from the owners | Ron Brown was inspired to pursue country living after noticing farm listings while reading the Sunday paper. He convinced his late wife, Susan, to visit properties, and they eventually fell in love with this 90 acre farm 20 miles outside of Washington, Missouri. There were no salvageable structures on the property, so the Browns took the opportunity to design their own unique country retreat. “It’s always fun to share such a special place; there’s nowhere like it in the area,” he says. “Susan’s creativity was unimaginable, and she was the driving force behind creating this place. Everything beautiful about the house and property came from her.”
We were thrilled with the views. The property sits on a ridge that’s the second highest point in Franklin County. Looking out at the hills in the Ozarks just wowed us. It reminds you of being in the mountains in Colorado. I immediately appreciated the beauty and sense of peace. It’s a magical place.
How is the home unique?
The kitchen and den are actually made from a 19th century barn. We were advertising for a standing barn we could relocate, and one of the responses was a gorgeous stone one. When we saw it, we knew it was too special to just be used as a barn. Susan and our contractor worked together to make it work and designed the home around it. We wanted there to be plenty of windows to take advantage of the views, and we added a second layer of stone for insulation. We installed a new roof, but the original tin one is still visible from indoors, and the pulley system that was used to raise hay bales is still there.
What are some of your other favorite features?
In all the homes we’d previously owned, we never had a large master closet. Since we were building this one from scratch, that was something I wanted. We’ve had guests comment that our closet is larger than their master bedroom. The house’s doors also are special. Susan and I found some of them in Arizona; they’re older and have a lot of character. We also built an addition around 2009, and there’s a mother-in-law suite with direct access from the garage, which is great for guests.
What are some highlights of the outdoor space?
It’s perfect if you like horse riding. There’s a barn where you can keep up to eight horses. You can ride in the back pastures of the property or explore the whole area. We also used to keep Great Pyrenees. When the dogs passed away, we turned the space where they were kept into an open patio that’s perfect for outdoor dining. Along with the heated pool, we also put in a four-acre lake. We built a bridge over it, and there’s a small beach area and a dock you can fish from.
from the agent
“This is a beautiful, Tuscan-style country villa on more than 90 rolling acres.”
– Donna Calamia
Listing price | $4,450,0000
Listing agent | Donna Calamia
Agency | RedKey Realty Leaders
Phone | 314.368.0279 | 314.692.7200
Photos: Jerry Voloski