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A narrow stream flowing over rocks and pebbles wraps around David and Terry Theis’s home like a protective thread weaving through the landscape. The gentle sound of the winding stream gives the Gibbon, Minnesota acreage a serene milieu and leads guests to a beautiful pond stocked with vibrant-colored Koi fish. Adjacent to the pond stands a rustic log cabin reclaimed from the Kentucky wilderness, creating a peaceful retreat for the homeowners.

The beautiful landscaping of the exterior carries into the cozy warmth of Dave and Terry’s home. Finding inspiration in early-America design, Terry has infused the home with nostalgic furnishings. Terry’s decor includes colonial linens hanging in the windows, 1800s era light fixtures, painted furniture, wooden bowls and a collection of antique New England stoneware. The home brings new and old into perfect union.

Although the home looks picturesque now, it’s been a journey for the homeowners. The Theis’ refer to their home as a work in progress. “We’ve lived here since 1978 and we’ve been remodeling it ever since,” Dave says. Most recently, in 2008, David and Terry embarked on a home expansion that included a new kitchen, dining area and an attached garage. Finding a good balance between the existing home and the new addition was something Terry made sure to accomplish. “She’s done a good job of blending it all,” Dave says.

While Terry calls on the help of her family and friends for some of her landscaping, she is the true visionary for the projects. “When the kids were grown up and on their own, that’s when I became more interested in gardening and transforming our yard into something beautiful,” Terry says. “I got sick of mowing lawn and came up with the idea of a large pond in the front yard. It took two years to sell Dave on the idea. Today the pond is his favorite hobby.”  Dave raises Japanese Koi fish while Terry enjoys tending to all the plantings on the farm site.

The couple spends countless hours on the front porch of the log cabin listening to song birds and taking in the peaceful solitude of their front yard. Dave and Terry’s children Corey and Kara enjoy coming home to the rustic retreat as well. With most of the big projects behind them, Dave and Terry look forward to being able to sit back and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

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