Inside A Progressive (Fancy) Amish Home (21 Photos)
I landed on the adjective “fancy” to describe this home, and I think you’ll see why once we look inside. It’s not the fanciest of all Amish homes we’ve looked at here (that would be this one). But there are a lot of things here which give the home a sumptuous feel (at least by Amish norms).
This one is in the Munfordville, Kentucky settlement, the state’s largest. Here’s the fairly extensive description/sales pitch via Zillow:
Have you ever had the thought (I’m going off-grid!) Well, this is your chance. Located at the end of a dead-end rd., sits 26 acres that contains a Beautiful Home. Amish owned and remodeled, this home has solar for its power, wood for its heat, and propane for everything else! Containing 5 bedrooms and 2 baths, this home is ready for a large family!
Deer/Turkey/Raccoons have all been harvested from this property and a permanent hunting blind is located at the back of the property with a plot to gather them in has been planted just down the hill. The property has a huge garage (with basement) and a large barn with containing a hayloft and 6 stalls. Each major building contains its own solar system and concrete foundations.
Description continued:
This home is immaculate. It has a massive utility room, gigantic kitchen/ with open concept living room, with bathroom in between, 5 bedrooms around a central hub that has access to a bathroom down a short hallway. Hardwood, stained concrete, tile, and vinyl planks make up the flooring throughout the home. Both bathrooms completely wrapped in wood planks to give you that cabin feel. Each room has a solar powered plug and a car power port. Let the pictures speak for themselves!
So right there you see off that the home has a solar power system, to the extent that each room is set up with an outlet and power port. Not typical for the Amish, but this is an example of the direction in which things are going in some places. And for anyone perhaps questioning whether this is in fact an Amish place, here’s a quick look at the family’s collection of vehicles in the garage:
Back to the description:
Oh and a 1 year home warranty is offered with the purchase of this home. This farm is set up to be almost fully self sufficient. A 40 x 60 Garage with full length awning, walkout basement, concrete floors (w/ drains) and two garage doors and space to add a 3rd. It has water and propane gas lines ran and a on demand water heater.
A full barn with 6 stalls, concrete gangway, hayloft that contains a dovecote, solar and water. A two-room chicken coop with fenced yards to keep two separate flocks. A pigsty with loading ramp attached to the shelter. Multiple storage buildings including a shed to store larger farm implements. The back of the farm has a permanent hunting blind that is on a 15-ft platform right beside a feed plot. The whole property is fenced/cross fenced with woven wire and has gates throughout. Also, every pasture has a source of water whether it be the pond/hydrant/automatic waterers.
There aren’t many photos of the kitchen or living room areas in this listing, but we do have one of the kitchen. This room is one of the plainer-looking ones in the home.
Bedrooms
You see the fancier elements here when you look at the bathrooms and the bedrooms. This style feels very “rural modern” if there is such a thing.
Same here. You do have a classic Amish quilt and some more commercial blankets on top. The entire home is spic-and-span and very inviting. Certain elements do feel “Amish”, such as the curtains in this room.
And younger children’s room.
Bathrooms
I often don’t include the bathroom pics in these listings, but these are some of the coziest bathrooms I’ve seen in an Amish home, at least. If you can call a bathroom “cozy”.
Not a “typical Amish” style here. Note two things here. The classic gas mantle light at top left. Below it though, you see a little lamp plugged into an outlet. So there you can see what the description is referring to. In this home, you can plug in electric appliances throughout the home.
This bathroom actually has the feel of a sauna. The lights you see may very well be hooked up to the same solar system as described above. Not too different from an English home at this point.
Interesting light here in this second bathroom as well. And English-style rustic Western decor.
Utility/power area
So, seems we’re looking at a bank of batteries here, but I’m not exactly sure which kind. More progressive Amish will use a battery-inverter combo to be able to power certain plug-in appliances, such as lights and chargers. This would be the home’s “power center” where what’s collected by the solar panels is stored.
Technically off the grid, but…a pretty sure mark of a progressive home. There are the so-called “electric New Order” Amish churches, a very small number of Amish who do use public grid electricity. But this is not that.
