Jennifer and Glen Horowitz were ready for a quiet life in the country. With visions of a luxury farmhouse and views for miles dancing in their heads, they began to search for the perfect home.
“We were told what we wanted simply did not exist,” Jennifer said. Undeterred, they put alerts for new properties on their phones, kept searching, and their patience paid off. Little did they imagine just how much it would pay off!
They were the first to see a listing for a little over 56 acres south of Whitesboro, and they fell in love with it. There was a 2,000-square foot guest house on the property and so much more that the listing details didn’t include, like a spring-fed creek, two seasonal creeks, a grove of Osage trees over 200 years old, 100 pecan trees, rolling hills, and flora and fauna that predates the pioneers. “We bought the land from descendants of the original owners who settled it in the 1800s,” Jennifer said. “They came from Missouri in a covered wagon, and there are still pieces of that original wagon here. This is the last acreage of the original property, and it had been untouched for ten years. A neighbor was running cattle on it.”
The luxury farmhouse took only six months from start to finish because the couple had been in the build and design industry for years. Jennifer started showcasing their progress on her personal Instagram account. To say she has a passion for design is putting it mildly, as Jennifer could give Joanna Gaines a run for her money.
“We didn’t want a lot of walls,” Jennifer said. “The only thing looking in the windows are our cows. Nature is our artwork out here. The seasons revolve around our wildlife. Now it’s mud swallow season. I probably have 40 on my back porch in the morning. Everything was built and designed to be intentional and functional, but I also tried to make it beautiful.”
That common sense and practical design are seen everywhere. “Small design elements played into the aesthetics,” Jennifer said. “The laundry room, for instance, has two washers and dryers and a built-in kennel for our three dogs. Underneath the laundry room sink, a decorative curtain hides the cat box.”
The 3,737-square-foot luxury farmhouse has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder bath, and a two-story library. When the farmhouse was finished, Jennifer was not. She turned the original guest house into an Airbnb rental. Then she decided they needed a chapel.
“I loved the Sheryl Crow’s chapel on her property in Nashville,” Jennifer said. “I told Glen I would love to have a family chapel, a she-shed. I wanted to see it from the front porch, and there was a perfect spot where a 200-year-old tree splits off three ways. It had to be here. A bridge is behind the chapel, and we built a swing hanging from the tree. I happened to find the pews online. The people we purchased them from had seen our story on Instagram and hand-delivered them. The interesting thing is our road is named Old Church Road because it had a church on it long ago, and they used our creek for baptisms.”
Of course, the chapel for Jennifer meant Glen had to have a he-shed. So Osage Hall was created.” I wanted it to be like Ralph Lauren, relaxed luxury,” Jennifer said. “This is an equestrian farm. It’s not a ranch. You can be in your jeans with your boots up but still drinking out of a crysta glassl.”
As Jennifer was creating and designing, a lady reached out to her on Instagram. “She said we should have a lifestyle and decor account. This was all new to me. I had no idea, but she had been following me and guided me.” Jennifer created the appropriate account and named it Thornbridge Hill Estate. The response was sensational. That quiet country life took an unexpected turn. She now has over 49 thousand followers and a thriving business.
“A YouTube influencer contacted us through Instagram and asked to use our chapel for her wedding, Jennifer said. Then Melissa Joan Hart’s husband saw our pool on Instagram and said, ‘We need this house!’” The property became an Instagram sensation with a celebrity following, and suddenly everyone wanted to get married at Thornbridge Hill Estates. Osage Hall became the perfect place to host a reception. The next obvious must-have was the helicopter landing pad.
Of course, photographers and magazines like Better Homes and Gardens and Country Home took note. So did film commissions. Great American Channels TV just filmed their Christmas special at this luxury farmhouse. Cody Jinks, the country music star, filmed his Hurt You video in the chapel, grounds, and equestrian barn. The guest cottage has been a sanctuary for professional athletes, politicians, and celebrities. “We have families who book for reunions and every holiday,” Jennifer said. “They love the peacefulness here. We’ve hosted events, and restaurants have done pop-up dinners here. It’s also an excellent place for business. Glen is a business broker now, and a great deal of confidentiality is involved in that industry. Someone can fly in on a helicopter, have a meeting in complete privacy, fly out, and no one will ever know.”
This land spoke to Jennifer. She is part Hawaiian, and an essential part of Hawaiian culture is the responsibility to care for and preserve land for future generations. ”The land is not yours,” Jennifer said. “You must share it. We knew whatever we did we would endeavor to preserve history and the story of the land. You can do as much or as little as you want here. You can have cattle grazing, an equestrian farm, or do what we’ve done and have a full business. It was a gift to find this land and a gift to share it. Whoever gets it next, I hope they continue to share it. We feel like it’s a little piece of heaven.”
Douglas Elliman’s Victor Vo has this Instagram-famous luxury farmhouse at 608 Old Center Church Road listed for $5.5 million.
