Finding Forever: The Root Family's Homebuilding Journey
The Root Family Builds Their Forever Home in Rural Ohio
At Wayne Homes, there is nothing we love more than seeing a house become a home. While we take pride in the foundations we pour and the walls we frame, the true magic happens when a family moves in and starts making memories.
Today, we are thrilled to feature the Root family, who recently completed their journey with us, building a stunning Litchfield Craftsman II.
From Living All Over to Moving Back Home
The Root family is no stranger to moving. In fact, they have lived in five different states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New York, and Arkansas. They most recently lived in a growing, urban city in Arkansas, so it was a bit of a shock to move to rural Ohio. “It’s definitely a lifestyle change. We left a rapidly growing wealthy city for rural farm life. The fast pace of the growing city was not what we had moved into 10 years ago, and it was time to get out of there,” Kara said.
Kara and Nathan Root have four children, all at different stages, but they knew they wanted to find their forever home. “It was just time. We missed being near our family. We knew that before we blink, our kids would be out on their own.” The Roots were also looking forward to being close to family in Ohio. They were married there 21 years ago, left to move around and grow their family, and now they’re excited to return.
Why Wayne?
With the location decided, the Roots needed to decide on a builder. They were familiar with Wayne Homes from exploring our website. But what really sold them was how smooth the homebuilding process was at Wayne. “We spoke to another builder, but it was going to be a lot more hands-on work, and we really didn’t have time for that. Using Wayne, it was going to be a lot easier.” We pride ourselves on providing a seamless design-build process for our homeowners, so they feel supported at every step, from the moment they first walk through our door to the moment they walk through their very own front door.
Documenting the Journey: From Dirt to Dream Home
Building a home is a marathon, not a sprint, and the Roots documented every step of their journey on their “Ohio Home Forever” Instagram account.
By capturing each milestone, they’ve created a beautiful time capsule of the entire building process.
- The First Spark: It all started at the homesite, where the vision first took shape. They even caught a double rainbow over their land during the early stages—a sign of good things to come!
- The Foundation: From the first footers to the moment framing began, the Roots shared the raw, exciting reality of construction.
- Taking Shape: Seeing the windows and doors go in is always a turning point. Suddenly, the structure starts to look like a house. For the Roots, watching the drywall and interior trim come together meant they were one step closer to their move-in date.
Building Forever: The Litchfield Craftsman II
The Root family chose the Litchfield because it had the space they needed to fit their family now, as well as not being too large for when they become empty nesters down the road. An added bonus? Extra space when family comes over. “Being that we’re near family now, we needed a large space for family gatherings,” the Roots said.
The Litchfield is a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home with 2,206 square feet of space and a 2-car garage. A full basement is included. With lots of windows for natural light and a luxurious owner’s suite with a spa-like bathroom and dual closets, the Litchfield checks a lot of boxes and makes the most of every square inch of space.
Advice from the Root Family
We always ask our homeowners if they have any advice for prospective homeowners.
The Roots said, “It’s not as scary or as hard as you may think it might be. Wayne Homes helped us every step of the way.” The Roots recommend you lean on your Field Manager to answer all your questions. “Our Field Manager, Butch, was hands down the best. He walked us through everything, answered all of my crazy questions, and was always there when we needed him.” In fact, the Roots and their Wayne Homes team incorporated a few key customizations that really made a difference in their home. “Our kids have multiple severe food allergies, so a key part was making sure we were able to vent the microwave to the outside. That way, when we’re cooking certain foods, we can vent it straight out and not worry about anyone having an airborne reaction.”
Another fun customization they made was transforming the breakfast nook into a sunroom. “It’s a little room off the kitchen with windows on two walls and a sliding door on the third. We put some comfy chairs there to sit and drink coffee in the mornings, and it’s definitely a favorite spot.”
Your “Forever” Starts Here
The Root family’s journey is a testament to what happens when great design meets personal passion. Whether you’re dreaming of a Litchfield like theirs or browsing our dozens of other floor plans, we are here to help you build your forever home.
Congratulations to the Root family on their beautiful new home! We are honored to have been a part of your story.
Inspired by the Root family? Get started on your forever home by scheduling an appointment.
About Wayne Homes
Wayne Homes is a custom homebuilder in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia (see all Model Home Centers). We offer more than 50 fully customizable floorplans and a team dedicated to providing the best experience in the home building industry. For more information, Ask Julie by Live Chat or call us at (866) 253-6807.
Disclaimer: The details of this blog are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change.