Other spaces
Here we have a very spacious garage area which is most likely where this family holds church services when their turn comes around. The classic mantle lights also would fit that idea. Amish homes which veer more progressive tend to still retain elements of the more plain lifestyle, especially in the more common areas where church and community visitors would be likely to congregate. Call it a nod to tradition in a semi-public part of the home.
Some tail trophies. The description advertises the place as good for hunting.
And here’s that hunting stand mentioned in the description.
Looking in the horse barn we can spot a basketball hoop.
And finally, a peek inside a closet. We see coats and what might be a weed-whacker. At bottom you’ll see the outlets with the cord leading to the standing lamp.
So as I told you in the title, not a plain Amish home here. In that sense it is going to probably be more attractive to more potential English buyers, which only makes sense.
So as for the price. The home is 3,164 square feet with five bedrooms and two bathrooms. Multiple additional structures on a 26-acre lot. You’d expect this home to have a pretty decent price tag given the quality of the home, the additional buildings and the size of the property.
This property is on the market now for $719,000. The people listed as agents are Bobby Stephens and Kathy Tomblin of United Country Down Home Properties. How did you like this home?
Picture perfect
This is how I picture all the Amish houses to be like, when I read Amish Romance Novels. Everything about this house is picture perfect. Whoever renovated the bathrooms is very talented! Amazing, good work! I hope more Amish Ordnungs will allow the upgraded comforts. Sadly, the (fair?) prize reflects its status and might be out of reach for the younger Amish generation.
Beautiful Kitchen!
One of the loveliest kitchens ever, I love all the wood.
Was the home Amish built, or just Amish owned?
When viewing the photos of homes on Zillow, it’s good to keep in mind that many realtors (at least in the area I live) “stage” the photos digitally, ie removing items, adding wall art and even adding virtual furniture. The listings sometimes note “digitally staged,” but I don’t know if it’s required to disclose.
So it says it was “Amish owned and remodeled” and “Major remodel year” was 2018.
Interesting about the digitally staged aspect. Regardless of whether some items were added here, it still has a progressive aspect on the whole. But nice to know about that digital tactic, I will keep my eyes open for it. I don’t recall ever seeing something that felt “off” or fake which I would guess with a careful eye could be detected.
Digital Staging
I’ve found that when furniture is added, for example a virtual dining room table and chairs in a house that is empty when photographed for the listing, it can be spotted. Difficult to impossible to discern when pictures on a wall are erased, added, or altered.
The Munfordville community, I believe it is a daughter settlement of Geauga, as of April 2021 had 20 church districts and approximately 480 families. I agree with your choice of the word fancy Erik. This is definitely more fancy/upscale than the houses we usually see here. During my recent visit to Holmes County I noticed a few Amish homes that, on the outside, reminded me of the fancy Geauga home that you added the link too. While homes like this may never be the typical Amish home I think that as time goes on they will become more common, especially in bigger, more prosperous settlements. It still surprises me that Amish would spend so much on making their homes look so unnecessarily fancy instead of putting that money back into the church, but hey the Amish are just people like the rest of us.
That’s right it is a daughter settlement of Geauga Co. I think you might be right about seeing more homes like this in bigger and more prosperous places.
Weed Whacker
I think the weed whacker looking thing might be a mop – one of those floor mops with the liquid dispenser.
Vacuum
Not a weed whacker and not quite a mop, I believe it’s a makita battery powered vacuum, I have one just like it.
I found the interior window in the hallway is a curious feature?
Thanks for the idea on what it is, I was taking a stab at it. Looks handy – and also fits this more progressive home.
As for the window, I wonder if that doesn’t reflect an addition. The description says the home was remodeled.
FANCY HOUSE
LOVE THE HOUSE ALL LARGE ROOMS AND THE BATHS.. I DON’T REALLY HAVE USE FOR THE OUT BUILDINGS. I WAS SURPRISED WE DIDN’T SEE AND CANNING PUT UP. OR A STORAGE ROOM FOR FOOD. IF I COULD AND THE AMISH WOULD ACCEPT ME I WOULD BUY THIS IS A HEART BEAT. THANKS FOR SHARING. I WONDER IF ONE HAD THE LAND WHAT THE AMISH WOULD CHARGE TO BUILD ME A HOME LIKE THIS ONE
Power Source Batteries in Photo
I am curious about the brand and type of batteries they are using for the home power shown in the picture.
Thank you,
David