This summer, we bought the farm—literally, not figuratively.
My husband, Roger, and I have lived all over the country, yet we found our way back to my hometown of Omaha four years ago. We renovated a cute little Tudor revival, meticulously landscaped the garden, then naively brought two goldendoodle puppies into our tidy, petite home.
Chaos ensued.
We loved the puppies. We loved the home. We did not love the puppies in the home. So Roger, ever the hunter of houses, began a casual search for a bigger place; one, hopefully, with a larger yard. Roger has been a nomad, with more addresses than he can count on fingers and toes. I’m the child of people who have been in their house for over three decades. Roger’s always ready to move; I’m always ready to stay put. For the record, I lose every time.
He found a farm—an acreage, really—but the 1920s American foursquare, big red barn out back, and a tractor rusting in the field definitely looked convincing on the real estate listing. It was tucked right in the middle of the city, just minutes from our current home. But instead of a slightly larger yard, there were acres of grass, rolling hills, wooded areas, and even wild turkeys for the dogs to chase.
After some debate (I lose every time, remember), we put in an offer and got it. Fortunately, the delightful previous owners took loving care of the property, and now it’s our responsibility to bring it into the next stage. Our plans include dramatic new styles for the interior, a complete transformation of the exterior, and extensive gardens cultivated by Roger. We’ll do our best to document the entire renovation process—squeezed in between running our furniture company, caring for far more land than to what we’re accustomed, and keeping tabs on the puppies.
We hope you follow along with us on our renovation adventure. Howdy from Roger and Chris at Double Heart Farm.
Read more on doubleheartfarm.com or follow along on instagram.com/dblheartfarm.
This article first appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Home Magazine. Click here to subscribe to the print edition.
