THIS IS US

At home with Mark & Cori

In their roles as Design Consultant and Production Manager, Cori and Mark have relished the opportunity to help customers create the lifestyle of their dreams. When it was time to fulfill their own vision of home, they found the ideal place to accommodate their love of family, fun, and fitness. Now that they’ve settled into the rustic-chic ambiance of their new home in Reddenwood, Cori and Mark are ready to enjoy bike rides, beach adventures, and the charm of downtown Milton. And soon, they’ll be sailing off to their destination wedding in the sparkling waters of the British Virgin Islands.

ARE YOU BOTH FROM DELAWARE?

CORI: I was born and raised in Ocean City, Maryland. I moved to Delaware shortly after I started working for Schell, in the spring of 2014.

MARK: For most of my childhood, I lived in Covey Creek off Savannah Road, which is only a few miles from downtown Lewes. I could ride my bike to school and into town to hang out with my friends. High school was even closer to my house. Some of my best memories are of walking home with my friends after school to play basketball.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND ...

MARK: I attended the University of Delaware in Newark and graduated with a degree in biology. I played football there for five seasons from 2000 to 2004 under two legendary head coaches, Tubby Raymond and K.C. Keeler.

CORI: After high school I went to High Point University in North Carolina. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design with a minor in Graphic Design. High Point is the furniture capital of the world, so there were some amazing career opportunities there, but I really wanted to find a job back home at the beach. I was incredibly fortunate to land a career at Schell Brothers, doing something I am passionate about, immediately after college.

YOU RECENTLY BUILT A NEW HOME. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE REDDENWOOD IN MILTON?

MARK: Reddenwood is such a unique community for our area. The larger wooded lots are very appealing, and the existing homes are beautiful and well maintained. It’s a quiet, family-friendly neighborhood, and we have a lot of privacy on our outdoor courtyard.

CORI: We love that Reddenwood feels remote, even though we’re only 20 minutes or so away from the beach. And there are a bunch of great restaurants for date nights in Milton.

WAS IT DIFFICULT FOR EACH OF YOU TO CHANGE GEARS FROM EMPLOYEE TO CLIENT?

CORI: Absolutely! It’s definitely different being “on the other side.” As a design consultant, I assist my clients with choices for their new homes, but I learned very quickly that it’s incredibly easier to help others than it is to make your own decisions. We plan to spend many years here and grow our family in this home, so we wanted it to be just right! Making selections for a new home is certainly not something you can tackle without really diving deep. Once you understand how you’ll use each space in the home, define your taste, and determine which features are most important (especially if you have a budget in mind), it definitely becomes a lot more fun and less overwhelming.

MARK: I’m used to being the “boss” on the job, so it was a little tough for me to relinquish control of the build process. But, when it came to interior design, it was easy for me as a client because my consultant (Cori) just picked everything so I didn’t really have to make any decisions. I have enjoyed experiencing firsthand the communication on the client side of our Heartbeat customer portal. We continue to use this platform to communicate with Warranty as things pop up occasionally, and we love it!

WHAT FLOORPLAN DID YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?

MARK: The Cassidy was the best fit for our family for many reasons. The biggest factor is that the layout makes the most sense for our 12-year-old son, Mason. He has a rare genetic disease called NGLY1 Deficiency which affects him cognitively and physically. The accessible arrangement of the first floor provides everything Mason needs—it’s incredibly well thought out and functional.

CORI: I am fortunate to be a bonus mom to Mason, and we are hopeful that our family will continue to grow over the next few years. We have 4 full bedrooms, 4.5 baths, a study, a separate mudroom and laundry room, and a spacious kitchen, great room, and dining area on the first floor. The entire upstairs is finished, with a guest bedroom and full bath in addition to a bonus room that we turned into a home gym and central TV area for football games and movie nights. Some of our favorite design features are the optional vaulted ceiling with beams and trim, and the way the owner’s suite bumps back off the rear of the home to provide great privacy for the courtyard. The courtyard initially felt like more than we needed, but we use every inch of it when we entertain!

