Maple Grove
Not many people looked twice at the old farmhouse at 8540 Quarles Road, the plain yellow two-story dwelling, which even with 2,000-plus square feet was half the size of its neighbors. But Ed Reichow is not most people. When he bought the property in 2004, he saw a blank canvas and complete creative freedom.
“The most important thing to me was to have a unique house, whether it’s old or not,” Reichow says.
Even though it’s in the middle of town, the lot is almost a full acre. Elm Creek runs through the backyard, connecting to Fish Lake, and the original barn and garage still stand. The barn–and the big oak trees in the front–are what sold Reichow on the house, he says.
Since then, Reichow, a landscape designer, has spent countless hours modernizing the house, while maintaining its old-fashioned farmhouse feel. He’s made so many improvements, in fact, that the house is the showcase for his landscaping company, Task Masters Inc., and has been featured on HGTV’s Curb Appeal and Free Style,episodes Reichow has on TiVo.
