Every piece of farm work is also an attempt to solve a problem, and therefore it should have its intellectual interest. It needs but the informing of the mind and the quickening of the imagination to raise any constructive and creative work above the level of drudgery.
— Liberty Hyde Bailey, 1905
There is a romance that surrounds the country life. Rob and Joanna Stephens dreamed of creating a small agrarian estate where they could raise Alpacas and relax amidst the long views of meadow and woodland. Theirs is a life of intense professional schedules, grounded by a core of simple rituals: quiet morning coffee; evening soaks in the tub with glasses of wine and conversations of the day’s events. Architect and owners worked together to create a home designed to embrace those rituals, and to reflect the active family life of the couple, their children, and family members who enjoy extended visits.
The home contains a balance of open shared spaces, coupled with private retreats throughout. The interlinked living room, dining room with built-in seats and custom table, and well-appointed kitchen (custom designed for a tall husband and petite wife), encourage conversation. A music room, just off the living room, can be separated with a sliding surface-mounted door, and doubles as guest room with private bath. The master suite is tucked away from the main living area, with its own exit to a future private garden. The children have their own bedrooms with desks, and private baths, and built-in beds remiscent of Joanna’s home land of Poland.
Finally, a spacious rec room sits above the garage, outfitted for active board and table games. Perhaps the most enchanting element of the home is its relationship with the grounds. A large wrap-around porch provides shade from extreme summer sun, and serves as an outdoor barbeque and dining room. The walk-out basement creates a direct walking link to the Alpaca barn across the meadow. Newly planted evergreens will augment the high-efficiency boiler system and super-insulated walls to provide protection from the cold of Wisconsin winter winds.
