Comments : 53

This post is dedicated to my husband and my boys who know me well and accept? me as a relentless dreamer who doesn’t give up easily and occasionally doesn’t give up at all …hey, you never know!

Hi from rainy New York. We so need this major saturation of rain heading our way…..we have had such a dry spell.? Today is a really fun post and one close to my heart. It’s about a dream, a farm and hopefully one day quite possibly a reality.

I have always been drawn to farms, horses, elegant country life ever since I was a young girl. But what has changed over the last 4 years or so is that it’s gone from a casual admiration for that life to thinking? an awful lot about it with increasing interest in one day actually buying a farm and building or restoring a home with all the extras I dream of.

Of course I LOVE my home that we built with pure love and determination, it’s everything I could ever dream of having and I know how very fortunate I am, but admittedly its a very big home for essentially my husband and I (and Teddy)? with a tremendous amount of upkeep and I vacillate about that end of it.

In my dreams we will one day do this and have no fear,? I have it all mapped out. We would buy it within two hours of NYC, where my boys are. We would keep a small apt. in the city so we could still experience city life when and if we please. But something tells me this dream I have is where our heart would be:)? I have had so many details and ideas racing around my head that I feel that if we do do this one day, I will be one herculean step ahead of the game:)

In a perfect world, we will have a fabulous home (a sensible 5,000 sq feet or so) fabulous stables, riding rings, a tennis court and pool, a huge garden, a writers retreat,? the greenhouse of my dreams and then a really special “cherry on top” which is outlined in detail later in this post.

Maybe one day, (remember I am a dreamer) we will really do this and realize every bit of my wish list and who knows take it a step further and and open my very own farm to table restaurant serving only seasonal fare…..another dream I have had for a long time:)

Ahhh, it goes on and on but it’s all good, dreaming keeps me alive and gives me the fuel to keep on going! So here is how it would go in a perfect world…..

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The lay of the land just might look something like this…..

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THE HOUSE-

Now here is where I have to do some research and really allow my thoughts and desires to crystallize. Definitely need a wide front porch (back would be good too) thinking a departure from my normally formal taste and going with a really refined country house.

Thinking maybe white with black shutters, gas lanterns, beautiful planters, it would feel “country” but very sophisticated. It wouldn’t be? more than 6,000 sq feet and possibly all one floor with very tall ceilings and windows.

A huge kitchen (might go all white this time) no living room but just one huge great room for family and friends to gather, a wonderful master suite, an office and maybe 2 or 3 guest rooms/en suite.

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Now what I love about this room? below is everything but the purple:) I would replace it with blue…but this is the idea I see for the “great room”. Can you imagine a massive 15 foot Christmas tree and all the family gathered on Christmas eve in this room while it starts to gently snow outside?? And you would find me in the kitchen making my family favorite, Beef Bourguignon……Call me a dreamer:)

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THE EXTRAS-

Greenhouse- Of course I? need a greenhouse, since it will not be attached to the house and will be free standing, it doesn’t have to be ultra fancy but still pretty. I really like this white one and the fact that it has some simple but elegant details to take it up a notch, I know I would be very busy in here:)

greenhouse

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Where I can grow the beautiful myrtle topiaries I am such a fan of and host beautiful lunches and dinners!

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Garden- I can see it now, every conceivable vegetable and herb I can dream of……..

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Stables- A must both for me and of course my “inner cowboy” who would be my husband. Yes we will have horses and of course a few extra for our guests:)

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I would love to build a tiny little building like this as a “writers retreat” aka blogging headquarters. My own tiny little space to think and dream up new ideas. With this huge new project you just know I? am going to have all kinds of material to blog about:)

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If Teddy is really good and promises to not keep sneaking into the living room and “chilling” on my ivory sofa then I might just consider getting him a fancy dog house like this complete with his very own dog bone shaped pool, he would be the envy of the canine country crew…..think he’s earned this bachelor pad of his dreams!

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THE CHERRY ON TOP-

And I might just have saved the best for last. This is something I dreamed up years ago. I would love to build three small houses/cabins (but ultra stylish) for each of my boys.

This way when they get married and have kids, thy have a place to always come back to with their families, a “home base”. Everyone will have their own little house on the property and I am hopeful this would encourage more visits from my eventual grandchildren. Think Thanksgiving, Christmas, summertime,etc….I can see it now, they would be begging to come visit me!

Each of their three small homes might look something like this-

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Obviously no palm trees lol

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Inside I visualize them having this feeling- cozy, cohesive, elegant, sophisticated but mostly really really inviting……(hope they might never want to leave)!

