Rogna Haley had long dreamed of living in a country farmhouse like her grandmother’s, but her husband, Brian, didn’t want to deal with the upkeep. Five years ago, though, the couple retired to Manly, Iowa, from the San Francisco Bay area to be closer to her family. That’s when they reached a compromise and Rogna got closer to her goal.
They bought a 1990 ranch home with a big metal barn on 4 rural acres. In turn, Brian, who prefers outdoorsy tasks, agreed Rogna could decorate however she wanted. “I’m making the inside into my old farmhouse,” she says.
A prodigious do-it-yourselfer, Rogna remade the modern-day home with a