Story by Angela Reeves | Photography by Lindsey Jones
The Davidson family farmhouse, built this year in Smiths Grove, is home to Brad and Leslie Davidson, and their children Lilyann(6) and Knox (3). Having grown up in Smiths Grove, with her parents living nearby, Leslie knew that's where she wanted to be. It didn't take long for Brad to quickly fall in love with the area too! After spending several years looking at homes for sale, the couple decided to stay in their starter home until they were able to build. One weekend they went to a morning auction on a whim, ended up buying a tract of land, and their dream became a reality. They met their contactor at the auction that day as well, and as they say, the rest is history.
Leslie describes their family as simple and down to earth, but busy! With Lilyann starting first grade this year, and Knox now in preschool, there is a lot of pick up, drop off, and activities, followed by supper, baths and bedtime. Living in the country, on 5.5 acres, allows for the seclusion and peacefulness they love and need.
The couple spent a year putting together exactly what they wanted in their home and enlisted the help of Graham Builders to make their dream a reality. Brad did a lot of work on the home and he and his dad did the amazing tongue and groove vaulted ceilings which are Leslie's favorite part of the house, along with the front porch. "I always dreamed of having a large front porch and it's just as awesome as I'd imagined," Leslie said.
Making sure the home had an open layout with large bedrooms was the most important thing in the design. The living area/kitchen combo allows for closeness in the evenings as well as the weekend entertaining of family and friends. The kitchen island has become the hub and is where they sit and talk about the day, because what matters most in a home to the Davidson's is definitely the people in it. "I could live in a shack with my husband and kids and be completely satisfied as long as I was with them," said Leslie.
Lilyann's bedroom suite belonged to Leslie's great grandparents who bought it a few days after they were married in 1939, making it almost 80 years old. Leslie had it in her room as a little girl and now gets to see her daughter enjoy it. "My great grandmother is still alive at 100 years old and her face lit up when she walked in and saw it in Lilyann's new room, " said Leslie.
"I think when building there's always going to be a few things you'd do differently but overall, we're very happy with our new home. My husband worked so hard on it and it definitely paid off. We thank God every day for his blessings," said Leslie. Future plans for Davidson's land include building a shop for Brad and a garden at the request of Knox.