My Houzz: History Resonates in a New Washington Farmhouse
Sentimental memorabilia join reclaimed pieces to create a warmly personal home for a family
After living in a mobile home on their central Washington farm for 18 years, Cari and Greg Horning and their growing daughters needed an upgrade. The couple had planned to raise the roof for an addition, but they ran into a number of building restrictions.
Talks with the builders at WM Construction convinced them to scrap their addition plans and build a contemporary farmhouse that showcased their family history and as many salvaged and reclaimed rustic furnishings as possible.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Cari and Greg Horning, daughters Kendall and Piper, golden retriever Scoop and 3 farm cats
Location: Quincy, Washington, 2 1/2 hours from Seattle
Size: 2,400 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
That's interesting: The Hornings bartered two bags of onions from their farm for the salvaged metal desk in the home office.
Talks with the builders at WM Construction convinced them to scrap their addition plans and build a contemporary farmhouse that showcased their family history and as many salvaged and reclaimed rustic furnishings as possible.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Cari and Greg Horning, daughters Kendall and Piper, golden retriever Scoop and 3 farm cats
Location: Quincy, Washington, 2 1/2 hours from Seattle
Size: 2,400 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
That's interesting: The Hornings bartered two bags of onions from their farm for the salvaged metal desk in the home office.
Want to know how to effectively create a functional open-concept home? Divide your space into quarters, leaving a generous path down the middle.
Family photos and memorabilia from both sides of the family grace the entry. On the left a photo of Cari’s grandmother hangs next to the Marine uniform worn by Greg’s grandfather. The homeowners built the bench catchall using wood from their own farm stockpile as well as wide, weathered planks from a salvage lot nearby.
Tile: Frostbitten slate, American Slate
Tile: Frostbitten slate, American Slate
The large freestanding island is soapstone attached to salvaged iron legs. The stools are reclaimed wood and iron.
Leftover soapstone became the double kitchen sink. With new shelves and dishware from Ikea, the kitchen is a functional and welcoming heart of the home.
Light boxes: Habitat for Humanity ReStore; island counter, sink: M. Teixeira Soapstone
Leftover soapstone became the double kitchen sink. With new shelves and dishware from Ikea, the kitchen is a functional and welcoming heart of the home.
Light boxes: Habitat for Humanity ReStore; island counter, sink: M. Teixeira Soapstone
Pots, pans and the microwave hang below the island for better access and to free up counter and cabinet space.
Hanging pendants from Schoolhouse Electric cast a warm glow over an antique trunk, an extra-deep leather sofa and a reclaimed coffee table.
Furnishings: Aurora Mills, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Earthwise Architectural Salvage, Second Use
Furnishings: Aurora Mills, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Earthwise Architectural Salvage, Second Use
The family uses the oversize salvaged table as a bar during get-togethers.
A wall of built-ins surrounds a wood-burning fireplace, which took some maneuvering to add. "We had to take away some of the square footage of Piper's room to put in the fireplace, but Greg really wanted one," Cari says. "It was worth it."
A bartered-for salvaged metal desk and an antique trunk mix with various Americana in the home office.
Although many items throughout the home are directly related to family history, the trunk was a different story. "It has a vintage Notre Dame sticker on the side. I'm a fan. That seemed like reason enough," Cari says.
Although many items throughout the home are directly related to family history, the trunk was a different story. "It has a vintage Notre Dame sticker on the side. I'm a fan. That seemed like reason enough," Cari says.
The master bedroom is spacious and airy, with light pouring through high windows and French doors. With the same dark hickory wood flooring as the main space, the layout flows uninterrupted, allowing the carefully selected vintage bedside items and wall sconces to take center stage.
The room "ended up larger than we had anticipated," Cari says, "but we both have our own closets, so that ended up not being a bad thing."
Sconces: Schoolhouse Electric
The room "ended up larger than we had anticipated," Cari says, "but we both have our own closets, so that ended up not being a bad thing."
Sconces: Schoolhouse Electric
Every opportunity is taken to display the family's history in unique ways. A salvaged Canton account register in the master bedroom is mounted on a dresser to show off vintage photos from the family's archives.
A sliding farm door opens to reveal the master bathroom and Cari's walk-in closet.
The door was custom made by WM Construction and then stained by Cari. Greg cut flat iron from the farm shop to hang the doors, and the couple used salvaged bushings from an old potato digger as spacers.
