The Fejfars were 20 years older when they built the upper home , and the process took a bit longer . “ We did all the tile , we hung all the sheetrock . We did hire out the taping and texturing . We put up all the walls . It took us 19 days to put this flooring in ,” Ione says laughing , “ but it ’ s throughout the whole house .” The upper home is also constructed out of SIPS from a company in Watertown .
“ The panels came on a truck . We had an old tractor , taking 10 panels off at a time . We unloaded the panels down in the shed and then we would bring up 10 at a time in the back of a pickup . And we ’ d put those up . And we ’ d go back down and get 10 more and put those up ,” Ione explains . Adding that without a deadline the couple “ could just work on it day by day .”
The 3,400 square foot house was completed in 2020 . It is a true masterpiece both inside and out .
The kitchen has 10-foot high ceilings and boasts a plethora of custom cabinets made by local Kevin Teasley . Ione ’ s favorite room in the house is her huge pantry . “ I don ’ t have to stack , stack , stack . I ’ ve never had such a great pantry my whole life ,” Ione says although she admits she spends the most time in the roomy office the couple shares .
Both Ione and John find the office space special ; Ione because she has a dedicated space where she can work on a jigsaw puzzle in the winter , and John so he doesn ’ t have to holler to find his wife . The room has oversized windows that take in the sweeping views .
The house has its own well , 640 feet deep , a septic system and a crawlspace under the house where the furnace and water heater sit , making access a breeze .
The three-car garage is big and deep and has an enclosed room for storage .
Huge closets are in every room offering more opportunities for storage . A gas fireplace in the living room makes the home cozy on chilly winter days .
The 3 bedroom , 3.5 bath house is the right size , the Fejfars agree .
“ It seems big to everyone else but to me it ' s just very comfortable ,” says Ione . “ We use every single piece of it .” And despite the home being designed for their lifestyle , it ’ s really ideal for anyone . “ And there ' s not one step in the entire house ,” says Ione .
The outside living space includes a beautiful deck with a hot tub , a pickle ball court and a small patch of grass that breaks up the hardscape quite brilliantly . The couple spend almost every night in that hot tub listening to coyotes and owls , and looking at star formations .
“ You ’ re hearing the nature . You don ' t hear any traffic or anything else . It ' s just stars , birds , constellations and the moon ,” Ione says . The two still see the elk herd that drew them to the property in the first place .
The couple envision the next owners of this house as a family or couple who share the incredible space and views with other .
“ We built this so that we could fully take advantage of this beautiful view and we have shared it with so many friends and family I would hope whoever buys it would share it and love it as much as we have ,” Ione says .
The Fejfars are selling their home to be close to their children who now live in Arizona .
“ Some people say , ‘ how can you leave that after putting in all that work ?’” But the couple notes , “ It ’ s just a house . It ' s harder to leave all the friends we ’ ve made over the last 40 years .”
The upper home property of 25426 He Sapa Trail is listed with Faith Lewis for $ 1,990,000 .
The home has a kitchen anyone would be proud to use .
The living room has plenty of space and a beautiful fireplace .
The home has a large pantry to store your food or other items .
20 Down Country Roads November / December 2023