This 1886 Washington Farmhouse Doubles as a Wedding Venue

When family members spread out across the country, a house swap can be a lot more than a vacation — it becomes a way to close the gap, physically and emotionally. Tori and Rick, whose 1886 farmhouse in Washington has raised generations, faced this very challenge when their kids moved out to start their own families. They did not know at the time that a home exchange website could become a tool in reconnecting them. What started as a reluctant move into an old saltbox house evolved into a deeply personal renovation — and a journey into a shared living experience that has kept the house’s legacy alive. From weddings on the lawn to memories across time zones, their Kindred story shows the power of an open door policy.

The Original Home & Family Story

Rick Hansons’s initial interest in the farmhouse was purely practical. Rick, a builder, had purchased the 10-acre property in 2000 primarily to secure a drain field for a nearby lot he owned in Snohomish, Washington. He tried to sell the little house situated on the property a handful of times, but to no avail. Then, he asked his wife Tori to take a look at it. “It was a saltbox house—like the kind kids draw if they were asked to,” Tori recalls. “I remember thinking, people dream about a house like this.” Before long, they moved in with their kids, Ellie and Joel, and made it their family home. But there was one stipulation.

The Hansons purchased the home from Joe and Linda Knight, pastors of The Rock Church Northwest in Monroe. “The people who sold us the house were very clear about what the house meant to them,” says Tori. “They told us that the house was a place where people were meant to be loved and restored, and they asked if we could uphold that tradition as its new owners.”

Built in 1886, the home had been granted the nickname “Cowboy Church,” because the pastors would preach on horseback from a rodeo pen they had on the property. The land and the house had been known locally as a gathering place where the door was always left open. Rick and Tori agreed to take on the stewardship of the home and its mission, and they never looked back. In March of 2000, the pastors died in a plane crash while coming back to the States from serving a mission in Mexico.

The Renovation Journey

For 15 years, Rick resisted remodeling, but the house was leading them in a new direction, literally. Ellie says she was in high school when an inspector once noted that the house was four inches out of level, leaning off to the side. Eventually, the family moved into the mother-in-law unit on the property and began the renovation.

Rick salvaged 200-year-old pieces of wood for beams, kitchen shelving, and the barn doors that now flank the dining room. “My dad believes in the quality of good wood,” Ellie says. They preserved original features like the wood ceilings and even uncovered an old wall from the 1886 structure. Rick did a lot of the work himself, with a team of subcontractors.

As they peeled back more layers, they discovered more stories that the house had been hiding in its walls, like a note dated September 5, 1991, written by a missionary woman who lived there with her daughter. They also inherited a 100-year-old altar and papers from vacation bible school dating back to the 1940s, as well as pennies from those same years.

As they learned more about the house and its former occupants, discovering its legacy brick by brick, the original mission came into sharp focus.

“We have always felt that the farmhouse wasn't just meant for us,” Tori says. “We treated it like that from the minute we got into it — friends and family members were always tracking in and out.”

Design Goals

Tori and Rick didn’t hire a designer. Instead, they let the home lead. According to Tori, “Rick would ask, ‘What is the house giving us? What can we work with?’” The couple peeled back the sheetrock and discovered not just history, but a design ethos: Use real materials, preserve the bones, let it be lived in.

The farmhouse today is rich in texture. From the blue palomino countertops in the kitchen to stone wall accents using the original brick excavated during the renovation, the materials echo both quality and purpose. When asked what feeling she wanted each room to evoke, Tori didn’t hesitate: “Restoration and relaxation. We want people to feel they can breathe here.”

And even with the major renovations behind them, Tori still feels like she’s hearing from the house. “Some mornings, I look at the wood ceilings in the bedroom and I discover something new about the grain every time.”

The Wedding Years

The farmhouse has been more than a home — it’s been a venue and silent participant in milestone moments. Joel and his wife, Emily, danced in the newly remodeled barn beneath a strawberry moon at their wedding. Ellie’s wedding reception took place on the lawn during a golden summer sunset. Ellie even got ready for the big night in her childhood bedroom, which Tori says has the most magical light that filters through the windows.

When Tori looks around the home today, she can quickly conjure up those memories in corners of the property. “At both weddings, the house just felt like another family member in attendance,” she says. And with their first grandchild, Millie, in the world and Ellie pregnant with her second, the Hansons are finding new ways to add their own family history to the house. “Millie goes out to the barn to have barn dances when she’s here and we just love it,” Tori says.

The Decision to Join Kindred

When Ellie introduced her parents to Kindred, the Hansons immediately saw the possibilities. “It is an extension of the legacy that we are working to preserve for the house,” Tori says. “We love to share our home with the Kindred community and to continue to ensure it’s a place of restoration for everyone who passes through its doors.” And Kindred’s encouragement of sending thank you notes has been something that she and Rick appreciate greatly. “The Kindred community is so thankful and warm,” she shares.

Tori also notes that with Kindred’s 1:1 approach as a house stay website, everyone has skin in the game. If Tori had any concerns about house swapping, it was quickly dissolved. “The concierge team does everything they can to make it easy,” Tori says. “There’s never been an issue that goes unaddressed.”

Also, there are key elements of a Kindred stay that bring the luxury touch of a hotel into each and every visit. With complimentary linens and scheduled, vetted cleaners, there is a Kindred standard that means you know what you can expect while you await the unexpected adventures that your visit will no doubt bring.

Plus, the affordability of Kindred means that anyone and everyone can travel. “It’s so equitable that someone who has a studio apartment in New York can stay at our family’s farmhouse in Washington so easily,” Ellie says.

Memorable Kindred Moments

Being able to house swap through Kindred means that Tori’s also done a lot of memorable traveling. One of her favorite destinations is New York, where they often use Kindred to house swap near Ellie’s apartment in Harlem.

“I feel so grateful for Kindred because it’s let me be a neighbor to Ellie and her family, even though we live in Washington,” Tori says. “I know Millie’s favorite playground and where she goes to school because I’m able to easily stay close by.”

When Ellie first brought Millie home, Tori cooked for her and helped look after Millie when Ellie needed some rest. When we chatted for this story, Tori was back in New York staying with Kindred to be local for Millie’s third birthday. “There’s no way a hotel can do all of this,” she says.

As far as what’s next, the Hansons are excited for many more Kindred stays to come. “Kindred lets us dream,” Tori says. Ellie chimes in: “I love that we use it as a way to connect our family that is so spread apart. Whenever we see a house that has enough bedrooms, we bookmark it for a future trip. It’s such an amazing thing to keep in the family group chat.”

For anyone hesitant to try a home swap, Tori offers this: “Just let yourself try it. Kindred makes it easy. The cleaning, the insurance, the community—it all sets a standard you can trust.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kindred?

Kindred is a trusted home exchange website that allows verified members to swap homes with like-minded travelers. Unlike traditional short-term vacation rentals, Kindred is built on mutual trust, community values, and a shared appreciation for beautifully lived-in spaces.

How does a house swap with Kindred work?

A house swap on Kindred is simple: Members list their home, find other Kindred hosts in cities they’d love to visit, and exchange stays — either simultaneously or flexibly, using credits. It’s an ideal solution for travelers who want comfort, character, and connection without the high costs of hotels or short-term rentals.