FEATURE

“It’s always fun when you have to figure out how to combine a room so you don’t lose function, but also make it large enough to mingle. No matter how hard you try, you can’t entice people out of the kitchen when you’re cooking.”

Laura Houston

Those goals were met by installing sleek quartz countertops, a sprawling 9-foot by 4-foot island, and a Frigidaire induction stovetop, which remains cool enough to wipe up spills even when the burner is cranked up to full heat. Ovens are built into the wall, freeing up space under the cooktop for deep drawers, which store easy-access pots and pans. “No more bending and crouching!” enthused Tyler, who stands well over 6 feet tall.

The cabinets, which now reach all the way to the ceiling, are a cheery robin’s egg blue (Alicia’s color pick), accented with muted gold hardware. They house solutions for the usual kitchen conundrums, like an appliance lift for the bulky stand mixer and segregated compartments for compost, recycling, and landfill waste. There’s also plenty of room to stow canning supplies, used to preserve the bounty from the Glesnes’ vegetable garden and apple and plum trees, as well as a pantry immediately off the kitchen to house the finished canned goods.

“Everything was assigned a space in the kitchen,” Tyler said. “We inventoried everything before we even started.”

And that pesky fridge? Tyler suggested a recessed wall so it sits flush with the adjoining counter and cabinets. It’s aesthetically pleasing and now possible to open as wide as the Glesnes need.

Off the kitchen is a three-season room, which accesses the backyard’s 30-foot by 20-foot stone patio via a garage door. “That was my gift to me,” Tyler confided. “The garage door was a game changer. I’m out there grilling in winter. Opening the door in summer is perfect for extending the patio. You can hang out away from the wind. It’s perfect.”

The former front room, which had served as a formal living room, now works as a dining and gathering space. Yes, it can fit 20 people comfortably.

“The idea was to make it into a flexible space without a fixed purpose,” Houston explained. “That room can now be whatever it wants to be.

It had to provide enough space for dining but also for large groups to gather.”

The main decor elements include a leather sofa and a bovine triptych, which dominates the wall facing the table. “Alicia picked it out. She’s from North Dakota,” Tyler said, explaining his wife’s affinity for livestockthemed decor.

What kind of animal is it exactly? “I mean, Alicia is insistent on bison, so I have to troll her with buffalo,” Tyler cracked. (Note: according to Google, it’s a Norwegian muskox, which still may not definitively lay to rest the marital debate.)

The stairs leading to the second floor were a last-minute decision. “We had a really good carpenter, so we added stuff and took advantage of the time while he was here,” Tyler said. “I found hickory online, and he fit it in perfectly.”

The family room became more functional by opening up an entry wall to allow for easier flow. Tyler and Alicia lightened the dark brick fireplace by using a “German schmear,” a technique that involves applying spreadable mortar over the brick to achieve a white tint. The previously oppressive brown ceiling beams, which Tyler “fought tooth and nail to keep,” were similarly lightened up with white paint for an airier look. Alicia knitted the gray poufs, while Tyler and his mother removed the horsehair stuffing from the bench, a family heirloom, to make way for new cushions.

As for the multitude of flooring styles, Tyler took them on as a DIY project with an assist from his father-in-law, Jerry. The duo laid 1,100 square feet of Brazilian pecan throughout the lower level, making for a cohesive look at long last. “It’s uniformity, as opposed to seven different kinds of flooring,” Tyler exclaimed. “That drove me nuts!”

For information about Tributary Design and Construction, visit tributarydc.com.

Slow Drain? Blo cke d? St oppe d Up?

It happens to ever yone. A clogged drain can backup your whole day At Zoom Drain®, we solve drain problems fast From cutting through clogs to Zoom Jetting your pipes clean, keeping your drains flowing smoothly is what we do best