6 minute read
Housley home
Spacious on inside, outside
Housleys home has plenty of personal touches
Advertisement
After living in the woods by Fort Gibson Lake for several years, Chris and Vicki Housley have found a wide open space to be far more manageable.
The Housleys live in a three bedroom-plus house on the flatlands east of Fort Gibson.
“I like being in an open area,” Vicki Housley said. “We lived in a long cabin at Fort Gibson Lake. It was 10 acres. But the house was built in the 1980s, and there was a lot of upkeep. Trees were falling all the time and it was a lot of work. We decided we needed to build a house. This is more manageable.”
Cody Deatherage of Fort Gibson custom-built the house in 2020.
By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by ChriS CuMMingS
Chris and Vicki Housley’s house east of Fort Gibson features enough garage space for six cars. But Chris Housley uses one bay for his woodworking shop.
Vicki and Chris Housley enjoy their spacious house with their two Boston terriers, Roxi and Lexi.
“He worked with us really well,” she said. “We showed them our plans and he just accepted everything. He was very easy to work with.”
The Housleys, who are retired from the oil business, moved into the house with their two Boston terriers, Roxi and Lexi, in 2021.
A front porch gives the couple ample view of their surroundings. They can see the OG&E power plant from their front yard.
The house’s interior is as spacious and open as their property.
A vaulted ceiling caps the main living area and kitchen.
Flat gray stones rise two stories from an electric fireplace.
“I wanted it to go all the way to the top,” Vicki said.
Chris Housley did the floating
shelves and cabinets on each side of the fireplace, as well as the end tables in the living room. His handiwork can be seen throughout the house.
“It’s just a hobby,” he said.
The Housleys said nearly all their newer furniture comes from Sutherlands Furniture Gallery.
A wet bar by the kitchen features a sink, beverage chiller and KitchenAid ice maker. That’s also where they keep the coffeepot.
Granite countertops are throughout the house.
Twin Oaks Custom Cabinets in Neosho, Missouri, made the custom cabinetry in the kitchen.
“They did an amazing job,” Vicki said. “We have all these pullouts.”
The Housleys keep trays, pads and other flat items in the pullout shelves.
A Cafe’ induction cooktop speeds cooking.
“You can boil water in two minutes,” Chris said.
TOP: A formal dining room can accommodate 10 people.
BELOW: Chris Housley crafted the floating shelves and cabinets in the living room, as well as the end tables.
ABOVE: Lexi and Roxi, two Boston terriers, wait outside the Housley’s sunroom, which has a vaulted ceiling.
LEFT: The master bathroom features his and her sinks, a vanity and a bathtub built for two.
The microwave/convection oven is wide enough for a pizza.
Below, an oven features “French doors” that open out instead of down.
A four-panel sliding glass door opens wide onto the back sunroom, which also has a vaulted ceiling. Windows surround sides. Chris carved the wooden toy boats hanging on one wall.
An office features Chris Housley’s rich custom cabinet work. One cabinet lowers into a Murphy bed for extra company.
“This was a bedroom in the original plans, but we wanted an office,” Vicki said. “We have a lot of grandkids.”
One closet features the wires and controls of the house’s entertainment system.
“We have music here, in our bedroom, in the sunroom,” Chris said.
Two bedrooms, joined by a Jackand-Jill bathroom, are on one side of the house.
A master bathroom features his and her sinks, divided by a lowered counter for a vanity.
The bathtub is wide enough for two.
“We do take baths in there together,” Chris said. “It’s nice to just sit in there and have a glass of wine, turn on the jets and just sit and relax.”
Vicki and Chris each have a walk-in closet. Her closet features a full-length mirror and four hangar rods that can be lowered. His closet features a cabinet that he made.
An upstairs loft can be a play area, a bedroom or both. There are four beds and a sitting area.
“They can play games up here or watch TV and they just hang out up
A vaulted ceiling gives people on the second floor a commanding view of the living room,
You’reYou’re nevernever a a “small“small fish”fish” at at Mabrey.Mabrey.
The kitchen features an island for dining and a glimpse into a second-floor window.
here,” Vicki said.
The second floor also has a full bath. A walk-in closet, lined with shelves, is large enough to be a bedroom.
A small window overlooks the living room. Iron bars help keep the windows clean. Vicki said the youngsters like to tap on the glass and wave at anyone below.
“And I’m like, ‘don’t touch the glass,’” she said. “I put up the bars so I don’t have to worry about the grandkids busting through there.”
A laundry room has a shelf and sink. A tiny mudroom by the garages, more like a nook, features a seat, bins and coat hooks.
The house has two one-car garages and two two-car garages.
Chris said his garage originally was the boat garage.
“Now I just park my truck and the golf cart in it,” he said. A smaller garage serves as his wood shop. He keeps cabinets and pegboards along one wall, and stores different size boards along the other.
Vicki’s vehicle and two Sea-Doos are in the other large garage.
A fence surrounds the backyard to help keep Lexi and Roxi safe at home. The property goes beyond the fence.
“We put motion lights around the corners, so that even when they go out there at night, I can see them,” she said. “There’s been people who have lost dogs to coyotes. We’ve never had trouble here, but I keep an eye on them.”
TOP: A second floor loft serves as a sleeping area and a lounging area.
LEFT: Stairs lead up to a second-floor loft.
— vicki housley
