Fall Home Improvement 2013

FALL

homeimprovement Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Presented by the Lynden Tribune & Ferndale Record

Medcalf Rd. Home

Dykstra Home

Libolt Home

Remodeling across 27 years ...................... C3

Design is “separate but together�............ C17

A 1904 beauty restored .......................... C21

A supplement of the Lynden Tribune and Ferndale Record

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

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History moves one room at a time Couple has spent nearly three decades remodeling 1890s farmhouse

By Tim Newcomb tim@lyndentribune.com

LAUREL — In 1890 one room was enough. Soon, though, the original Medcalf family homestead — Medcalf Road near Laurel is named after the family — needed something more, another room.

And another. And a second story. And a sun room.

By the time Mark and Roberta entered the scene and purchased the home from the Medcalf extended family 27 years ago, the home had undergone countless additions and tweaks, but was still quite primitive, Roberta said.

Primitive doesn’t describe the home any longer.

With nearly three decades of restoration work, all with general contractor Art Terpsma at the helm, the couple has transformed the 125-year-old home into a mix of modern comfort and old farmhouse character. Enough so, in fact, the home is part of the Oct. 5-6 Tour of Remodeled Homes of the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County.

The latest sprucing-up about two years was also one of the home’s largest undertakings. “Art took it apart and put it back together again,” Roberta said.

Focusing on the front room — the home’s original — Terpsma’s crew did work that ensures the building will stand for years to come. They excavated 15 yards of dirt from under the flooring in order to have space to address structural issues with the foundation before putting the room back together with a new fireplace, windows, floor and more.

Before, the living room floor had such a “nice slope” to it, Terpsma said, that the windows featured gaps.

“The living room was really rough,” Roberta said. “I love the way it turned out.”

While crews couldn’t save the original fir floor, the new oak one ties into the adjoining rooms' oak floors, starting a continuity of new and old that flows throughout the home.

As the original Medcalf family grew to nine children, the family added porches and then turned them into rooms. Mark and Roberta did the same thing when they took over the home.

Past the living room flowing into a dinSee Medcalf on C4

Contractor Art Terpsma stands in front of the Medcalf Road home he has remodeled for the owners for nearly three decades. The old part of the house was built pre-1900. (Brent Lindquist/Lynden Tribune)

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Medcalf: Some original windows were reused

An entirely new living room (above and below) provides modern amenities and a stable floor, while original windows (right) remain elsewhere in the home. (Brent Lindquist/Lynden Tribune)

Continued from C3 ing room behind it, a large sunroom sat farther to the south.

One of the early projects included fully enclosing that sunroom, but keeping it in an outdoorsy spirit with terra cotta flooring and expansive windows, some even reused from the original house — similar to what the couple has done throughout the home.

And while enlarging and enclosing the sunroom and installing a new roof, new exterior siding, new drywall and more throughout the home proved

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monumental tasks, tackling the kitchen brought one of the most striking changes to the 19th century home.

Well over 100 years old, the kitchen wasn’t accustomed to modern amenities. The first order of business involved removing walls to give the room more overall space. Terpsma removed an old ceiling that once served as a porch covering and put in bead board, matching the intrigue of the original roofline. Roberta also got a fir floor back in the room.

“I’m always afraid we will lose character,” she said. But keeping the fir and finding the original roofline helped re-

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

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tain the kitchen’s character.

Sure, you can find modern cabinets to provide more space and a sandstone counter (while softer than granite, sandstone is used in scientific labs because even acid can’t hurt it) to offer aesthetic contrast, but you still first see the oldschool look of the kitchen. Plus, peek into the adjoining bathroom and you’ll find the home’s original bathtub.

“I really do like the function of the kitchen with the customized cabinets,” Roberta said. “The white kitchen and fir floor capture the old character. The challenge is to remodel an old house but with function that wasn’t there.”

Throughout the house are plenty of other nods to originality, from fir trim throughout to an original set of French doors and the original railing on a portion of the staircase.

And all along the remodeling path, Terpsma kept finding extra ties to the past. Whoever built each new addition left something in the walls. In the living room crews found a newspaper clipping from 1890. A kitchen wall featured an old membership card for a Medcalf family member.

The back of the kitchen includes some inside stairs that lead down to storage before heading out onto a new deck.

