Home Diaries: Issue 02 - An Idaho Couple Builds Their Dream Home
December 19, 2025 | By Lucia Gagliardone
When it was time to put down permanent roots, Emilie and Sean returned home. They bought property in the town where Emilie grew up: Sandpoint, Idaho. With her 90 year old grandmother just down the road, building their house was an intergenerational affair. Decades earlier, Emilie’s parents had built their own house with the help of her father’s mechanical engineering degree and a “How to Build a House for Dummies” book. Following in their footsteps, Emilie teamed up with her now-husband Sean and her parents to craft their perfect home.
For Emilie and Sean, a place to spend quality time together was key. A few days before their wedding, they welcomed their close friends and family to their new home, a perfect toast to all of their hard work. A few days later they got married on their property, with the Ponderay River flowing steadily in the background. I spoke with Emilie as she took a walk on a crisp November day, learning about her experience building "The Hangout (V1)" from vision to execution. She and Sean built The Hangout with only a few minimal modifications.
Foundation with a view.
Wall Raising!
Foundation work at dusk.
Family break.
Emilie: We're in Sandpoint, Idaho, off the Ponderay River. We are an hour north of Coeur D'alene: there's Coeur D'alene, Lake Coeur D'alene, and then there's Lake Ponderay, and then the Ponderay River flows west into the Columbia. Sean, my husband, and I originally met in Seattle, and then moved out on the Olympic Peninsula, and we knew it wasn't our permanent spot. We were debating where to go. Sandpoint, which is where I grew up, had the strongest pull. And when we moved here, we knew we wanted to buy something, and we weren't sure if we were looking for a house or property. The house prices were high, and not really exciting; a lot of places that weren’t our style and still expensive.
So we started searching for property and this one caught our eye. It's actually in the same area that I grew up in. My grandmother is a mile and a half down the road, and she's in her 90s.
It just felt really special. It has a lot of cool rock outcroppings and Southern exposure and views of the Ponderay river. Having some sight lines and some interesting land with interesting views was something we were both really excited about.
Lucia: That's so exciting to be able to return home, but also start a new chapter of “home”. Was there anything else that motivated you to build your own home versus buying one?
Emilie building the 2nd level walls.
Emilie: My dad's a mechanical engineer by trade. My parents have built one and a half homes, largely on their own. I saw them go through the process and figure it out along the way – at the time, I think my dad was using one of those “How To Build A House for Dummies” books – just problem solving on his own. Along the way, he got really into the “Pretty Good House” movement, moving towards higher efficiency housing. So I think it was a combination of trying to save money, having seen my parents do it, and knowing that we wanted a higher quality house that led us to take it on ourselves, with help from my parents.
Lucia: An intergenerational home building experience! Honestly, that's really cool. When you and Sean were starting the process, what was your original vision?
Emilie: We browsed some plans and architecture websites and magazines. We both really liked designs with a slightly more modern look, but that feel cozy and homey and take advantage of a view. We were originally going to design our own with some inspiration, and then I was talking to a friend who went to school in Bozeman with Holly, and she said ‘you should look at Holly's website’. So we just stumbled upon Holly’s plans.
Sunny summer workday.
Building a house is hard work! 🐶
Lucia: What a great connection! Once you and Sean decided to move forward with working with Holly, what was the design process like? How did you choose your design?
Emilie: We landed on the “Hangout” and we liked a couple things. Not only is it a lovely, beautiful space, but the plan also has a vision for energy efficiency. We liked the long sight lines, two stories, the skybridge with the entryway, and we especially liked how our view is set up. You walk in our main entryway from the north, and then you're looking through the house south to the river. Our property is a little unique in that it's a way out from utilities, so we aimed to have an off-grid setup. We originally extended the house about four feet to accommodate battery space – this eventually became what we call the scullery-pantry-laundry room space, which we love.
Lucia: And you were involved in almost all of the actual construction! I’m curious: what was a positive experience from your build?
Emilie: We did almost all the framing ourselves, with help from my parents. While it was so hard, overwhelming and frustrating sometimes, it was also very rewarding. You can visually see your progress so well. Going from concrete in the ground to seeing your house take shape is really fun.
The living room takes shape.
Insulation begins as cold weather approaches.
Rainscreen installation.
The living room becomes insulated.
Mid-build celebration!!!
Lucia: It's so amazing that you were on the ground, hands-on throughout the whole process. Now that it is almost finished, can you describe your new home? How does it feel?
Emilie: It feels very warm and cozy and inviting, while still having the modern touches that we want. Building off-grid, I think a lot of people envision a small wonky cabin. But our home is a really beautiful space. It has a modern design, but we ended up doing fir floors for an old school-house touch. I love our kitchen and living room space. I've repeatedly told Sean: “I'm so happy with this kitchen”.
We have always valued having the majority of the square footage in the common space where you live most of your life and I think The Hangout does that really well. You spend time in the big, open common zone, which is so nice and inviting. Then you can tuck away in the little corners, if and when you want to.
Lucia: I love that because it speaks to a values-based process: the value of spending time together and having your “home” facilitate that.
Emilie: Totally. It was fun: we moved in the week before we had our wedding on our property. The week of our wedding, we actually hosted a handful of our friends at our house. Just having 10-15 people hanging out, making dinner in our kitchen, sitting around, eating a meal together, kids and old friends and newer friends… It was just super, super special.
Lucia: That's a beautiful anecdote. And you got married on the property! Wow, how amazing. Building on that, what does home mean to you?
Emilie: A space that you can end your day and finally relax, unwind and seek comfort. Our property has always had that promise, but when it was a work in progress, it was also really high stress, too. Now that we are finally in the space and making it our own, furnishing and decorating it, it has transitioned into that place where you're so grateful to come back from trips or at the end of a long work day and just snuggle the dog on the couch. It’s hit the spot in that regard.
Starting to make a house a home.
Exterior view - with views. Photo by Emma Grimes.
That kitchen view….
Sean & Emilie’s Front Entry. Photo by Emma Grimes.
Lucia: That sounds ideal. My last question for you is do you have any advice for other people who are thinking about building their own home?
Emilie: Early on, try your best to have both a big vision and as many of the smaller details as you can. It makes it so much easier not to readjust your course down the road.
Emilie and Sean worked hard to realize their vision, starting with a foundation of core values, a team of family, and a commitment to hands-on involvement from start to finish. After all that work, Emilie and Sean can now make dinner with friends, watch sunsets over the Ponderay river, and curl up with their dog after long days.
Their story highlights the importance of home as a vessel for quality time with loved ones and illustrates the way that a thoughtfully designed space can facilitate the special memories we all cherish.
To learn more about Hereabout Home, please visit www.hereabouthome.com/ or get in touch with Founder Holly Mumford here: hello@hereabouthome.com.
Hereabout designs ready-to-build home plans for those who desire a home they truly love. With over a decade of experience in residential design, Holly started Hereabout to bridge the gap between budget and design for those who seek a thoughtfully designed home. With a passion for design and a dedication to sustainability, she’s focused on making quality design attainable. Creating warm, livable spaces is at the root of her design philosophy, and she believes that homes are truly a space to belong and connect.
About the Author
Lucia Gagliardone is a Vermont-born, Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary dance artist and writer. Her work explores memory excavation, ancestry, queer worldviews, and play as a facilitator for change. Learn more at www.luciagagliardone.com.