TodayRural home suits couple
Print
Share
Email to a friend
Add This
Article RatingWhen Melissa and Robert Myers were dating, she knew up front where they would be living after they got married: He had told her early on in the relationship that he wanted to live in the quiet, peaceful landscape surrounding Blain.
After the couple were engaged they started looking at real estate in the area.
Melissa Myers says that whenever they would go and visit her mother-in-law, they noticed the attractive "corner house" on the way into town, but never thought about looking at its interior.
While looking through a multiple listing real estate book, she spotted an interior of a house that she liked. At a closer look, she discovered it was the same corner house in Blain.
Previous owners had gutted and redone much of the interior leaving a space "full of character," she says. "I like old houses and can appreciate their historic value but not the maintenance."
The Myerses think that the house, which possibly was the second structure to be built in Blain, was constructed around the 1890s and at one time housed a blacksmith shop. While doing work around the house the couple found lots of rusty items and square nails.
Whenever possible, items found outside or inside were cleaned up and moved to a place of honor in the living room to help establish a link to the past.
A headboard found in the basement was moved to the living room and became a part of a primitive-styled display grouping.
Robert Myers also enjoys bringing collectibles into the home. He found a basket, which was handmade by an elderly town resident. The prized basket now holds an assemblage of old wooden clothespins.
A country kitchen is full of vintage collectibles.
When Melissa Myers first saw the interior of the kitchen she knew that "this was the house." Centered against the back wall is the original brick hearth and fireplace. Some of the bricks are chipped and loose, but that's OK -- she loves the old character.
The top of an old Hoosier cabinet is the perfect size and slides right into the fireplace. In addition to adding period character the cabinet is also quite functional, adding space to hold many of the kitchen's "necessities."
An "old" cook-stove holds a "new" microwave. The stove belonged to Melissa's parents who bought it when they were first married for $17. Her father told her, "If you can haul it away, you can have it."
Country charm and character flows throughout the home.
An upstairs bedroom shelters a prized possession -- a picture of their house.
The couple came home one day to find an artist's rendition of their home sitting on the porch. The unsigned work features a side view of the house. The dead branch shown on the evergreen tree is, "still dead and still on the tree."
The couple's daughter, Ashlee, is not old enough to appreciate the character and charm of antiques and collectibles, but she knows what she likes -- color. Her room is a striking contrast to the neutral blends of aged woods. She helped with stamping the "hundreds," of colorful butterflies, which adorn the wall of her, "pretty in pink," bedroom.
Much of the furniture found in the young couple's home has an historic past. Melissa Myers loves to collect furnishings from antique shops, yard sales and flea markets although she notes she had more time "for the hunt" before Ashlee was born. The couple are awaiting the birth of their second child and she thinks she won't be "looking for treasures" for quite some time.
