Vicki and Tim Christensen prove you don't need an old house to replicate the ambience of a primitive lifestyle. Their 2005 home, which they had custom-built in Belding, Michigan, is thoughtfully appointed with handmade and reproduction furnishings as well as treasured family heirlooms. It's the second house they've had the fortune of constructing.
During the planning stages, Vicki was transitioning from a country scheme to a more rustic look, so she wanted to keep the new home's finishes as straightforward as possible. She started with period-correct hardwood floors and flat-panel doors and then added a neutral backdrop of beige-gray walls and homespun window treatments throughout. The millwork, originally stained,
