We Bought a Lake House

In 2022, about a year after we moved here (to Cary, North Carolina) from the mountains of Idaho, we started looking at the possibility of owning a house by the beach. By then, it had been roughly 3 years since our beloved cabin in Idaho burned down and a vacation home was still something on our bucket list. I’m a homebody, through and through, so the idea of being “home” while also away is an idea that feels like laying a warm blanket over my soul. Our home is about 2.5 hours from a lot of our favorite beaches in North Carolina and we spent many weekends narrowing down where we could see ourselves. Chris and I would send each other listings back and forth for months, but never saw a single one in person. It seems so obvious now–we belong at the Lake.

In 2024, we visited Lake Lure and shared a lake house with my parents and a couple sisters over the 4th of July. It was the most magical week of long chats on a dock and the kids splashing around in the warm, but refreshing lake. (This might sound wild to anyone from the south, but coming from Idaho, we honestly didn’t know lakes could be warm.) It was so incredibly peaceful. It was quiet. It was green. There were large trees and privacy and lots of shade. We kayaked, swam, and lingered on the dock until after dark, the fireflies lighting our walk when it was time to go back inside. On that trip, we decided to abandon our search for a beach house and start searching for a lake house.

We dreamed up a list of everything we were looking for in a lake house. We weren’t in a rush. We were looking for:

1. A waterfront lake house nestled in mature trees.
2. Large windows overlooking the view from multiple rooms in the house.
3. A cozy fireplace in the living room
4. Space for a bunk room for cousin sleepovers.
5. A peaceful dock to watch the sunrise or sunset.
6. At least 4 additional bedrooms–2 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms.
7. A kitchen opened to a gathering space
8. A screened-in porch to enjoy the outdoors even if it’s raining (and bug free at night!)
9. Space for an epic game room, with room for a pool table or ping pong table
10. A boat dock that’s at least 10 ft deep at the end to jump in!
11. And, a firepit area to top it off.

You could say our wish list was extensive, and many of you asked why we didn’t just build our dream lake house. We actually looked at a few brand new builds and although beautiful inside, the mature trees and landscaping missing on the exterior left us realizing that that item on our list was far more important than any of the details that comes with a fresh build.

That trip to Lake Lure confirmed we were lake people. Later this year, we discovered Lake Gaston—much closer to home—and instantly knew it was where we wanted to put down new roots. We found a great realtor, (Jackie Force, for any locals) who was as excited as we were about our dream lake house list. We spent a long weekend over Memorial Day at a rental and in between tubing and barbecuing, we went and saw 5 different lake houses with Jackie. A couple we loved. We even put a soft offer in on one and when the sellers countered, we didn’t feel sad at the possibility of not getting that house. We walked away.

On our second round of looking, we saw a lot of different types of houses–all on incredible land. There were some older gems that looked like really fun projects. I wanted to get my hands on so many of them. But I also know that we/I need more rest. And fun. And escape. I told Chris, “Maybe 5 years ago this would have been perfect…” We weren’t looking for a huge project house. I wanted to redecorate. Reconfigure some cabinetry. Add some wallpaper and trim. I didn’t realize until then I might not have it in me to knock down another wall.

When we drove down a long, tree-lined gravel driveway to the third house we were seeing that day, we both felt it at once. It felt like house love at first sight. The exterior was quaint and cottage-like, a Dutch Colonial with a gambrel roof that looked straight out of a storybook, perched quietly in its own little cove just off the main lake. Inside, you could feel the warmth of a home that had been well-loved. The style leaned a little shabby-chic, but underneath were all the traditional bones I adore. Tall windows framed the water in the living room, and upstairs, the primary bedroom’s oversized bed was overlooking the water as well.

One by one, we started checking off our dream list. Fireplace—check. A bedroom with 2 triple bunks—the girls will faint! Rooms with lake views—check. And then we walked down to the water and saw the double-story dock with its gate swinging open over the deep end, begging for cannonballs. And actual swings below.

We didn’t even have to say it out loud—we knew we’d found our lake house. We put in an offer that day and closed last week, a month later.

The family had moved to the beach for their next adventure, so everything was included in the sale, from the furniture to the sheets, plates, and even a boat and jet ski. It was a wonderful feeling knowing we could start enjoying the lake house right away, while we took our time to figure out how we wanted to make it ours.

Over our first weekend there as a family, we took the boat out for a spin and jumped off of the dock at least 27 times. We taught the girls how to play Wacky 6 and we played so many rounds of that—I’m still sorting cards in my sleep. We tried out every bed in the house (there’s 6 in the bunk room, and 5 others all with en suite bathrooms. Pinch me.).

We played hide and seek in the entire house, which is actually an amazing way to get to know a house and see what’s in every nook and cranny. We checked out the local grocery store and restaurants. We located the nearest hardware store and made a few lists of what we wanted to bring up next time, but also left a lot behind when we left. I never knew how good it would feel to not clean out a pantry full of snacks or to leave my toothpaste, charger and a slew of extra condiments at a second location. It’s ours! We get to come back!

I’ve always said that our homes are a member of our family. They grow with us. They evolve. They change. They are the backdrop to so many memories and celebrations and at times, grief and trial. And every house with a story deserves a name. When we thought about what we wanted this house to be, the word merry kept coming up—joyful, lighthearted, full of gatherings. And more felt like the perfect companion—more time together, more sunsets, more memories.

And so, Merrimore was born. This is just the beginning of Merrimore House’s chapter. It’s going to take time for us to define the updates and changes we want to make, but promise to share all the joy it brings in the in between. And that warm blanket-over-the-soul feeling? Merrimore is already giving us that in spades.