An Enchanting, Magical Place to Live

The Knowltons moved to the New River Valley the same year that General Motors launched the first electric car and Mariah Carey topped the charts with “Always Be My Baby” and “One Sweet Day” ~ 1996. The following spring they purchased a 2-story Cape-style house with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, full basement and 2-car garage on three acres. 

“Terry loved the house because of the small acreage, flat yard and accessibility to work,” Sandra explains. “I liked the tree-lined driveway, and it’s a pretty house with hardwood floors.  I always wanted a Victorian, but after an exhausting search with three young children, we were more than ready to settle down.”

 

Vision, Skills and Motivation

 

While the couple did not do many renovations the first few years, they brought with them the skills and creativity to transform every room and the entire outdoors. “Terry is self-taught in woodworking, construction, welding and blacksmithing,” Sandra says. He has always loved mythical and magical themes, while she comes from a gardening family which “grew vegetables out of necessity and flowers for their beauty.” 

Once married, they spent their free time at craft festivals, antique shows, salvage stores and exploring quaint towns. “We bought several pieces of small art, but most of our outings gave us ideas and inspired us to make something of our own.” Sandra recalls in their first home asking Terry to make a kitchen table with leaves cut in the corners. “Another time, we went to St. Augustine, Fla., and after seeing beautiful Victorian homes, we returned inspired to replace all our porch railings with colorful detail railings instead of standard straight wood pieces.”

Their complementary skills, vision and innovation have spawned dozens if not hundreds of home projects. “Most changes came out of desire, cost and necessity. For example, we had a broken glass and gold fireplace door. After looking at replacements,” Sandra explains, “we decided to make our own.  I traced a picture of fairies on a piece of metal, and Terry cut it out and added trees on each side for a beautiful one-of-a-kind fireplace screen. That blossomed into more functional iron art pieces including a metal tree handrail going up the stairs.”

 

 

 

The Team Approach

 

The Knowltons work on everything together. Today’s charming, whimsical, ultra-inviting backyard was originally a blank space with a concrete patio and walkway in the hot sun. When she suggested a pergola, Terry decided to craft it from metal. He hand forged whimsical corner pieces, then made a screen on one side in the form of a tree. Sandra traced about 50 of two kinds of leaves on metal for Terry to cut, heat and shape, adding stems. Sandra painted everything, and together they spent an afternoon welding them in some unique pattern that struck their fancy at the moment. Planting wisteria provided shade over the top in a year or two.

Sandra can draw a picture of what she wants for new cabinets, bed frames (wood or iron), dining room table, light fixtures, gates and other things, indoors and outside. “Furniture is expensive, and Terry makes things with high quality to fit our spaces with less cost,” she shares.

Sometimes, he even over-creates. “We needed a tool shed, and I decided to make it whimsical to fit in with our look,” Terry explains. “We loaded it with tools, then decided it was too nice. We removed all the tools, added windows, comfy furniture and an old wood stove. Now, we enjoy a fire in our cozy little shed on cold winter days!”

Terry is the construction powerhouse behind the gardens and home. “We design most things together. I assist him with labor, color, plants and decor to complement his work and pull it all together. I am the gardener, and he tills for me and has created trellises and plant holders, along with several water fountains and the beautiful fence and gate entering the vegetable garden area.”

 

Retirement Arrives 

 

Sandra left her job in 2019 to care for one of their sons, and Terry retired from the Virginia State Police a year later. “We have more time to enjoy the garden and sitting areas, but we have also been remodeling bathrooms and adding to the outdoor spaces while enjoying the freedom that comes with retirement,” Sandra declares.  

“We have more projects, and we know some day there will be another family here to take our place. The house can be repainted and the furniture replaced, but I hope that with our gardens, we have made it just a little more magical for the next owners to enjoy.”