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Of course need to do a variation on a bunk bed room not only do kids love them and they are space savers…but I want to be the EVENTUAL “coolest” grandmother in town the country:)

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I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed putting this post together, it was like a wonderful virtual escape to my future farm:) Hey, you never know….because I really believe with every ounce of my being that every success starts with a dream. This is something I could see really happening and materializing at some point in our lives and something tells me it would be the adventure of a lifetime.

Just as you all shared in the building and execution of our home now…you too would come along for the ride on The Enchanted Home goes country” lol. I must say this might be one of my personal favorites posts….it just resonates with me? in a big way and really brings every one of my senses to life, just call me a dreamer:)

Thank you for stopping by, wishing you a fabulous day, until next time…..

PS Last day for latest promo (clearing the shelves blowout). It’s been updated to reflect what is still left for sale, click here to visit.

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Absolutely love this post! A beautiful home in the country is my dream, too, and I love your ideas. It was a nice escape this morning while drinking my coffee. I hope that your dream becomes reality for you!

Love, love every part of your dream! I can’t think of anything dreamier. And remember….”Dream one size too big”!

Oh my goodness! This has to be one of my favorite posts yet.
To have a home in the country, with horses, would be the ultimate dream. The “cherry on top” room is hands down, the most beautiful great room I have ever seen!
Thank you for sharing this dream scenario with us Tina. From reading your blog, faithfully, I have no doubt a beautiful farm is in your future.

Both my brother and a friend of mine are building big barns on their properties with the big sliding doors, full kitchens, etc., for entertaining! Such a fabulous idea!

We have such big families, that it’ll be nice to have one place where we can gather easily together, and enjoy indoor or outdoor meals together.

Ah more a “gentleman’s farm” than a working farm. Having been raised in the Hudson Valley, I often think of returning to spend my golden years overlooking that majestic river. I think maybe the cottages would be big enough for me, but with lots of land and definitely an orchard! Dreams are what gets us through the humdrum of everyday.

Being the granddaughter, daughter and wife of a farmer and now retired I truly miss the country life, but not the hard work. Just read recently that you have “dream to make dreams come true”. I love following your dreams. xo. Bev

What a lovely inspiring post! It has me dreaming of some ideas myself, all of which I could incorporate into my lovely home that I already adore. You might want to consider the same idea ~ incorporate some of these ideas into a home you already have spent so many happy hours (assuming you have the room to do so).

Thanks for all the inspiration!

Aren’t we so blessed in this country to get to dream! We’re in the process of building our dream home in a community that has the beautiful stables, tennis, and pools. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity. And I wish you, Tina could be my neighbor!

Tina,

Enjoyed your post this morning,as always…..I’m addicted. Thank you so much for sharing all your wondeful home, vacations and incredible taste.

I am at The Chanler having breakfast with my dear husband because of your post this spring. We had dinner at the Mooring, excellent. Tonight we will go to The White Horse Tavern. The Chanler is incredible!!

Again, many thanks for sharing!!

Warmest regards,

Karen

Tina, there is nothing wrong with a dream! I love this post, there are so many wonderful elements to it, from the main house to the stables, to the little cottages and the green house! I cannot wait until you start the search for the perfect land and start the houses!

Have a wonderful day and keep dreaming! The bigger the better.

Absolutely gorgeous! I live on a “real” farm, with mud and dust and flies . . . so I love these pictures of “pretty” farms! Makes me grin when you say “a sensible 5,000 sq feet or so.” There isn’t a 5,000 square foot house within 30 miles of where I live . . . that’s HUGE!! Oh what different worlds we live in Tina! Thanks so much for sharing your world with us :)! I hope you DO get your fancy farm one day . . . and that I can follow along as you build it, just like I followed along with the construction of your current home. I enjoyed your blog posts so very much! Blessings from Missouri!!!

What a treat, probably my favorite so far.
I’m right there with you, I just sent this blog page to my mother. She has a wonderful house in the city also, and I’m trying to get her to move to the country foothills in California. Thank you, Tina

It’s funny, Tina. We talk all the time about a farm and the simple life that we think that entails. Love your view on the farmhouse and think we could just move right in – it even has a “writing house”?my dream! Happy Thursday~

Tina,

Great post this early morning!
Glad you are getting rain, we need it desperately out here on the west coast.
If you can dream it,
You can achieve it!!!!

Go for your dreams, just “DO IT!”
Have a great day.
CathyR

Tina – what a beautiful and exciting post! So much fun dreaming it all up and I hope and think that one day you will do it and we can all share the journey with you again. Would be very exciting. I’m sure it will be sooner than later!

You dream for all of us Tina. Thank you so much for your beautiful photos. I have no doubt you will achieve your beautiful farm.