The double sink in the master bath “is the old sink from Nathan Hale High School,” Cari says. “I was very lucky to come across it.” The base of the sink had been painted the school's colors of red and blue; Cari pressure washed the paint away to reveal a deep, earthy charcoal.
Apothecary-style cabinets store bathroom supplies in drawers, while accessories in shades of turquoise, gray and yellow provide subtle pops of color in the glassed-in cabinets.
Sink, accessories: Second Use; hardware: Cape Cod Brass, House of Antique Hardware
Apothecary-style cabinets store bathroom supplies in drawers, while accessories in shades of turquoise, gray and yellow provide subtle pops of color in the glassed-in cabinets.
Sink, accessories: Second Use; hardware: Cape Cod Brass, House of Antique Hardware
A soaking tub with a salvaged soap holder sits on an angle near a doorless shower enclosure surrounded by tumbled tile. "We were looking for a coved tile for the shower entry base, but the kind we liked only came in 12-by-12 pieces," Cari says. "So we brought it home and cut and fit it ourselves. Everything we could do, we did on our own. We wanted to save money."
Bathtub: Signature Hardware; heater grates: Aurora Mills
Bathtub: Signature Hardware; heater grates: Aurora Mills
The laundry room counter is made of reclaimed slate, bought for less than $100.
Tile: Frostbitten slate, American Slate
Tile: Frostbitten slate, American Slate
The couple built daughter Piper's loft bed, which has a rope swing for dismounting.
A salvaged shower pan from a Portland-area store Aurora Mills provided the solution for this small bathroom. "We didn't really have room for a tub, and we didn't want an enclosed shower," Cari says.
Metal shelving with wire mesh baskets from Aurora Mills creates a practical solution for the family's many shoes and often-muddy boots.
Photography: Alyssa Fortin Photography
Photography: Alyssa Fortin Photography
The owners struggled to find just the right siding for their new farmhouse; ultimately they chose white clapboard from Marson & Marson in nearby Leavenworth, Washington. For the metal roof, they had to search a bit farther, in Montana.
Home construction: WM Construction; clapboard siding: Marson & Marson; metal roof: Bridger Steel
Home construction: WM Construction; clapboard siding: Marson & Marson; metal roof: Bridger Steel
One of the family cats lolls against the aggregate walkway, absorbing its heat. "I can't even remember the cats' names," Cari says. "It's just how it is. They're farm cats. Mousers. They don't come inside."
A giant boulder anchors the massive patio structure, which was built from railroad ties from the farm. "I don't know where those ties originally came from," Cari says, "but I'm glad we had them."
The flat iron X-braces were created through Cari and Greg’s blood and sweat. “We used a saw and portable welder to put them together," she says. "The machine we used cut the iron and punched holes."
In fact, the homeowners did a lot of work themselves to save money. "The garage needed paint and a new roof. To get that accomplished, we needed to step in and be a real part of the house construction process,” Caris says.
When asked if their level of involvement went over well with their contractors, Greg smiles. "We heard a lot of, 'That's not how we do it,' but in the end they always listened to what we had to say. It was a true collaboration," he says.
In fact, the homeowners did a lot of work themselves to save money. "The garage needed paint and a new roof. To get that accomplished, we needed to step in and be a real part of the house construction process,” Caris says.
When asked if their level of involvement went over well with their contractors, Greg smiles. "We heard a lot of, 'That's not how we do it,' but in the end they always listened to what we had to say. It was a true collaboration," he says.
Cari Horning and daughters Piper (left) and Kendall stand in front of what Cari calls their "living wall," an evolving display of family photos and memorabilia from the distant past to the present. "We’re a farm family," Cari says. "Greg is a third-generation farmer. We’re living where we’re supposed to be living, and doing what we’re supposed to be doing."
This includes not boxing up family memorabilia and storing it away. "If something doesn’t have a utilitarian use or personal resonance, it’s not for us. I don’t store things,” says Cari.
Live on a farm? We'd love to see your farmhouse. Please share it with us below!
This includes not boxing up family memorabilia and storing it away. "If something doesn’t have a utilitarian use or personal resonance, it’s not for us. I don’t store things,” says Cari.
Live on a farm? We'd love to see your farmhouse. Please share it with us below!
Flooring: Dark Roast, Mendocino hardwood hickory, Associated Flooring; lighting: Schoolhouse Electric