Just like in the early 1900s, Mark and Roberta have turned what was a porch into See Medcalf on C6

The Medcalf family was a large one with a home that grew with them. The new owners have kept that tradition of home expansion alive, and they appreciate the Medcalf family's heritage.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Medcalf: Upstairs is next for remodeling Continued from C5 a room and extended beyond.

On the outside, the front porch was rebuilt. An old garage was turned into Roberta’s potting shed and an entirely new garage includes a full mother-inlaw suite. But even the garage was designed architecturally in the traditional style of the home.

The next frontier for remodeling?

Upstairs. Largely untouched, the three bedrooms with painted floors and the bathroom will get the next wave of work, whenever that happens.

But even if there’s a break before Terpsma’s crew tackles the upstairs, expect it to be done thoughtfully and with character in mind.

“For me, it has been nice to see how they were thinking and have the plan come together quicker,” Terpsma said about working on the same project for so long. “Living in a house gives you a lot of time to figure out what you want.”

Roberta said she always knew the house had limitless potential. She just didn’t expect it would take her 27 years to get there. But that’s the way it worked — one room at a time.

With an original railing intact, there's still room for remodeling upstairs. (Brent Lindquist/Lynden Tribune)

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

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Smart home maintenance can save you more money in the long run Fall is a good time for a thorough inspection During fall, many homeowners focus on small upgrades and improvements.

The turning season is the perfect time to find and correct potential compromises in your home before they become larger and more costly renovation issues.

“Whether it is routine home exterior checks or appliances purchases, there are many ways homeowners can conduct basic, inexpensive home maintenance,” said Harold “Bud” Dietrich, member of the American Institute of Architects Custom Residential Architecture Network.

DIY Home Inspection Many people don’t know that they should perform twice-a-year home inspections. The prime time for these inspections is in the spring and fall. Take the time to give your house a thorough review.

Start by walking the perimeter of your property to see if there is any rotting wood, mold, loose gutters or shingles. Then check for any cracks that have settled or work that could be done to siding, roofing or windows.

Inspect the bathroom and kitchen for loose or missing tiles and leaks in sinks and faucets. Ensure that appliances are working at maximum capacity.

Although these may not seem like major issues, it is much easier to tackle them during milder seasons so potential problems aren’t made worse by extreme weather.

Exterior Updates

Many people underestimate the seriousness of dirt and mulch covering the siding of a home. Most building codes actually require at least six inches of the foundation to be exposed.

Beyond breaking these codes, dirt and mulch build-up pulls moisture from the ground and causes it to develop in the walls. Eventually mold will start to grow, which can lead to a variety of indoor air quality and structural problems. Raking around the foundation of your home regularly can help combat this problem.

Another area to consider for easy updates is exterior paint. Peeling paint isn’t only unattractive; it also exposes the siding of your home to the elements. Regular maintenance of areas that need re-painting can save major headaches down the line.

Updating Appliances Buying new appliances is an investment. As such, paying a higher price upfront can actually save you money in the long run.

The right appliances can last for 20 years or more, while more inexpensive models often break down after a few years.

Newer models are also often more energy efficient. If cost is an issue, store display models are often offered at extremely discounted prices.

Also make an investment in flooring and countertops. Buying laminate countertops will initially be cheaper than granite countertops, but in ten years the granite countertops will still look brand-new while the laminate will be worn out and need to be replaced.

An architect can help homeowners

Look at the details of your house, both inside and out, with a view to what needs to be done to extend structural integrity. (Courtesy photo) apply many of these cost-saving home improvement ideas in smart and strategic ways. To find an architect in your area, visit http://architectfinder.aia.org/.

Don’t wait. Fall is the ideal time to make small improvements that will save you money and time later on.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Five remodeled homes on Oct. 5-6 tour Tickets can be bought at any of the stops WHATCOM ­— The annual Tour of Remodeled Homes of the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County will be on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets at $10 each and two for $15 each can be purchased at all Cruisin Coffee locations or online at www.biawc.com. or by calling 671-4247.

These are the stops on the tour: • 2850 McKenzie Ave., Bellingham, a project by Coast View Construction Inc., Jeff Boyd; contact at 671-5003/201-9602, www. coastviewconstructioninc.com.

This is a comprehensive makeover of a 16-year-old home. Improvements include a kitchen update with new granite countertops, glass tile backsplash, stainless appliances and energy-efficient under-cabinet and overhead LED lighting.