Tina,
They say a dream is ” a wish your heart makes”…….and your heart is wishing big. Love, love every picture. Maybe someday you could buy Martha Stewarts estate? Has it all except the homes for the boys. Hope your dreams come true.

Beautiful post! What a refreshing way to start the day from rainy Eastern NC! Remember, “A dream is a wish your heart makes.” And dreams really can and do come true! We are along for the ride and loving every minute of it!
Have a dream filled day,
Sherry

Same dream, same situation, heading to mid-coast Maine on Monday for 10 days to look for farms! Time to live the dream!

I think we must be twins. Seriously. You have completely captured MY dream. Maybe we can become next door country neighbors.

Great plan and a good plan. Three boys and lots of grandchildren. Of course everyone will want to go to the farm to relax, play and hangout. What a great family legacy that will keep giving for years. Do it! But let me know when you have your yard sale.. I will dash up to there and buy!

Tina,
Beautiful dreaming! As an aspiring blogger I especially love the Writer’s Retreat. And I’m sure you will build this. Have a great day.
Janet

Tina,
The fact that FAMILY is at the center of all of your thoughts and dreams for the future makes it beautiful! No matter what the location, the building(s) or setting looks like, you always focus on what is most important. Very inspiring!

Haha. I love the dream…compared to the reality. A entire contingent of labor would be needed to furnish this dream. And that is great but you are never really tied to the land or the horses unless you are part and parcel of the hard work. I have done this gentleman’s farm dream for decades and it is hard work. Shoveling horse manure 365 days a year, keeping weeds at bay on the fence lines, fence upkeep and maintenance, mowing pastures, securing hay supplies, getting the tractor out to plow a path to the pastures when snow is deep and drifted and you can’t lead a horse through it, keeping the manure piled and composted, fighting the flies off, coat shedding time which is quite messy and horse hair is all over you, blanketing and unblanketing with changing temps, tending to horses that have choke, colic, and the inevitable injuries, hauling to the vet with the trailer, the endless equipment needed for the horse shows, cleaning tack, cleaning water troughs and buckets, sweeping the aisles, dragging the outdoor and indoor areas, applying dust control in the winter, having farrier supplies if a shoe gets bent and needs pulling or if no shoes, rasp the feet between farrier visits…and on and on and on. Now if a person just wants it to be like the movies where the heroine arrives in the latest riding breeches and gets handed her groomed to the teeth horse and climbs up, okay. But even the best riders need continuous training and lessons to keep themselves skilled as do the horses. So a trainer will need to be hired too.. and that is just the horse and horse facilities part of the dream. Having horses at home is a major job. Calgon take me away!

Tina this would be an absolute dream come true…the kitchens and barns, outbuildings, follies, so perfectly right!

xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Featuring India Hicks!

Welcome to Kentucky. We have your rolling farm land your board fences maybe some rock fences wonderful rich ground for veggies great homes to maybe re- do and hospitality of the south. We have airports to non-stop you to NYC and a nice respite for your boys. Let’s not forget fabulous race tracks where you can truly enjoy horses good food parties and a lot of reasons to dress up. There you go. Welcome. Nancy

Tina, thank you for taking us along as you map out your dream future. I love every single aspect of it, especially the cherry on top! I have every confidence that you are going to turn this dream into reality and I can’t wait to go along for the ride!

Tina– Wow. Just wow. I had so much fun browsing this post… probably as much fun as you had putting it together! Thank you for sharing this wonderful dream, and I truly and sincerely hope you have your horse farm one day!

Hi Tina,

This post is AMAZING. I have a secret desire to own something like this, too, even though I am a bit afraid of horses. It seems like a great, relaxing lifestyle though, and I can totally picture you doing it!
Stacy

Thanks for sharing your dream Tina. I think it’s important to dream about the “what ifs” in a perfect world. I have dreams also. I find it relaxing, inspirational and gets the creative juices flowing. So dream on πŸ™‚

Beautiful post. We live in a 6,000 home and it takes quite a bit of work keeping everything running. Workman, lawn people, and repairman and we are just 2 people. As much as I love horses they would be just too much work for us. We live on a golf course and that is great. Boating is fun and a lake house. As time goes on sometimes more can be just too much.

Loved this post! I too, am a dreamer so I can easily identify with the pull of achieving those dreams and putting together all of the perfect images you have in your mind to achieve it. You have mentioned this “dream” for awhile now so I’m hoping that one day it materializes for you! Your dream “farm” is absolutely perfect! Look forward to your journey!

What a lovely post! I have always admired your energy and what a perfect place for all those dreams and your boundless optimism. I definitely think if anyone could do it you could. Thank you for making my day with your wonderful posts.