WHAT OPTIONS DID YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE THIS HOME WORK FOR YOUR FAMILY’S LIFESTYLE?

MARK: One of the most important factors is that The Cassidy has a second owner’s suite option—with attached bedroom and bathroom—on the first floor. With just a few modifications we were able to make the space work for Mason’s wheelchair/shower chair. The flex space adjacent to the great room is Mason’s playroom, so we finished the upstairs hoping that we will be able to grow our family in this home and still accommodate guests.

CORI: We love being outside when the weather is nice so the courtyard was a must! The mudroom was also a must for us because it provides a transition area between the garage and the foyer. We opted for the dining room wet bar which doubles as a coffee bar.

HOW WOULD YOU BESTDESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN STYLE?

CORI: Our home is very rustic chic with some modern farmhouse elements. For our flooring we selected the 7” Impressions Distressed Maple hardwood in Sanctuary finish which set the stage for the entire look. In our kitchen we used Oyster White finish for the perimeter cabinets and Shale Granite finish for our island to complement the floor. We knew we wanted very simple cabinetry, so we selected the Hanover door style throughout the entire home. All our finishes are very neutral—whites and warm grays are a constant theme. We selected matte black plumbing fixtures and cabinet hardware throughout the entire home, which gives it that modern farmhouse flair. We also added a lot of interior trim to make it feel more casual. Then we installed 1x2 board and batten strips throughout our entire foyer and horizontal 1x6 planking on numerous wall sand on our vaulted ceiling in the great room.

FAVORITE ROOM OR SPACE IN YOUR NEW HOME?

CORI: This is a tough question. Pretty much daily, we pick a new favorite aspect of our home. There is not one thing that we would change—honest! My favorite space would probably be the kitchen and great room area. We hosted Christmas this year in our new home and all ten of us were comfortable and had plenty of space to dine and lounge.

MARK: The garage! Since moving in, we’ve painted the garage walls, epoxy coated the floor, and installed cabinets, a workbench, and other storage solutions. A true flex-space, the garage also serves as my home office.

YOU SHARE A LOT—A HOME, AN EMPLOYER, AND ALSO A LOVE FOR FITNESS! HOW DO YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE AREA TO ENJOY BEING ACTIVE TOGETHER?

CORI: We are fortunate to work for a company that provides an amazing workout facility; so, any opportunity we get, we work out together at the Schell Brothers gym.

MARK: One of our favorite things is riding bikes together around Lewes, Rehoboth, and all the interconnecting trails. Mason gets towed behind me, so he can relax and feel the wind in his face while I get a little workout in, and Cori enjoys a casual cruise.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT AT WORK, WE CAN FIND YOU ...

CORI: If the weather is nice, you will find us hitting the bike trails, enjoying the drive on beach at Cape Henlopen State Park, or boating with our extended family or friends. Our favorite date night spot is Agave—of course! And if we’re not out and about, we’re probably at home sitting around our firepit, listening to music, and enjoying each other’s company over a glass of wine.

NOW THAT YOU’RE MILTON RESIDENTS, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IN THIS CHARMING LITTLE TOWN?

MARK: We moved in during the winter (and COVID) so we haven’t had the opportunity to get the full experience yet. We’ve found some great restaurants downtown like The Dough Bar and The Fox Hole. We are looking forward to the summer so we can hit the park and do some paddle boarding or kayaking on the river.

DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT SUMMER DAY.

CORI: You’re likely to find us packing a cooler of our favorite food and drinks and heading to the beach. Mason loves the beach as much as we do and it’s something we can all enjoy together. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mark said his perfect summer day is riding his motorcycle.

MARK: I do love my motorcycle, but I think my perfect summer day would start with a Crossfit workout followed by a boat day with family and friends.