So you may have some questions...
Like, how did we end up buying a farm? Or, what on Earth were we thinking? Or, are you city slickers nuts?!? We admit, it's all kind of bizarre. We'll try to answer the common questions we've been getting in this post--but shoot us more in the comments or via email and we will address them later.
1. Is it really a farm?
Yes. If we wanted it to be, it could be a working horse farm. There is a barn/stable, and 4 acres of horse paddocks.
2. So are you getting horses?
Have we met? No, we are not.
3. Any animals? Even a dog?
The presence of animals is an ongoing debate. In general, our track record with living creatures not children is poor (RIP Fishie the beta fish who lasted less than 3 weeks). One of us is terribly allergic to cats. Another of us doesn't really want the responsibility of a pet. A third is on the fence but just decided a beehive might be nice. A fourth is advocating for anything that requires care--chickens, baby alpacas, or even a disabled goat.
4. So if you're not getting horses, and you kill animals, why did you get a farm?
Because we liked the view. In all honesty, we initially wanted to stay in the "city" of Denver, but for various reasons ended up towards the 'burbs. True suburban neighborhoods make Melinda twitchy, and Matt has always secretly wanted lots of land. We all wanted to feel like we are making the move to Colorado, so we ended up with a house that has land, a view, and access to an amazing trail system as well as proximity to the kids' schools and downtown Denver.
5. But a fixer upper?
Matt needed a project. We honestly weren't enamored with the decor in many of the "move-in ready" houses and decided that we'd rather put our stamp on this one.
6. So how bad is it?
Well, unlike the Mahal, you don't get tetanus when you go inside. The house went through a magazine-worthy renovation about 20 years ago, so it's mainly in need of a serious cosmetic upgrade, combined with a new kitchen and moving around some walls to make it more live-able. The cosmetic needs are dramatic, however. Not only is everything old, but the previous owners' design aesthetic ran towards...horse farm. There are horses everywhere--on the walls, on tiles. There are realistic horses, anthropmorphized horses, cartoon horses (and other farm animals), and even a horse sitting on a boudoir painted on the powder room medicine cabinet. So livable, yes. Homey? No.
7. What's the plan?
We'll do some detailed "before" posts soon. But the short version is that we'll be redoing the house top-to-bottom over the next 6 or so months. We will live in the house during this work (send wine, so much wine). After nearly 10 months apart, we just want to be together as a family in our new space. Because the house is a ranch with two bedroom wings, we can live in one wing while they work on the other, and then switch sides of the house. Outside, we need to do some serious landscaping, add a zip line for the kids, and turn the pool into a vegetable garden. The barn will hopefully be turned into a gym next summer (Matt had to sweeten the pot to convince Melinda to do this all again).
1. Is it really a farm?
Yes. If we wanted it to be, it could be a working horse farm. There is a barn/stable, and 4 acres of horse paddocks.
2. So are you getting horses?
Have we met? No, we are not.
3. Any animals? Even a dog?
The presence of animals is an ongoing debate. In general, our track record with living creatures not children is poor (RIP Fishie the beta fish who lasted less than 3 weeks). One of us is terribly allergic to cats. Another of us doesn't really want the responsibility of a pet. A third is on the fence but just decided a beehive might be nice. A fourth is advocating for anything that requires care--chickens, baby alpacas, or even a disabled goat.
4. So if you're not getting horses, and you kill animals, why did you get a farm?
Because we liked the view. In all honesty, we initially wanted to stay in the "city" of Denver, but for various reasons ended up towards the 'burbs. True suburban neighborhoods make Melinda twitchy, and Matt has always secretly wanted lots of land. We all wanted to feel like we are making the move to Colorado, so we ended up with a house that has land, a view, and access to an amazing trail system as well as proximity to the kids' schools and downtown Denver.
5. But a fixer upper?
Matt needed a project. We honestly weren't enamored with the decor in many of the "move-in ready" houses and decided that we'd rather put our stamp on this one.
6. So how bad is it?
Well, unlike the Mahal, you don't get tetanus when you go inside. The house went through a magazine-worthy renovation about 20 years ago, so it's mainly in need of a serious cosmetic upgrade, combined with a new kitchen and moving around some walls to make it more live-able. The cosmetic needs are dramatic, however. Not only is everything old, but the previous owners' design aesthetic ran towards...horse farm. There are horses everywhere--on the walls, on tiles. There are realistic horses, anthropmorphized horses, cartoon horses (and other farm animals), and even a horse sitting on a boudoir painted on the powder room medicine cabinet. So livable, yes. Homey? No.
7. What's the plan?
We'll do some detailed "before" posts soon. But the short version is that we'll be redoing the house top-to-bottom over the next 6 or so months. We will live in the house during this work (send wine, so much wine). After nearly 10 months apart, we just want to be together as a family in our new space. Because the house is a ranch with two bedroom wings, we can live in one wing while they work on the other, and then switch sides of the house. Outside, we need to do some serious landscaping, add a zip line for the kids, and turn the pool into a vegetable garden. The barn will hopefully be turned into a gym next summer (Matt had to sweeten the pot to convince Melinda to do this all again).
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