Tina, you know what I love about this post – so many of us have this kind of dream. Maybe we blurt it out with our girlfriends or sister over a glass of wine, but are made to feel crazy if we share the full big dream with other people. But all great plans start as a dream. This is a great post – one that I think we should all try on for size.
Love your plans – the step beyond the dream.

Good Morning Tina,

I loved your post about your dream farm. It?s very different than what I?d dream for, but I believe it is critical to have these dreams. It brought to mind ‘South Pacific’, and of Happy Talk in particular. I often sing these words in my head.

South Pacific – Happy Talk Lyrics

You gotta have a dream, if you don’t have a dream,
How you gonna have a dream come true?

Keep dreaming. Dreasm do come true!

Cathy

Thank you so much for this post. It was the perfect escape I needed on this dreary morning. I was going to add the must-have of a bunk room for the grandkids, and there you put it right at the end! We put a bunk room in our basement for our two kids and their sleepover friends, and it has been a HUGE hit. It also gets a lot of use from visiting family — perfect for two adults and two kids. There are all kinds of bunk room inspiration photos on Pinterest — maybe you’ll run across ours! Hope your dream becomes a reality. I for one would love to follow along!

Que lugar mais lindo!A casa e maravilhosa .Um lugar lindo para se viver.Obrigada por enviar-me coisas t?o belas assim. Tina um forte abra?o.

Tina, your post reminds me so much of Carolyne Roehm’s Connecticut estate. I don’t think she has horses, but the greenhouse, gardens and writing studio reminded me of her property. And that pool for Teddy is one of the cutest things ever!

I hope this happens for you one day and I bet it will πŸ™‚

Tina – Dream away! You have exquisite taste! Those greenhouses!!! Think of all the myrtle topiaries you can grow at your future farm πŸ™‚ Gorgeous, gorgeous photos. Cheers, L

Our home sits on 8 acres. May be borrowing some of these ideas! Our cattle are so gentle…they moo at us when we get out of the car. Happy Friday!?

Oh my gosh, you would win grandma (or Noni, as my mother is called) of the year with that bunk room! Seriously! A bunk room with a slide! What kid wouldn’t want to stay there?

I love your cherry on the top idea. Those cottages are so lovely. I’m sure if you had those on your property, your sons would be at your house every weekend.

What a gorgeous dream! I look forward to seeing you make it a reality!

Tina, You need to come visit me and my farm! We acquired a dream farm of our own 2 years ago and have worked tirelessly to bring it all to life for our family. A big one level home with a barn, horses, and a creek. It is the epitome of Virginia country life!

Oh Tina, I am loving this dream of yours. I too dream of something similar but in my situation it really is only a dream. Please promise me that when the boys aren’t using their houses may I use one? Great post.

Loved your post; something like my daughter spoke of a few years ago. They have just one horse at the moment as daughter number 3 moved to another province and took her horse with her…the pony was given away and there younger daughter shows with their thorobred horse. She loves all animals and is so very good with them.

Can I be the resident visiting grandmother. You love so many of the things I love and I think what is most dear to you is your husband and family and not the material things; they are nice to use but not to take to serious as ‘Heaven is the goal’, n’est ce pas?

Blessings and joy,

HI Tina, Nice post and what a lovely idea to dream! The home you now live in is truly gorgeous and I can’t help but think people are never happy with what they have. Be truly grateful for what you already have even if you get the ‘farm’ you will propably be looking for something else to turn to. Look inwards material goods never,ever can satisfy anyone. Live each day with a heart full of gratitude.

YIKES! Sounds like a fabulous dream, but I am not sure how the daily/weekly/monthly upkeep will diminish with a 5000 sq. ft. home; three 2000 sq. ft. homes; outbuildings; fences; and the tremendous amount of care that horses require. I am not sure that this is a more simple life.

That said – tremendous pics and ideas!

yes yes yes to the new country house! if i know you, this is a dream which can certainly come to fruition, and when it does i do think i should come do some custom abstracts featuring your beloved blue. i’m happy to camp out in your writer’s shack, and let’s enjoy a cocktail in th`ere each evening as we brainstorm that script/book proposal in your future. and those man cottages? oui. that is a dreamy concept that spells beautiful memories to cherish. peace to you, enchanted dreamer.

Keep on dreaming! It really can come true. My husband and I had a dream of buying an old colonial house in South Carolina and retiring in Charleston. We finally did it and are now putting it all together. We refinished the hardwood floors, updated the electrical/plumbing, and are adding touches to really make it our own home that we’ve envisioned for years. Don’t give up and I can promise that you’ll have that beautiful farmhouse one day.

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