The work involved paint and window coverings and new white oak hardwood flooring installed and refinished to match existing flooring. Work on a home office included built-in cabinetry and updated paint and window coverings.

“Replacing dated countertops, appliances, colors and finish can provide a fresh new look for your home,” builder Jeff Boyd said.

Directions: Take Old Fairhaven Parkway I-5 exit 250 west one-half mile toward the bay. Turn right onto 24th Street, right again onto McKenzie Avenue and continue to 2850 McKenzie, on the right.

• 9515 Sunrise Rd., Blaine, Hudson Remodeling, Charlie Hudson; contact at 3547006, www.hudsonremodeling.com.

This home on acreage started as a somewhat featureless salt-box house. It now has a wrap-around porch with stainless steel wire railings, tied into a freestanding carport.

A kitchen remodel includes new Corian countertops, and the original red oak

A Blaine-area home on the tour has taken on an entirely new life. (Courtesy photo)

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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

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cabinets have been refinished and added to. A downstairs study near the kitchen was refurbished with new cabinets. Replacing a bathtub with a tiled shower involved figuring a way to maintain the owners’ beloved tile mosaic on the upper wall.

Ongoing remodeling has included a new pole building with space for gardening, a maintenance shop, storage for kayaks and mowers, a second-story roof cutout that gives room for sunbathing, and an outdoor fireplace in a covered area.

Directions: From Birch Bay-Lynden Road go north on Sunrise Road 3.5 miles.

• 2418 Keesling St., Bellingham, Landmark Enterprises, Marinus Van de Kamp, contact at 733-6643, www.landmarkep.com.

This modern re-imagination of an 1890s Victorian homestead is a fusion of many different elements of both the contemporary and the historic.

The addition to this home and the remodel to the second floor were done with careful attention to longevity, green efficiency, detail and functional use of space.

Directions: In Bellingham take Broadway Street west to Eldridge Avenue. In a half mile (10 blocks), turn right onto Keesling Street.

The house is 1.5 blocks down the street, on the right.

• 708 17th St., Bellingham, Rose Construction Inc., Dylon McClary ; contact at 398-7000, roseconstructioninc.com.

This bath remodel took place in a hisSee Remodels on C12

A bit of artistry will greet visitors on the Tour of Remodeled Homes in Bellingham. (Courtesy photo)

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

Remodels: Medcalf farmhouse on display Continued from C11 toric 1936 Colonial-style home designed by a well-known Northwest architect.

After much deliberation, it was decided to sacrifice the adjoining guest room closet to add an important 20 square feet, allowing the replacement of an original small wall-hung sink with a six-foot-wide custom vanity with a Carrara marble slab counter and two undermount sinks. The new cast iron bathtub was repositioned so the end wall of the tub enclosure could be removed, adding space and light to the bathroom.

In renovating the bath, the historic nature of the home was retained with subway tiles in the tub surround and marble mosaic and marble chair rail on the walls. Kohler Memories faucets and fixtures convey a traditional style. The flooring is done in porcelain tile with marble mosaic inset. The finished effect is classic, beautiful and functional.

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An active couple bought this landmark historical farmhouse on acreage in the heart of Whatcom County. It was built by a prominent Whatcom County family in the 1880s.

The new owners wanted to repair structural damage and give the house the conveniences of the 21st century. They had done numerous jobs refurbishing and restoring the residence with an effort to honor its history.

To complete the project, they designed and built a new “old” farmhouse kitchen with the ambiance of a bygone era and the ease of the new. They also renovated the beautiful front porch with a nod to the center of community life that it represented in the past.

The exterior was redone with new siding and windows matching the style of the old farmhouse.

The home is surrounded by gardens and a charming potting shed that was converted from an old outbuilding and moved to its new location, as well as a new “old” garage with a finished living area.

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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Six steps to a beautiful landscape next season

Shredding fall leaves with a mower and spreading a layer over the soil in the garden will conserve moisture and insulate the roots of perennial plants.

(Courtesy photos/Melinda Myers LLC)

Fall is a good time to plant trees and shrubs

By Melinda Myers gardening expert

Don’t let a busy schedule stop you from creating a beautiful landscape. Incorporate a few of these changes into your fall landscape care. You’ll create beautiful results with a limited investment of time and effort.

• Cut the grass, recycle fall leaves and improve the soil with a pass of the lawn mower. Shred leaves and leave them on the lawn as you mow this fall. As long as you can see the grass through the leaf pieces, the lawn will be fine. As the leaves break down, they add organic matter to the soil, improving drainage in clay soil and water-holding ability in sandy soils.

Or, as an alternative, use excess leaves as a soil mulch. Shred the leaves

with your mower and spread a layer over the soil to conserve moisture and insulate the roots of perennials. Fall mulching gives you a jump on next spring’s landscape chores.

• Improve your lawn’s health by fertilizing this fall with a low-nitrogen slow-release fertilizer, like Milorganite.

You’ll reduce the risk of disease problems and with slower weed growth in fall, your lawn, not the weeds, will benefit from the nutrients. Fall fertilization also helps lawns recover from the stresses of summer by encouraging deep roots and denser growth that can compete better with weeds and tolerate disease and insects.

Northern gardeners can follow the holiday schedule and fertilize on Labor Day and Halloween.

• Do a bit of planting. Cool season annuals brighten up the fall garden and, for those in warmer regions, the winter garden. Consider adding cold-hardy

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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT pansies. They provide color in the fall garden, survive most winters, and are back blooming in the spring just as the snow melts.

Fall is also a good time to plant perennials, trees and shrubs. The soil is warm and the air cooler, so the plants are less stressed and establish more quickly.

Select plants suited to the growing conditions and be sure to give them plenty of room to reach their mature size.

• Plant daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and other bulbs in fall for extra color next spring. Set the bulbs at a depth of two to three times their height deep. Then cover them with soil and sprinkle on a low-nitrogen slow-release fertilizer. This type of fertilizer promotes rooting without stimulating fall growth subject to winter kill.

Base your bulb planting time on the weather, not the calendar. Start planting after the night-time temperatures hover between 40 and 50 degrees. Be patient, waiting until the soil cools reduces the risk of early sprouting that often occurs during a warm fall.

• Leave healthy perennials stand for winter. This increases hardiness and adds beauty to the winter landscape with their seed heads, dried foliage and the birds they attract. Plus, it will delay cleanup until spring when gardeners are anxious to get outdoors and start gardening.

However, be sure to remove any diseased or insect-infested plants to reduce the source of pest problems in next year’s

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

Combine fall leaves with other plant waste, soil and some fertilizer to create compost. (Courtesy photo) garden.

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ing of green debris. You also reduce or eliminate the need to buy soil amendments to improve your existing garden soil.

Incorporate one or all six of these practices to increase the health and beauty of your landscape now and for years to come.

Melinda Myers, gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and columnist, has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books. She is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Follow a home winterizing checklist Stay warmer and save energy this winter Fall means colorful leaves, apple cider and cooler temperatures. It also means winter’s on its way, so now is the time to winterize your home.

Improve your home’s comfort and energy efficiency with a home energy audit.

Doing energy efficiency upgrades identified in a home energy audit can save 5 to 30 percent on your monthly energy bill, according to Energy.gov.

If you would rather perform your own walk-through, this checklist can help you prepare your home for colder weather: OUTDOOR • Clean those gutters. Remove leaves and debris, then flush your gutters with water. This will help prevent clogged drains and reduce the potential formation of ice dams, which can cause excess water to get backed up and seep back into the house.

• Clean your window and patio door screens and put them into storage. Better yet, consider products that roll out of sight when not in use, keeping them cleaner and eliminating the need for seasonal storage.

• Install storm doors. Storm doors help insulate your home against drafts and strong winds.

• Clean the tracks of patio doors and windows. Use a dry paintbrush to loosen dirt and debris and then vacuum to remove.

• Touch up exterior paint where needed.

• Wash windows. If you live in a coastal region, hose off exterior windows and doors to remove damaging salt from ocean spray.

• Thinking long-term, replace old, drafty windows with a more energy-efficient option. Upgrading from single-pane to double-pane windows will also reduce energy costs.

INDOOR • Schedule a furnace check-up by a professional to prepare it for the season.

Also, check to see if the filter needs changing.

• Add insulation. The amount of money you’ll end up saving in heating costs is likely well worth the investment of adding additional insulation to the attic.

• Check with your utility company to see if they offer rebates for energy-efficient home improvements including replacing windows or adding insulation.

• Clean and repair air ducts.

• Wrap pipes. Freezing temperatures can cause pipes to freeze and burst. To help prevent this, insulate pipes with a pre-molded, foam rubber sleeve, available at most local home improvement or hardware stores.

• Reverse fans. Adjust your ceiling fan to rotate clockwise to push rising warm air down.

• Check for leaks and drafts. Stand next to window and door openings to feel if cool air is blowing through. Leaky windows or drafty doors may need to be replaced. If you find a small leak around a window, seal it from the outside with weather-resistant caulk. Also, apply weather stripping to exterior doors as needed.

Caption. (Tim Newcomb/Lynden Tribune)

Doors and windows should be sealed well against winter weather. (Courtesy photos)

Bedroom transformation Fypon company offers mouldings for windows, lights, doors MAUMEE, OHIO — Creating a tranquil bedroom setting takes more than just soft pillows and cozy comforters. As homeowner Phoebe Taylor found out, a bedroom can be turned into a personal retreat when decorative products are used to enhance the walls and ceiling.

“I was ready for a major change and I wanted mouldings with faux finishes to get me there,” said Taylor, an Atlanta homeowner and part-time interior de-

signer. She knew she could “make magic happen” with the right pieces and some bold color choices.

Taylor chose to hand paint a Florentine Miterless Crown Moulding System with a blend of six layers of colors, including black, metallic gold, olive green, brown, taupe and harmony gold. She used the same color accents on a Lexington Ceiling Medallion that accents a light fixture and ceiling fan.

“The blends of golden hues with the contrasting black tones set the stage for elegance in this bedroom,” Taylor said.

“From the top down, this room now serves as my haven at the end of the day … and Fypon products helped me get See Bedroom on C16

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

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Fall 2013

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Bedroom: Follow to-do list to complete dream projects Continued from C14 there.”

To create your own dream bedroom, these do-it-yourself projects are recommended: Project 1 — Add a large sunburst window pediment above a bed to serve as a decorative headboard.

Project 2 — Install a two-piece Fypon ceiling medallion around the top of a light fixture or ceiling fan. The interlocking pieces fit snuggly together so you don’t have to take down the fixture or mess with electrical systems.

Project 3 — Top off the interiors of windows in the bedroom with a pediment above a window surround. Be bold and add a rams head, sunburst, peaked cap or acorn pediment to draw attention to the windows.

Project 4 — Create a unique window treatment by securely installing a pair of urethane brackets on either side of a window. Insert a dowel rod through the bracket openings and drape with light-

weight fabric for a fast and easy decorative window treatment.

Project 5 — Make the transition from the master bedroom to the bathroom an elegant experience by surrounding the door with pilasters and a crosshead with a keystone accent piece to draw attention to the doorway.

Fypon pieces come pre-primed and ready for installation. All products need to be glued and nailed or screwed to the surface, then painted to your preference.

Fypon LLC is owned by Therma-Tru Corp. Fypon offers thousands of decorative millwork elements in a variety of architectural styles to enhance the interior and exterior of homes. Each piece is crafted from tough, weather-proof, high-performance materials that are resistant to decay, insect infestation and water damage for long-lasting beauty and low maintenance.

For additional information, call 800-446-3040 or visit www.fypon.com.

A house is not a home without delivery of the Lynden Tribune or Ferndale Record.

We cover the town...

in fact, we cover several of the local communities. Week after week, people in-the-know turn to our pages for the latest coverage of community news and events.We’re a great resource for finding sales and services, things to do, and things to see.

Don’t miss out!

Call 354-4444 or 384-1411 and subscribe today!

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

C17

Separate but together The Jon and Janice Dykstra family enjoyed personal touches added during their building process. (Brent Lindquist/Lynden Tribune)

Dykstra house a mix of current practical family and office needs and memories of past homes

By Tim Newcomb tim@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN — It wasn’t so much on a lark that Jon and Janice Dykstra bought their east Lynden vacant lot, but it was sort of a whim. Even after the couple purchased the lot, they weren’t sure they were going to build. But those plans they drew up, the ones that met their exact specifications,

kept coming back to them every time they walked through a house.

“It is really hard to compare other houses to your dream house,” Janice said. Those plans has this concept: All they needed was separated, yet together.

It’s a modest 2,100-square-foot home, but with a completely open living space separate from a “bedroom wing.” And they added in even more separation with a bonus room turned home office for Jon. Completed by West Coast Homes’ Raymond Faber in May, the finished product was exactly what the couple had dreamed of all those times they walked through other homes. The entryway offers the visitor a choice, even if it entices them with a view of the main living space. Nearly straight ahead

along the laminate wood floors and past a door that hides stairs to the bonus room, the space opens up to the right, with a dining area and spacious kitchen.

In the living space, the slate fireplace — in the style of rough bricks — brings a personal touch, both with the slate and the West Coast Homes-made wood cedar mantel and the white cabinets and giant walnut island from K&S Woodworks’ Kolin Veldman that gives the space personality on the other end.

The original plan had the house — whose fewer corners helped to keep the costs down — two feet shorter on the back wall. But the Dykstras realized it cost hardly anything to push out the additional 24 inches, giving them what feels like oceans

of space for their growing family of four.

It looks nice too, as the open floor plan gives the kids plenty of room to play and mom and dad still space to maneuver. For example, the extra two feet allows the dishwasher to be open and for the family to still squeeze past it between the door and the island.

“I love the function of the house and the function of the kitchen,” Janice said.

“The girls can pull up chairs and play while watching me work. There is lots of space.”

In the kitchen you also start to see a trend that plays out through the entire house: things are higher. While the vaulted ceilings offer no surprise, the higher-thanSee Dykstra on C18

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Dykstra: Bamboo cabinets should withstand wear and tear

Continued from C17

Clean lines and open spaces define the main aspects of the Dykstra home.

(Brent Lindquist/Lynden Tribune)

usual counters in the kitchen (about 38 inches) match with the taller counters in the bathroom, which are 36 inches, up from the traditional 32 inches. Jon is 6-5 and Janice 6-0. They wanted the house adapted to them.

Janice said she spent plenty of time poring over ideas to get a feel for what she liked in terms of finishes, from the modernlooking lights over the island to the colors for the bathrooms. But, in the end, the help of Laura Faber and price guided her choices the most.

Off the kitchen is a separate laundry area closed by a door, which Janice wanted so that it didn’t serve as a pass-through area.

Next to that are the doors to the garage and to the basement stairs.

For now, the basement — under just two-thirds of the house because a full basement would have cost thousands more in excavation and debris removal costs — is unfinished, but usable for storage and as a winter play area for the two young kids.

Over that basement, though, is one of Faber’s favorite aspects. He said using floor trusses for the main part of the house allowed him to get a cost-effective clear span

while avoiding posts or pricy steel spans.

Also, the spans allowed him to run smaller ductwork and electrical inside the floor system and not mounted below, keeping the overall home lower to the ground. The Dykstras wanted a ramp to the front instead of steps, which was only possible with the flooring system they used.

A left from inside the front door takes visitors to the “bedroom wing,” as Janice calls it, something she remembered from an aunt and uncle’s house growing up. In that wing, you can find an oversized kids’ bedroom, another regular bedroom and the kids’ bathroom before reaching the master suite at the end of the short hallway. Janice said she likes having the kids close to her, but sees the bathroom as a touch of separation.

Veldman’s bamboo cabinets offer a higher quality and more durable style in the kids’ bathroom, a place where the couple expects some extra wear and tear. Plus, the two sinks should help as everyone gets ready.

The master suite features a walk-in closet inside the bathroom area directly to the left of the room’s entry. It all means you don’t see a door from most of the room.

for the Kitchen, Bath and Every Room in your Home.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT “The fun part of making your own home is you can put your doors wherever,” Jon said.

The Dykstras went with a 7-foot shower to spare Jon’s forehead and opted for a small window high above the bed for cooling the room, a trick they said works wonders.

Upstairs fits the needs of the family perfectly, as a door at the bottom of the stairs and another at the top — there was talk of keeping the stairway open to the living space, but noise concerns nixed that — keep Jon separated from his family as he buckles down to work in the office.

A magazine editor, Jon decided to line an entire wall with shelving for his books, the first time in his adult life he was able to have all the thousands of titles ready at hand all at once. The clever work of Faber gave him both the space to do that and the space to walk without feeling claustrophobic.

West Coast Homes dropped the floor level an entire foot by changing up the style of trusses, allowing the bonus room to be wider and with less of a ceiling slope. It also gave Jon a half bath upstairs, allowing him to be fully contained during busy times.

“I liked the fact that we could work with the client to come up with good solutions, like that upstairs floor,” Faber said.

Jon can remain separate, if he needs to, but can also quickly join the family in the open space, a theme the Dykstra family enjoys from every angle of their new home.

C19

A picture speaks a thousand words, and shelving in Jon's office can handle a thousand books. (Brent Lindquist/Lynden Tribune)

Thank You Jon & Janice Dykstra for choosing us to build your new home!

stephen@westcoast-homes.com

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Dykstra Home Thank You Jon & Janice Dykstra for choosing us to build your beautiful new home.

Congratulations!

Thank you for choosing TVK Plumbing for your project!

Thank you for including us in the construction of your home.

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Thank you Jon & Janice and West Coast Homes for choosing Vander Griend Lumber for your building materials!

360-354-2155 Lynden, WA

www.joostensroofing.com

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

C21

Libolt family enjoys restored old Front Street house

The Libolts restored their 1904-built Front Street house to eye-catching appearance. Below: The dining room keeps an original built-in china cabinet. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)

Main work took nine months in 2009-10; some detailing still continues

By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN ­— There were days when Janna and Butch Libolt wondered “what were we thinking?” as they got into restoring the old house at 909 Front Street.

Janna says that she never did look into the rough attic area that is now their master bedroom ­ — which also had a sketchy back stairway that was removed.

“It was in bad, bad shape,” she recalls of the house that they bought in the

fall of 2009. “But we saw potential in it.”

The Libolts surmised that “the bones,” or basic structural elements of the 1904 house, were still good.

Before any rebuilding could happen, there was a lot of stripping away of unsalvageable aspects: old electrical and plumbing, lath-and-plaster walls down to bare studs, and pretty much all of the kitchen. However, they saved all the wood trim. And early on, a new roof was added to keep the winter weather out.

It took nine months to get the place to being habitable. “Most of the work we did ourselves, and with family and friends,” Janna said. Butch, after working four 10hour days for Western Refinery Services, knew what he’d be doing each weekend.

Now, the Libolts, with three young daughters, are enjoying the fruit of their See Libolt on C22

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

C22

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Libolt: All new electrical, plumbing amid much restoration Libolt Home Continued from C21

labor in the eye-catching house, although the work does continue, Janna said.

“We wanted to make it conducive to a family. It’s not especially fancy. We just wanted it to be comfortable and livable,” Janna said.

Brother-in-law Denny VanderVelden, just shifting his line of work at the time from construction to insurance, was a key guide through all the steps.

Lynden Floor & Design did the patching and restoration of original hardwood floors throughout nearly the whole main level.

Jason VanHofwegen of Van’s Cabinets worked with Janna’s ideas and in unusual spaces — for instance, they kept the original sink — to give the kitchen a near-total transformation.

Plumbing, electrical and heating systems were all new.

But plenty of built-in features of the old house were preserved: a corner hutch, sliding parlor doors between the living and dining rooms, a china chest, living room lights, doorknobs, a doorbell inside the front door, a cat’s-claw bathtub.

“This house could tell a lot of stories,” Janna said.

Tearing walls apart revealed an assortment of books, magazines, toys and trinkets that Janna now can display on shelves for historical flavor.

Upstairs, two existing bedrooms were remade for kids, and a bathroom was added. The master is basically a creation from scratch.

The main ongoing challenge for the Libolts is returning all the original wood trim — doors, door frames, baseboards and more — into place now against new sheetrock walls that changed the dimensions of things.

Janna said she appreciates that the main living area is quite open and expansive, unusual for an older house. This may have been the home of early Lynden physician Dr. B.V. Mounter, and perhaps he received patients in a front room that is now repurposed as a family office.

Passersby on Front Street often take note of the rounded preserved porch that is now bathed with beautiful lighting at night.

“It has taken us a while, but I’m proud of everything Butch has done. It’s kind of amazing to see from what it was to what it is,” Janna said.

Decor is a mix of original restored elements and added period pieces. This is the living room view toward the front porch. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)

We enjoyed working with you on the plumbing for this project!

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ou Thank Y bolts to the Li ing for choos us!

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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

C23

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | Ferndale Record

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT