luxury living

LuxuryLiving

RENOVATIONS

Making a Splash

Extensive remodel turns dated Bexley home into a paragon of family togetherness

By Garth Bishop

Photos courtesy of The Cleary Company

Its location made visiting family members convenient, and it had a swimming pool.

Those were the main criteria that attracted Mike and Marta Foster to their new house in Bexley. The rest of the house, as it existed then? Not so much.

The Fosters came prepared with some fairly extensive home remodeling experience and professionals at The Cleary Company to assist. Today, the home bears almost no resemblance to its former self, and it checks every box the homeowners could have wanted.

Nashville natives, the Fosters targeted central Ohio after both of their children and their families ended up in Bexley for career reasons. Mike and Marta were focused primarily on geography and a first-floor master suite when they found the house, which wasn’t even on the market yet.

“When it did go on the market, finally, and we were able to see the pictures of the inside, it had an indoor pool,” says Marta. “And we’re swimming pool people.”

When it came to renovating, they were focused on functionality and finding the best use of the house’s structure. The Fosters started working with Cleary in spring 2020, a year before they even moved. Cleary had the chance to strip the house down and get a clear picture of what options were available.

The house needed substantial work. Extensive wallpaper, huge oil paintings, crystal chandeliers, extensive gilding, massive decorative wall tiles and Carrara marble floors all contributed to a vibe that Laura Watson, the Cleary designer in charge of the remodel design, diplomatically describes as “aristocratic.” By contrast, the Fosters wanted more of a rustic feel. And the structure undoubtedly appealed to them, even if the dated decor didn’t.

“It was the cat’s meow in 1958,” Marta says.

The entryway was redesigned to make a statement as soon as someone enters the house. At the center of it is a spiral stairway – a feature seldom installed by the team at Cleary, though they jumped at the challenge. It replaces a stairway that, though ornate, took up an enormous amount of entrance space.

“You could barely walk through there to get from point A to point B,” Watson says.

The view from the entryway is pretty impressive, too, since Cleary tore down an atrium at the back of the house and added a family room with new wood beams in its place.

“You walk in the front foyer and you get an awesome view of the backyard straight through the back,” says Cleary project developer Robert Raskin.

Previously, the formal dining space was very compartmentalized. Cleary opened up the space between the formal and casual dining rooms, installing an eyecatching chandelier, which goes well with the Fosters’ new wood table, and painting the ceiling beams black.

The fireplace in the formal dining room received new, wood-look tile on the bottom and alterations to its firebox. A second fireplace in the new family room has a brand-new gas insert, while the living room fireplace gained a mantle and TV mount.

“Each fireplace is unique to the room,” Raskin says. “They’re all very different, and they all fit within the spaces they’re in.”

Extensive home remodels usually include new kitchen islands, but, once again proving the exception, the Fosters’

Before

house has two. The seating island has a combination of quartz countertops and a walnut top, tying it in with the bar right next to the kitchen. Large format tile appears throughout the kitchen as well as the mudroom and much of the first floor, and the kitchen itself now runs the length of the entire house, from back to front.

The bar was preexisting, but Cleary made some major revisions. It already had a bank of windows, so the company put shelving in front of those to reflect light through the bottles. On top of that, the space now includes wine storage as well as reclaimed Northern Wide Plank siding – appearing on panels, as well as in the floors where it’s typically seen – to highlight the couple’s guitar collection.

“They’ve got so many great entertaining spaces, (but) they never wanted to go far to get to that bar,” Raskin says.

The Fosters arranged for the library to be converted to a room for their grandchildren to study and play. It’s right next door to the bar area and serves as a transition space between the master bedroom and family room. The couple even added wallpaper consisting entirely of maps to encourage creativity.

“They actually installed that wallpaper themselves over one weekend,” Raskin says.

Then, of course, there’s the pool. Or, more accurately, the pools.

The house came with an indoor swimming pool – a major bonus for Marta, who was once a competitive swimmer. The couple’s daughter-in-law was too, and the whole family enjoys swimming.

That said, the indoor pool needed serious work. Much of the room’s structure was rotted and rusting. Cleary installed a new humidification system, thoroughly cleaned the tile, substituted a seating area in place of a kitchenette, replaced the sunken hot tub with an elevated one, and added new lighting as well as a passage to the outdoor pool area.

The outdoor pool is an entirely new construction, further broadening the house’s swimming options. Cleary is working to design a pavilion that will go atop part of it. The Fosters knew the combination of two pools and five grandchildren meant a lot of wet feet padding through the house, so they made sure there was tile all throughout the first floor – almost 4,000 square feet worth, in fact.

The project reimagined the home almost in its entirety. Additional work included overhauls of the master bedroom and bathroom, a second spiral staircase from the bar to the basement, and a new driveway configuration. CS

While the indoor pool is nearly completed, the outdoor pool is undergoing the addition of an outdoor living area, the second phase of the project.

TRENDS

Bringing Paper Back

From minimalist patterns to textures and neon, wallpaper is once again in vogue

By Tess Wells

Like a classic red lip and a smile, wallpaper will never go out of style.

However, when it comes to something as versatile as wallpaper, trends within the realm are sure to fluctuate. As seen in this year’s BIA Parade of Homes, modern styles range from pastels and florals to dramatic, deep hues; there are ways to spice up a room without having to haul out paintstained overalls and rollers.

Although blocky green squares and geometric patterns in primary colors can and should remain in the ’80s, recent years have brought a renewed appreciation for wallpaper of various makes and designs. Keep reading for inspiration to spice up a room while keeping things trendy. CS

Tess Wells is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Lulu and Georgia Rylee + Cru Sparrow Wallpaper $145 for 56.25 square feet

This neutral-toned wallpaper is perfect for adding personality without stealing the show and would go beautifully in a sunny room. The sparrows are minimally designed but add a youthful flair. www.luluandgeorgia.com

Rifle Paper Co. Peacock Wallpaper in Emerald $122 for 60.75 square feet

Green, particularly emerald, has become a popular way to add an eclectic touch to any room without going overboard. This wallpaper would complement dark woods in a living room or dining area. www.riflepaperco.com Peacock

Lane

York Wallcoverings Old World Toile Wallpaper $108 for 56 square feet

Although toile is French for “cloth,” the word has come to represent a depiction of some sort of scene or setting and is a common theme for wallpapers. This wallpaper will give a unique look to any room but would fit particularly well in a bathroom. For those feeling creative, this wallpaper would work well on the ceiling of a dining room or bedroom. www.yorkwallcoverings.com

Anthropologie Lane Wallpaper $148 for 49.5 square feet

Floral wallpaper has been trendy seemingly since wallpaper was invented. However, in contrast to stereotypical chintzy floral patterns, this one brings a slightly less claustrophobic, more watercolor-like style which will feel at place in any room. www. anthropologie.com

Rylee + Cru Sparrow

Old World Toile

Stroma Dandelion

Graham & Brown Stroma Dandelion Wallpaper $150 for 56 square feet

It may be worth doing some meter-to-foot and Euro-to-dollar conversions for this UKbased company. Yellow’s recent popularity comes with good reason: This wallpaper will brighten up any room, making it one of the more versatile options out there. www. grahambrown.com