Amid the rural landscape of upstate New York lies an L-shaped, two-story house, resting atop a parcel of land. Hand-sewn curtains line each window of the home, and cows and chickens roam the fields beyond it. Within the less than 1,400-square-foot house are many pieces of furniture, most being secondhand or homemade, each with its own story to tell.
The character and charm of this house are breathtaking, but it wouldn’t be possible without the talented couple who built it: Micah and Chris Guenther.
Mrs. Guenther, 33, is a homemaker, and Mr. Guenther, 37, works in information technology. The couple has three young children, all daughters, under the age of 10.
Building the Home
The young couple had always dreamed of living in the countryside. In 2020, their dreams finally became a reality when they were able to purchase a 12-acre property for about $50,000 in Washington County, New York.The home was constructed in an L-shape to save money. The Guenthers added a second story, building up instead of out for cost-efficiency.
Today, the Guenthers reside in the 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home of their dreams. There is a staircase at the front of the house providing access to both the basement and the second story. The first floor comprises a large open-plan area that incorporates the dining room, living room, and kitchen.
Throughout the building process, the couple tried to “DIY” as much as possible. Mr. Guenther’s father was very helpful in this regard, assisting the couple in creating many fixtures and building out the unfitted kitchen. He also played a key role in creating some of the furniture including the kitchen table.
The best feature of the home, in Mrs. Guenther’s eyes, is the kitchen hearth.
“The fireplace is pre-fab, and then Chris stuccoed around it and built the countertop-height hearth extension topped with bricks,” Mrs. Guenther told The Epoch Times.
The second story consists of bedrooms and a room that will soon be a reading nook.
‘The Look and Character of an Old House’
The Guenthers value old-fashioned living, and they wanted their house to reflect that. History has heavily informed their choice of decor. Mr. Guenther is inspired by TV shows like “Victorian Farm” while his wife finds delight in fictional sources like the homes in “Pride and Prejudice.” Both sources of inspiration have fused to help create their uniquely inspired home.“We wanted our home to feel like a cozy farm cottage in the English countryside,” Mrs. Guenther said. “We both love antiques because of the one-of-a-kind element, quality, and character they add to a home and wanted the look and character of an old house even though ours is brand new.”
Mrs. Guenther sources her interiors from a variety of places. Facebook Marketplace has provided the family with nearly all their furniture, including a Windsor rocking chair, a leather couch, and an antique chalkboard.
Mrs. Guenther also visits flea markets for furniture and home goods. Thrift shops are frequented for knick-knacks, shelves, and other items.
“Everything in our house is either homemade, secondhand, or the cheapest thing we could find online,” she said candidly.
Owing to the way the home was constructed and decorated, the final cost of everything was much less than the average newly-constructed American home, Mrs. Guenther says.
“We tried to spend time and sweat over money and ended up with a home that has a lot of customization, uniqueness, and personality,” she said.
Sharing the Knowledge
Ms. Guenther chose to document their building journey on their Instagram account, as well as her blog. Her aim in documenting the journey has been to help others who are interested in building or decorating their own homes. The stay-at-home mom takes joy in sharing the knowledge she has gained with others.Most people have enjoyed watching the couple’s journey. However, some have commented that what the Guenthers are doing is “impossible” or “too much work.”
“Many people assume that you have to be rich or really lucky to get what we have,” Ms. Guenther said. “But really, you just need to work toward it and not give up and realize it will take some sacrifice and time.”
Transformation Tips
The talented homemaker has five pointers for anyone who wants to transform their house on a budget.The first, and likely the one requiring the most willpower, is to save money; the Guenthers weren’t always fortunate enough to reside in a rural cottage.
“Prioritize the future over the now,” she said. “We lived in a place we didn’t like for a long time. Being able to build a house didn’t happen overnight for us—we spent nearly a decade saving and planning.”
The second tip is to never stop looking for a better deal. Planning and shopping for her home, Mrs. Guenther has observed that even resale shops can be expensive.
“Look for the cluttered-looking places with handwritten signs in the window,” she said. “At the flea market, look for the booths that aren’t as well curated. The prices will be better.”
Looking for the right deals can pay off, she insists.
“Once, at a thrift shop, I found a box of 11 rolls of brand new, green toile wallpaper for $10 and was able to wallpaper our entire bathroom. I later found the original receipt in the bottom of the box, and the wallpaper had been purchased in 2006 for nearly $200,” she said.
Mrs. Guenther’s third tip is to use paint. She says even if a person can’t do much of anything else, a small can of paint can “transform furniture or a whole room.”
She advises solidifying a vision and staying true to it.
“Really lock down how you want your home and life to feel and look for pieces you love rather than things that look good in other people’s homes,” she said.
Lastly, Ms. Guenther says you must learn all you can: be it investing in the right tools and learning handy skills by watching online videos, reading books on the subject, or taking a couple of classes with a master.
Although the Guenthers have already built much of their beautiful home, they still have many unfinished projects to work on. They are “continuing in the same vein” of investing in antiques, secondhand items, and their own skill sets to produce the results they are after.
As the family of five continues their journey in the new home of their dreams, they’ll always have gratitude in their hearts.
“We know that God has blessed us, and we are incredibly thankful to get to live here,” Ms. Guenther said.
