Ann and Bruce Bax trade their family home for a cozy residence with stunning views.

For Ann and Bruce Bax, the ideal morning starts slowly. They wake up, brew some coffee, and meander to the edge of their property. There, they spend a couple of hours under a pergola in two cushioned patio chairs, angled to face each other and a stunning view of the Missouri River. Sometimes, they chat, read the paper, or share devotionals. Often, they sit in silence and soak in the natural scenery.

This view of the river strikes a personal chord for Ann, whose father grew up along the Missouri River bottoms. He passed away a year and a half ago, but he had many opportunities to enjoy the scenery at their Boonville Road home where Ann and Bruce have lived for about three years.

“My dad was almost 90 when we moved here, but we loved to sit in the backyard, watch the river, and listen to his stories about growing up in the bottoms. The river was his family’s friend, but they also got flooded out many, many times and finally moved to higher ground on Boonville Road. Bruce’s first family home was also on Boonville Road. The area has so much meaning to our family, and it is beautiful and very peaceful.”

Family is everything to the Baxes, and that value is evident throughout their home. The decor is rife with family photos, and consideration for their growing family is wrapped into the very design of the home. The stout, solid wood coffee table isn’t just a statement piece for the living room; it’s also sturdy enough to support multiple grandkids as they perform choreographed dances for the family — a regular occurrence.

“It’s their stage,” Bruce says.

The open space concept not only fluidly connects the chic entry sitting rooms, spacious kitchen, dining room, and elegant living room but also allows plenty of room for Bruce and the grandkids to play catch on rainy days.

“I move that out of the way,” Ann says, pointing to a clay vase perched on the coffee table, “and there’s really nothing they can break. Our grandkids are our world, and we love for them to be here.”

Despite the kid-friendly considerations, the home screams elegance and style. With the help of her daughter, Haley, and Julie Lale with Major Interiors, Ann designed much of the house herself through intentional remodels that enhanced the property without stripping the home’s character. The refined vintage-style sconces in the bathrooms, modern tilework in each shower, and iconic wallpaper in the half bathroom, for example, are all ideas from Ann’s Pinterest board. On the other hand, the wide-slatted, rustic wood floor throughout the rest of the home and the open floor plan are all courtesy of the home’s previous homeowner.

The Baxes decorated each room with striking ceramic artwork, family photos, and plants. Walls of river-facing windows in the living room and master bedroom let in plenty of natural light and make the blufftop view a common thread throughout the space.

“It’s almost like the outside is inside, with all the windows,” Ann says.

The windows even provide an ideal wildlife viewing spot. When they first moved in, Ann gifted Bruce a telescope for this very purpose.

“I can see eagles across the river,” Bruce says. “You’ll see them gliding through the river. Then all of a sudden, they’ll circle around and come right into these trees (in the backyard). I watched one for about two hours in that tree over there.”

The intentional, nature-forward design extends to the show-stopping backyard where the Baxes love to entertain friends and family. Built onto the edge of the bluff, the yard is deceptively expansive. The open sitting area is anchored by a larger-than-life fireplace that towers over a sprawling stone patio. The connecting flower-lined stone path leads back to the pergola where the Baxes enjoy spending their mornings and showing guests the expansive view of the river.

“It’s a great gathering space, and it really does make you keenly aware and thankful for God’s blessings in our lives,” Ann says.

Next to the pool is a beautiful cabana, fitted with oak wood furnishings and an outdoor TV. Here, the Baxes love to wind down with evening cocktails as they watch the sun set.

The Baxes have found their perfect home, but getting here was a meaningful transition. When they moved in, they had to leave the memory-filled home where they raised their children, developed life-long friendships, and had cut their square footage nearly in half.

“We had to be very vigilant about purging when we moved, but that was good for us,” Ann says. “It’s been fun to put our own touches on it and make it feel like home to us; it’s a good place to slow down and just enjoy life.”