Pat of Back Porch Musings shares the story of the traditional brick home she and her husband, J, built after leaving their family farm. The account below reflects their plans at the time of this 2012 feature.
Leaving the family farm
J and I married in 1983 and lived together on the family farm for more than 20 years. J had lived there for most of his life, from his birth in 1945 until 2003. He, his parents, and his brothers worked on the farm while also holding full-time jobs. J liked to say he had worked there since he could carry a full five-gallon bucket, around age five or six.
When it became apparent that the farm would go on the market, we visited several St. Louis Homearamas and display homes, making a wish list for a new house.
Building a story-and-a-half home
We first considered a ranch-style house. In the end, we chose a story-and-a-half home with a finished basement.
The farm sold in summer 2003, and construction began immediately. J was 58 and I was 60. We moved into the new house just before Christmas that year.
Planning our next move
Our original plan was to sell in 2008, when J retired as a lineman for Cuivre River Electric Cooperative, but we decided to wait. At the time of this feature, a continuing health issue had prompted us to prepare to sell and look for a smaller home closer to family.
While making those plans, we continued to enjoy the home we had built.
Bedrooms upstairs and on the main floor
There are two guest rooms upstairs, sharing a pass-through bathroom, along with a bonus room over the garage. The primary bedroom is on the main floor and was dressed for summer when this tour was shared. A vintage double-bonnet secretary is among the furnishings described in the original tour.
Three fireplaces and a faux fireplace
The house has gas fireplaces in the hearth room and lower-level family room, plus a wood-burning fireplace on the back porch.
We also put together a faux fireplace and added an electric stove a couple of years before the tour. We used it on chilly winter mornings, with the house thermostat set between 65 and 70 degrees.
The porch behind Back Porch Musings
In March 2007, while considering a name for my blog, I chose Back Porch Musings because of this porch. We enjoy the outdoor space through three seasons and have even built a fire in December to make s'mores.
For our next home, we hoped to find a porch or deck, open or screened, where we could continue spending time outdoors.
The original room photographs are no longer present in this article. Pat's home story and room details have been preserved here.
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