Farmhouse anchored in her story

Tucked off a winding gravel road in Ada sits Orchard House, a newly constructed farmhouse layered with history and remnants of a bygone era.

When Sarah and Cory Wyma set out to build a home for their family of five, the legacy of the land was foremost in their minds. The building site and surrounding orchards were farmed for generations by Sarah’s family. Cory, the third-generation CEO of custom home builder Kenowa Builders, put his experience in historic restoration to work when sourcing materials for Orchard House.

“Cory really did care about the historical accuracy of the house,” said Kristin Thompson, the interior designer at Kenowa Builders tasked with bringing the couple’s vision to life. “They bought land from Sarah’s parents on an old apple orchard. With the location and the history, and her being part of a farming family, it was important to pull from those roots; not only from her family but from the land itself.”

The couple worked with architect Dru Chapman of Studio Chapman to create a design reminiscent of a century-old house – not unlike the home of Sarah’s childhood. Many of the materials used could be found in a traditional farmhouse 100 years ago, including soapstone countertops, farmhouse sinks, and a stone fireplace. The oak kitchen island was crafted in the style of an antique farmhouse table, and even the décor hints at the yield of the land with oil paintings of orchards integrated throughout.

In the years leading up to the build, Cory salvaged and saved century-old materials, storing them in an unused cidery on the property. One such find is the family’s powder room sink, which was pulled from a historic restoration project in Heritage Hill.

“It was rusted and in bad shape, but Cory and Sarah and the kids polished it up and brought it back to life,” said Thompson. Other reclaimed features of the home include the barn wood beams in the family room, the clawfoot tub in the master bathroom, and even pieces of tile used throughout the interior.

A brass dinner bell is mounted near the exterior door, another small hint of the Wyma’s intention for Orchard House to be real and livable, a home in which to raise their family.