Photo by Wanda Hanson
Ray and Marie Steichen’s Rushford Village home is a spacious open home with 17-foot ceilings in the living room, kitchen and dining area. The zero-step entry home that is completely handicap accessible was completely designed by Marie from scratch. The couple had moved in and cared for Ray’s parents in their later years; Marie remembered her grandmother caring for her parents as well. She knew she wanted a home that would enable her to do the same for her mother in the future.
A couple years ago, Ray and Marie Steichen had decided it was time to build a new home. They had lived in their large two-story home in Spring Valley since 1999, but the home had only a ½ bath on the main floor and the laundry was in the basement. With their kids grown and out of the home, they started looking for some property for a new home.
Ray found a newly listed property online one morning; they went to see it right away and put a deposit on it the same day. They bought a 50 acre parcel from Pete Kahoun that had never been built on. A driveway needed to be created, a well needed to be drilled, a septic system had to be installed and a power line had to be trenched.
Their excavator guided them to place their home so it overlooked the pond on the property. They took full advantage of the view; the bedrooms all overlook the pond.
The property itself is what Ray and Marie most enjoy about their new home. Deer and turkeys visit the property frequently. Marie even captured a turkey mating dance on video.
The Steichens lived in their camper while the home was being constructed. One winter they moved the camper into the garage; the in-floor heat kept the camper cozy all winter.
One of the hiccups was that a natural gas feed line ran through the property. As a result, the house needed to shrink from a 120-foot frontage to 90 feet to avoid the line.
At the recommendation of Derek Colbenson from Rush Creek Design, Ray and Marie chose Swartzentruber Construction as their general contractor and used most of the subcontractors that work with them.
The home has many customized features. Marie enjoys cooking and wanted a spacious kitchen. A pot filler in the large kitchen helps with canning.
The couple splurged on hickory cupboards, these were built by high school friend Tom Capranos and his brother. The counters are taller than standard so Ray built platforms for the stove and dishwasher. Tom suggested using more drawers; this makes the kitchen more handicap accessible. The Capranoses built the cupboard drawers to precise sizes to fit exactly what Marie had for kitchen supplies.
A wet bar is located in the corner of the kitchen; beyond that is an open pantry just off the kitchen. Next to the pantry is what Marie calls the command center of her home. A relatively small room is efficiently outfitted with an office area, a multipurpose crafting and sewing area, and a laundry area with a large utility sink where Marie can bathe her dogs.
Marie breeds Malshi (Maltese and Shih Tzu) dogs; many of her dogs have been used as support dogs. Their two dogs have their very own bedroom built under the stairs near the kitchen.
Bedrooms on the lower level each have patio doors leading to a veranda. The bathrooms feature showers with zero step entry; a soaker tub completes the master bath.
Floors throughout the home are LVP (luxury vinyl plank). Marie had wanted a wood floor, but they are incompatible with in-floor heat. Undaunted, Marie chose an LVP that was a close match. The flooring has a mix of light and dark wood tones and ties in with the assortment of woods in the home.
Marie likes to put the old with the new. “It’s like a family!” she enthused. Her dining room furniture is over 100 years old. Crystal and China collections from Ray’s family are not only displayed, but also used. She feels by using the items, they honor the family.
When a contractor canceled on the stonework, Ray took on the challenge himself, completing the 17-foot tall fireplace, the kitchen backsplash and the stonework outside the home. Accenting the fireplace is a unique replica of an antique ceiling fan.
In addition to in-floor heat, the Steichens installed a forced air furnace. The venting system is also used by the air conditioning.
While they can live in the home without going upstairs, the upper level houses some wonderful areas. A bar overlooks the living room; a pool table and foosball table are adjacent. Nearby is a “man cave” complete with pocket doors for Ray to escape when he wants.
The Peter Rabbit room is equipped with toys and books for the grandkids; this was the first room completed and the grandkids were the first guests invited to the home. A guest room and bath complete with a smaller tub to bath young children in are also located on the upper level.
The 2,800-square-foot garage is almost the same size as the house, with plenty of room for their vehicles, cycles and camper. An added feature of the garage is a new made-to-code storm shelter room completely constructed of concrete and steel.
The Steichens stressed that they did not buy the property for hunting purposes. They have no plans to cut down trees, but plan to create trails through their property and plant wildflowers for their own enjoyment. A pool will join the hot tub in the backyard next summer.
When their grandkids come to spend the week In the summer, the Steichens create a theme. Most recently was a safari theme complete with special foods and a “wild game” hunt. Cardboard lions and tigers and bears were created and hidden by Ray in the woods. Research was done at the library about animals before the hunt. After gun safety lessons from Ray, the kids dressed in safari gear went on a hunt and shot their game with BB guns.
“We built the house for us!’ Marie enthused. Luckily, they had chosen to build their home handicapped accessible. While Ray was digging a trench, he had a freak tractor accident. He broke his back with his L1 vertebra crushed and bulging discs in what the doctors called a burst fracture. Ray has gotten to try out all the accessibility features of their home!
The Steichens enjoy the community; they have joined the Legion, the Auxiliary and the Legion Riders. They are enthused about the welcome they have received at local stores, the library, and from their neighbors and contractors.
Marie’s advice to anyone building a new home is to “plan, plan, plan, plan, plan!” and then be prepared and flexible for surprises. Ray added that it is essential to make sure the lot is a buildable site.
In explaining how happy they were with their home, Marie declared, “We wouldn’t sell our home for $5 million!”
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