r indoors

LIFE AT HOME

a

fter living in a

s fixer-upper that seemed to be in

a constant state of fixing up, Rachel Berger wouldn’t

have surprised anyone if she had made a beeline to

the packing boxes when her husband, Josh, suggested

they build a new house. But the thought of leaving

their brick bungalow with the stone fireplace and

“secret” paneled bookcases took time to jell. “I love

the charm and character of old homes,” Rachel says. “A new house was a

tough sell. It was really important to me that it had old bones.”

Their new home in Hugo, just north of Minnesota’s Twin Cities, evokes

the feel of an older one with built-ins, beaded board, and a floor plan that

includes a separate living room and dining room. “We loved our old home

for the fact that it had separate rooms and you didn’t feel like you could be

pounced on from any direction,” Rachel says. “Having ‘away’ space is nice.”

continued on page 40

36 NOVEMBER 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS