Housetrends May/June 2013: "Hyde Park couple creates outdoor space worthy of celebration"

HOUSETRENDS GREATER CINCINNATI

GREATER CINCINNATI | MAY/JUNE 2013 | VOL. 12, NO. 2 | HOUSETRENDS.COM | $4.95

Outdoor

LIVING ISSUE

Hyde Park

PORCH PARTY

Northern Kentucky

www.housetrends.com

BACK YARD WITH A SPLASH

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Preview Homearama 2013

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By Amy Howell Hirt | Photos by Brian Gomsak When Nicole and Bill Fish purchased their Hyde Park home about six years ago, they could already picture the parties. They could imagine the kids playing in the back yard, or doing homework after dinner. They could even see

Hyde Park couple creates an outdoor space worthy of celebration

themselves growing old in the home. F Also painfully obvious? The amount of transformation that would be required. F “The house needed a lot of renovations when we bought it,” Nicole says. “But it had good bones, and we knew we could do something with it.” continued >

We really tried to think of what would make it fun!

—Nicole Fish

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before

Although the Tudor-style home lacked the spaces the young family needed for fun and function, it had the location, the charm and a larger property than is typical in the desirable neighborhood.

Through a series of renovations, punctuated by a new dining room and 550-square-foot covered porch added to the back of the home in 2011, the young family created spaces that fit their everyday needs and their entertaining style— and all the Halloween parties, sled-riding and fish fries that come with it.

“I think they have a party almost every holiday,” says Tim Howland of The Howland Group, who handled the project along with Jason Wise, co-owner of the design-build firm. “Their old house simply didn’t have the elbow room, so having this outdoor space works well in the warmer and the colder months.”

Fun and function The back yard was one of the first items of dysfunction the couple addressed after moving in. The property dropped off into

a natural ravine that, while scenic, “was useless” in terms of play space for sons Charlie, now 7, and Carter, 4.

Through a massive undertaking that required adding a retaining wall, the couple created a lower-level play area tucked into the curve of the land. There’s a putting green for Bill and a playset for the kids, all placed on artificial turf. Stone steps along the property line lead down to the area, while a strip of hillside on the opposite side of the yard was intentionally left free of the retaining wall to allow for

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winter sled-riding.

“We really tried to think of what would make it fun,” Nicole says of the concept.

While the backyard project amped up the fun factor, it didn’t improve the function of the crumbling asphalt driveway or the dated rear-entry garage, which was too small for Nicole’s SUV. A humble carport became the answer to Nicole’s woes, and also the inspiration for the stunning covered porch above. continued >

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continued >

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Boy-proof and party-proof Working with architect Mary Cassinelli, interior designer Lisa Woods and The Howland Group, the couple created a 25-by22-foot outdoor living space that can hold up to anything that a party —or two energetic boys—can throw at it.

“You don’t want to have this nice space and never use it because you’re worried about it getting messed up,” Nicole says.

As such, fussy finishes were not welcome. The Ipe decking— made from a renewable hardwood—complements the roughsawn Western red cedar roof, yet “does its own thing,” Nicole says—no sealing or staining required. The outdoor kitchen which is outfitted with a Weber grill, stainless-steel cabinets and a refrigerator and freezer, sees as much use for quick-and-easy everyday dinners as dinner parties, Nicole says, while the durable navy fabric on a reupholstered sectional sofa promises to hide any food stains.

A unique perspective The design team was careful to extend the home’s classic context.

Cassinelli continued the timber-heavy Tudor style, and Howland and Wise used durable paneling with a stucco finish to replicate the home’s original exterior without the high cost. Yet the

function and finishes of the porch and dining room, which was converted from a screened porch, have touches that thumb their nose at tradition.

In the outdoor living space, conversation-starting pieces are set against an elegant, wood-wrapped backdrop, with postmounted sconces that cast a warm glow. A sanded and stained tree stump—made by Bill’s cousin—serves as a side table. A coffee table from a local boutique brings a treehouse feel to a sitting area, with dried limbs wrapping around its legs. Tiles painted by a local artist bring a pop of personality to a Crate & Barrel dining table.

The dining room also breaks a few conventions, and fits the family like a glove. Because the space connects the kitchen to the covered porch, Nicole wanted to incorporate a mudroom into the plan, but Howland recommended a different approach that provides a family-friendly hub yet also a slightly formal dining space when needed.

There’s no traditional sideboard here: A built-in entertainment center made by Howland houses a TV, yet is dressed up with an upholstered finish and nailhead trim by Woods. Instead of a china cabinet, pale-blue cabinetry next to the exterior door conceals clues to the room’s primary uses, with mud room-style lockers for

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book bags and coats and shelving for craft supplies and games.

Needless to say, the dining room table and chairs are a refreshing departure from a standard set. The couple’s relaxed, modern style comes across in a cheerful, clean-lined orange sectional paired with three custom-upholstered chairs bearing a festive Chinese dragon, and a moderately sized table that leaves plenty of space in the room for play.

Recently, Bill was watching a basketball game in the dining room while the kids played at the table. And Nicole realized something.

Although the kitchen still needs to be remodeled, and the coats and gloves don’t always find their way into the closet, their vision had become a reality.

“This is exactly what I wanted and how I imagined we would live here,” she says.

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Architect: Mary Cassinelli; Contractor: The Howland Group, LLC; Decorator: Lisa Woods, Greiwe Interiors; Lighting: Restoration Hardware; Outdoor appliances: Weber grill, Sub-Zero refrigerator; Furniture: Couch from Restoration Hardware, dining table and chairs from Crate and Barrel; Fans: Lowe’s; Tiles: Hand-painted; Fabric: Trina Turk for Schumacher

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