A real estate renovation specialist and mother of five has made her dream come true – she has turned a 305-year-old farmhouse into her dream home.
Ruth McKeaney, 54, and her husband Bob live near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ruth has given up her law career to become a housewife. She and Bob have transformed an abandoned farmhouse and a 12-acre lot into a lovely estate.
The family home has even been featured in several magazines
"We've done a lot of houses, huge old homes. I love to restore something that once had life and lost it," McKeaney said. "When we saw this house, it was not habitable anymore. The windows were all broken, things had been stolen, it was horrible."
Bringing the house back to life
Bob and Ruth bought the Hillside Farm, an early 18th-century dairy farm near Philadelphia, twelve years ago. The couple had been buying and reselling homes for sixteen years, during which they had five children together.
Ruth hoped that the farm would become their forever home. The property, which is surrounded by woods, boasts the main three-story house, a barn, and two guest houses, one of which was meant for Ruth's father. Unfortunately, Ruth's mother is no longer with us, but for sure, she is able to see her daughter from heaven.
Ruth knew exactly what her home would look like
Home sweet home
There was a tremendous amount of work done, from tearing down the walls to run electrical wiring and pipes to digging the foundation in the basement. Ruth couldn't have done it without her friends' and brothers' help.
Ruth planned to make a spacious dwelling so her five children wouldn't feel crammed indoors with their friends
There are 20 chickens and a huge garden on the property
Today, the fully renovated Hillside Farm is a favorite place for the whole family
For Ruth, the kitchen is the heart of the home. The walls are decorated with large framed artwork made by her children, and instead of a guest book, she and Bob have hung a log over the fireplace on which all visitors can carve their name.
There is a piano in the living room and all the children know how to play
Their house has an open-door policy, and guests are always welcomed
After moving to the Hillside Farm, the couple has renovated two more houses to pay for the new barn and the kids' college tuition. They don't plan to move again, and Ruth hopes that their repair story will encourage others to put love, care, and energy into their own home.
"Is a home always happy? No, everyone goes through things. Everyone struggles with different things. But to have a collection of people that’s going to love you through it, and walk you through it, I don’t think you can buy that."
Source: theepochtimes.com
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