We all have an idea in our heads of what we want from life. After working hard to achieve certain milestones, it's not unrealistic to have a distinct picture of what we may want future goals to look like. While having goals and dreams is always encouraged, it’s important to remember that life isn’t always perfect and sometimes it’s good to be flexible to make sure your dreams are a fit for what your functional needs may be at that time.
Alison and David were looking ahead toward retirement. They weren’t quite ready to retire but they wanted to make sure they were on track for when the time came. The pair already had a lake house where they enjoyed their summers right on the Ohio and Pennsylvania border but knew changes needed to be made to the home for it to become livable full-time. Doing renovations didn’t seem to make sense since the layout and exterior of the home weren’t something they were in love with. Plus, the home had spectacular lakefront views. Instead, they both agreed that it made the most sense to build a new home on their current land.
For nearly 18 months, Alison and David started researching the custom home-building process. The first thing they realized was that they wanted a builder who did it all and made the process as easy as possible. Instead of having to hire an architect, builder and designer, the pair wanted to work with someone who handled everything for them from start to finish. That decision led them toward Schumacher Homes as the Ravenna office was not far from where the lake property was located.
Alison had fallen in love with the Charleston Modern Farmhouse plan after browsing online. Deciding it was important to see it in person, the couple visited the model at the Ashland location to make sure it would be a good fit for their family. After visiting, both Alison and David agreed that they loved the home and went forward with customizing it to meet their needs.
Since their retirement home was located on the lake, they also wanted whatever they built to be a place that not only they enjoyed, but also had plenty of space for their children and grandchildren to come visit. Shortly after completing sketches for their retirement home, Alison realized that the plan didn’t make sense long term if they wanted there to be enough space for everyone to visit like they dreamed of. So, thanks to the help of the Ravenna team, the couple went back to the drawing board to find something that would work for both retirement and family gatherings.
While initially visiting Ashland, Alison and David also toured the Callaway Craftsman model home. After some thinking and customizing, they realized that the plan would be the perfect fit for their needs. To prepare for retirement, an in-law suite was added to the first floor so that when the time came, the pair would have everything they needed in a single story. To take advantage of their lakefront views, the couple elected to add a sunroom to the rear of the home. Taking inspiration from the model home, the couple decided to add similar trim detail to the foyer of the home to help take the space to the next level.
Timing for their new build could not have worked out better, as the home quickly took shape during the early months of the year. The couple was constantly getting updates from neighbors who were surprised at the non-stop work that went into having the house built. First, it was the bricklayers, and right after them were the siding people! Their new Callaway Craftsman was finished in June, which was perfect for Alison as she is still a teacher. Despite not being ready for retirement just yet, Alison has been able to spend much of the summer in the new home.
Both she and David are in love with the new home and love how functional the space is for their lifestyle. The first-floor suite has already been put to good use as David’s mother, who cannot do stairs, has already come to visit. Looking back, Alison is so glad they went forward with adding the sunroom off the rear. While hesitant at first, she’s since spent most of her free time in the space and it quickly became her favorite space in the house! Everything came together from the layout to the finishes, and it all works in harmony for their family needs now, and in the future!
About Schumacher Homes
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 25 locations in 12 states across the country. The National Housing Quality award-winning company has built over 20,000 homes, customized to fit each family’s lifestyle, since its founding by Paul Schumacher in 1992. Schumacher Homes takes each customer’s inspiration and gives it a home. Each Schumacher Homes location includes a one-stop shopping design studio and model homes displaying the latest in architectural and product trends.