Twelve years ago, the first thing Ed and Marisa Rudloff fell in love with when they were considering buying their current West Chester home was the view, writes Terri Akman for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Their transitional farmhouse sits on a wooded acre in a cul-de-sac and overlooks the 500-acre Stroud Preserve. The home needed work, but the potential was obvious.

So, the couple bought the property, and over the next dozen years, they turned it into their dream home.

Ed, who owns Rudloff Custom Builders in West Chester, did the bulk of the work himself. The couple, who had a three-month-old baby when they bought the house, started with cosmetic improvements, including painting and flooring.

After that, they renovated the main bathroom and finished the basement, before slowly working their way through, level by level.

The kitchen was designed by Marisa, an avid cook, for both beauty and function. Ed built an extensive coffered ceiling above the central island, and they installed an oversized hood over the stove.

And as a bonus, the home’s open concept makes it ideal for entertaining.

“This is definitely the house where people like to gather,” said Marisa.

Read more about the house in The Philadelphia Inquirer.