LorainRenovation Oberlin, OH

On a thirteen-acre farm, this split-level house had been our clients’ home for more than 42 years, centered on working the land, canning and baking. It had not been touched since it was built in 1969. They wanted a brighter, more welcoming space that was still easy on the eyes, as both were sensitive to light.

We planned the remodel in two phases, starting with the main level. We selected recessed fixtures set deep to keep glare down, and every light was on a dimmer, so a room could be as bright or as soft as the moment called for. The finishes were chosen as much for how they soften light as for how they wear: warm oak flooring, leathered quartzite countertops, matte painted cabinets, satin hardware and opaque glass.

The kitchen was reworked for two people who loved to cook. We removed the upper cabinets over the peninsula to open the room, then added leather counter stools so guests could gather while our clients cooked. An underused hallway leading to the powder room became a pantry. For everyday meals, we designed a custom breakfast table, paired with our clients’ antique farm chairs, refinished and reupholstered.

The second phase moved on to the family room, bedrooms and bathrooms. It also uncovered the real problem: the family room ceiling, which carried the floor above, rested on a single beam and a three-inch pole. We had it reinforced. Rather than hide the new structure, we made it part of the room, cladding the beams and column in red oak to match the custom millwork designed to surround the fireplace, faced in handmade brick tile.

Upstairs, the main bathroom was paneled in vertical shiplap, and we planned the boards so that every fixture and accessory landed perfectly centered on one. Its countertop was red oak, made by Amish craftsmen. The compact primary bathroom gained pull-out storage, and a mural of trees gave the small room depth. Downstairs, an unused closet gave the guest bath room for a more spacious shower.

The house our clients had loved for so long was finally as comfortable as it deserved to be. Their words for it were “timeless and elegant.”