built a well house styled like a grist mill. It is modular so it can be taken apart in sections if the well needs servicing. Sometime in the future, after power is added, a waterwheel turning inside a small water basin will be added. This structure is at the apex of a natural runoff area we will convert to a dry creekbed. In 2011, Jerry built two bridges to traverse this creekbed near each end. The bridges were stained to blend with the color of house trim.
Looking northwest toward well house Looking southeast away from well house
Looking toward screened porch at south bridge Looking toward garden shed at south bridge
Below are pictures of the construction process for the pond (see Home page)
built by Jerry and me in the summer of 2012:
