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My husband and I will likely be moving in the near future, once our youngest is out the door and away at college. We are in the process of figuring out the lifestyle we will want to live, which will determine our location for our next move. I prefer to live more “in town” where my husband prefers a more rural location.
When you’re someone that loves all things country and farmhouse (and everything Chip and Joanna Gaines), it’s highly likely that your dream ‘forever home’ will be something rustic – like an old, true farmhouse.
However, not everyone will want to actually live on a farm or buy a working homestead. And so, the question is whether to actually move somewhere out in the country and buy a real farmhouse (or another style of country home), or create your own little farmhouse in your own space? Because honestly, you really don’t have to source a real working farm in order to enjoy that gorgeous country house style of design.
Where You Want To Be
The first thing for you to consider is exactly where you want to be. Do you want to be in a rural location? Should you move across the country to get this? Or do you want to stay where you are and find something that offers the best of both – what you already know, but with a country farmhouse feel to it?
Sometimes, it’s impossible to get what you want in the area where you live. There are definitely no farmhouses anywhere close to our area. It would mean a huge move for us to actually own a true country home and even if we made that decision, it isn’t that easy to find. Buying a homestead or farm land can be a big deal – and it may require searching pretty hard to find somewhere suitable. It likely is not that easy to find the real deal.
The Lifestyle
Then, we need to think about the kind of lifestyle that we’re looking for, and the lifestyle that we have now. Will we embrace the lifestyle? Will the whole family? Or, is it much better for us to think about something that just feels more country, by faking it?
It’s definitely important to consider the amount of work that we would want to take on and it’s good to know what to expect with such a huge lifestyle change. If you really don’t want to take on too much work, then faking it and just going for the country house look might be best. If you want the farming life and you feel ready, then the real deal could be perfect.
The Cost
And then we have the cost. Because if you’re going to renovate an old farmhouse, or even if you want to add character and country charm to a more modern property, you’ll need a budget! We need to think about the cost of all the renovations wherever we may purchase and if this is something we can afford. Although, I do enjoy seeing how much bang you can get for your buck in a more rural setting. Has anyone watched this great show, Stonehouse Revival? Jeff Devlin takes centuries old farmhouses in Pennsylvania and restores them. It is a fabulous show.
Before we make any decisions, we will have to look at our housing loan eligibility, perhaps do some calculations, and even look for rates. See what we can afford overall, then take a look at which option is going to be best for our budget.
I’m more inclined to say that I honestly, although it is so tempting to move to an old stone farmhouse in Pennsylvania and have room for our dogs to run, I do not see my husband or myself working a true farm! I believe for most of us, it’s the farmhouse look that we love. What do you think, buy the real deal or fake it instead?
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Suzanne, good article. Who knew the face and heart of home design and decor would altered world wide by Joanna Gaines?! Deservedly so!!!
Hi Suzanne, we did a bit of both. We live on a 9.5 acre farm in Oregon that is semi-rural. We live about 7 miles from a small town and 25 miles from a medium sized city. Our house is a 70s rancher (with full blown 70s style) that we will remodel to be more of a country farmhouse. My husband and I have renovated an older home before, including 100 year old electrical, and decided NOT to do that again! Cheers, Jules
Hi Jules, It sounds wonderful! I love Oregon. My mother-in-law lived in the Portland area and we visited her often, as well as staying in their cabin along the Puget Sound. I like how you situated yourself in the country but not too far away from a larger city. I would actually love to renovate an old home but I just don’t see it happening anytime soon! Take care and all the best! I hope it goes well with your 70’s renovation – you should share your pics!