Idahome Phase 1: Introduction
IDAHOME
Denise Morrison: “When the uncertainty of the past two years hit, I think we all felt a shift in our priorities, safety, and outlook on life. Personally, I know my husband and I realized we were waiting to do things that we dreamed of. With all the factors, we had a “what are we waiting for” moment and so our dream took flight…”
WHY A SECOND HOME?
Denise Morrison: “For as long as I’ve known my husband, he has dreamed of owning a home on a lake. We love vacationing on Lake Tahoe with our large family, but I never saw my life far from the ocean. Then along came Covid. The isolation of Covid had us longing for friends, gatherings, and a safe escape so we began brainstorming. We realized a place to vacation and make memories with our 4 sons, their wives, 4 grandchildren and lots of extended family sounded amazing. Robert grew up boating and vacationing on lakes, so his memories of those experiences really drove the desire for a lake home. He envisions teaching our grandchildren to fish, water ski, hike, chop wood, build a fire, and share all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. While visiting our close friends who have a home on Hayden Lake, it hit us right then and there. Was this where our dream was leading us? Better yet, was I giving into lake life?”
“Even Idaho’s moody changes with summer storms rolling in daily felt refreshing. On one of our last days visiting Hayden Lake, we passed by a home for sale that was too small for our growing family, but was flanked by two open lots also for sale. The designer in me can always see possibilities in a home, but what I really saw was the possibility of having three waterfront lots. So the wheels started turning, prayers were made, and a beautiful compromise appeared. Denise gets to keep her Southern California lifestyle and Robert gets the lake dream.”
“So I would recommend narrowing down the setting you want to live in, then find a home. The home can be fixed, the setting cannot” DM
WHY IDAHO?
Denise Morrison: “We had never even been to Idaho before, so it wasn’t on our radar, but there were a few things that really felt like aha moments as we were deciding on purchasing. First, the environment is absolutely gorgeous. Pine trees perch on the lakeside and the summer weather is divine. And because it’s not high in altitude, the winter’s are not too cumbersome. It snows, but is not as extreme as other mountain communities. Secondly, It’s an easy flight from Orange County to Spokane and the lake is only 40 minutes from the airport making travel to and from Orange County very doable. Another benefit is there is no time change so making the adjustment to mountain living very easy. But most importantly, we are excited to spend time with our friends and their extended family who mean a lot to us and have created a beautiful life in Idaho.”
Tips, Tricks, & Advise:
Denise Morrison: “So why am I sharing all this info? Because building a home is a big endeavor and one that I don’t think most people fully understand. My hope is in sharing our adventure you will learn the in’s and out’s of building so that if you embark on a remodel or new construction project perhaps you can feel a little more prepared. I’m excited to take this journey together and will be posting monthly updates sharing both the fun and not so fun aspects of designing and building a home. Thank you for following along!”