Custom farmhouse-style home in Whispering Creek is perfect fit for family of five

The 2,700-square-foot black and white single-story with a red front door was inspired by Megan Lawrey's grandparents' old farmhouse near Allen, Nebraska. Lawrey said her family still owns the farm the house sits on. 

"That was just something that just always stuck out to us," she said as she stood at a spacious white quartz island in her bright and airy kitchen, which is open to the living and dining rooms.

DeRocher Brothers Construction of Akron, Iowa, broke ground on the new five-bedroom custom build in July 2020. Less than a year later, the Lawreys moved in with son Brogyn, 13, and daughters Pehdyn, 17, and Falyn, 15. 

A big open kitchen, which has a gray subway tile backsplash and a mix of black and white cabinetry, was a must for Megan Lawrey, who loves to cook and bake. She said she had the GE Café Series appliances, which feature gold accents, picked out before any of the other work was done inside the home. A classic farmhouse sink with exposed apron front and wine refrigerator are other highlights of the space. 

"The kitchen is really our gathering place," said Lawrey, who noted that the island was designed especially for Pehdyn, who uses a wheelchair. "The end is built specifically for her. She's able to get in there on her own. We did the microwave in the island so that Pehdyn could access it." 

The cozy living room has a rustic wood mantle and an electric fireplace. It's the place where Lawrey said the entire family "hangs out." Light pours into the space, which is painted a shade of light-gray, through floor to ceiling windows. A wooden console table with four red bar stools behind the L-shaped couch provides additional seating. 

"It is actually amazing in the summertime," Lawrey said of the natural light. "We put tint on (the windows) because it gets so warm." 

Additional shelving around the fireplace provides a place to display framed inspirational quotes, family photos and mementos. Where a Christmas tree currently sits, Lawrey displays an old church pew bench. Vintage pieces are scattered throughout the home. A chest from Lawrey's family's Nebraska farm sits in the foyer, while old windows serve as decorations in the dining room. An antique phone hangs on a wall denoting separation between the dining room and kitchen. 

"I bought my first house before I turned 25 and just very slowly started accumulating things," Lawrey said. 

On the west side of the home, you'll find three of the bedrooms, one of which is being used as a craft room. Lawrey does vinyl and sublimation T-shirt printing, as well as sign making. Her husband has a shop in the garage, where he does woodworking. 

Although the vast majority of the home's interior palette is neutral, the Lawreys let the kids choose the color of one of the walls in their bedrooms.

"We kept the gray throughout, but each of the kids got to pick one wall, one color, even if I didn't agree with it. We still let them individualize their own rooms," Lawrey said.

The bright yellow that Falyn selected for her accent wall matches the bird-themed comforter set on her bed. Brogyn, who loves play Xbox, picked blue for his gaming-inspired bedroom. Both of the siblings' bedrooms are connected by a Jack and Jill bathroom with double vanities, a shower, a separate commode area and ample storage. The counters, fixtures and cabinetry in the home's bathrooms match that of the kitchen. 

"I wanted to keep everything separate so that two teenagers could still be in here getting ready at the same time. If someone needed to shower, brush their teeth, use the bathroom, they could do that," Lawrey said.

On the home's east side, you'll find the homeowners suite, Pehdyn's room, a safe room, laundry area and dog watering/eating station for the family's three Labrador retrievers, Maverick, Sergeant and Major. The home's rustic-looking waterproof and scratch-resistant flooring makes cleaning up after the pooches much less of a hassle. 

Lawrey said the couple wanted to keep Pehdyn, who has an undiagnosed neuromuscular condition, near them during the night due to her mobility limitations. They gave her her own suite with a full wheelchair accessible bathroom. 

"Her biggest thing is that she can get everywhere in here with her wheelchair and she has that 5-foot turnaround everywhere," Lawrey said. "Even in her closet, she's able to access her clothes being hung lower. She's got room for her own chair. She does have a hospital bed, but it doesn't look like a hospital bed."

Pehdyn, an East High School junior, opted for a light-blue accent wall in her room with white feather sconces.

"She loves dreamcatchers. She recently has become obsessed with Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man,'" Lawrey said, pointing out the pillow on the bed printed with pictures of the actor. "She's not a girly girl by any means. There's nothing bright pink or bright colors, like her sister." 

The homeowners' suite has a walk-in closet and large bathroom with walk-in shower. The bedroom is painted light-gray and has a tray ceiling. 

Lawrey said she initially wasn't a fan of the ceiling when it was being constructed. Now, she said she loves it.

"It just makes it feel bigger," she said.