Columbus Monthly Home & Garden Fall/Winter 2021

A SPLENDID GRANVILLE HOME IS RESTORED • A NEW HOUSE IS BUILT IN MUIRFIELD

FALL/WINTER 2021-22

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A COLUMBUS MONTHLY PUBLICATION

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2021 Fall Home & w a G rden Sho PAGE 48

KITCHEN CHRONICLES

Three homeowners take drastically different approaches to their updates

COTTAGE GARDENING A Marysville city councilman’s landscape beautifies the community

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Contents FALL/WINTER 2021–22 A splendid GrAnville home is restored • A new house is built in muirfield

STYLE NOTES 12 Wallpaper Palooza 16 The Apartment Crunch 18 Farmhouse Modern

Fall/Winter 2021-22

Don't Miss

a Columbus monthly Publication

this:

2021 Fall Home & Garden Show Page 48

Kitchen chronicles

three homeowners take drastically different approaches to their updates

SPECIAL SECTION 48 The Columbus Dispatch Fall Home & Garden Show

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 Editor’s Note 10 Editor’s Faves 50 What is Home?

56 Closure

Cottage gardening a Marysville city councilman’s landscape beautifies the community

ON THE COVER: Donald Boerger, Marysville city councilman, creates a show-stopping cottage garden.

C1_COVER_FW_HG.indd 1

COVER PHOTO BY ROB HARDIN

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COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

8/4/21 4:51 PM

PHOTOS: LEFT AND TOP RIGHT, TIM JOHNSON; BOTTOM RIGHT, ROB HARDIN

FEATURES 20 KITCHEN CHRONICLES Three homeowners share stories of refurbishing their kitchens.

28 MASTERS OF RENOVATION One couple completes their latest project, a century-old Granville home.

36 MUIRFIELD REINVENTED When renovation was too costly, these homeowners decided to build new.

42 COTTAGE GARDENING CHARM A Marysville city councilman takes pride in his very public garden.

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FROM THE EDITOR

Launching the Home & Garden Advisory Council The gracious homes in this issue of Columbus Monthly Home & Garden are works of art.

From Muirfield to New Albany, from Granville to Marysville, you’ll see plenty of diversity among kitchens, learn how to build a new home with a robust spirit and see how to gently restore fading spaces to provide new life for years to come.

I am filled with gratitude to all who have shared here, as well as the architects, landscapers, designers and the like who have also contributed. One of these homes is owned Jim and Julie Hopson, of Granville. I have long been an observer of the Hopsons’ home escapades, having reported on their second Granville renovation for Columbus Monthly Homes in 2000 and — when I was living in Florida ­— on their new Sanibel home for Gulfshore Life magazine.

Sherry Beck Paprocki Editor 8

COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

PHOTO: TODD YARRINGTON

Launching the H&G Advisory Council I am continually amazed by the vast number of creative individuals in Columbus pursuing careers that somehow influence their lifestyles at home and elsewhere.

Whether you’re an artist or an architect, a fashion designer or an interior designer, a social media influencer or just a social influencer, a public relations maven or gardening guru, you are among the thousands of individuals who continually contribute to our local creative economy.

That’s why we’ve decided to put together Home & Garden’s first ever Advisory Council. If you’re interested in participating, drop me a note. We hope to get this group together by late fall or early winter—and we want you to be a part of it.

Here’s how we’ll select council members: Write me at spaprocki@columbusmonthly.com about why you’re interested in joining. Give us two or three paragraphs about your enthusiasm for design as well as a link to your LinkedIn profile and/or website. We’ll need to hear from you no later than Nov. 1.

Here’s what the Advisory Council will do: Meet three or four times a year to talk about exciting trends in the home and design world, and to get input about our upcoming issues.

We’ll want your recommendations and your feedback throughout the year. If you’re a homeowner with an enthusiasm for style, please know you’re also welcome to apply.

What is in this for you? In addition to making recommendations, you’ll be on our minds when we’re considering subjects for Columbus Monthly’s Style Q&As and other features done by us and our sister publications here at Dispatch Magazines. And, one more thing.

Members of the H&G Advisory Council will have their photos in both issues of Home & Garden magazine each year.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

COLUMBUSMONTHLY.COM COLUMBUS SITE MANAGER Alan Miller PUBLISHER/GENERAL MANAGER Ray Paprocki

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FALL/WINTER 2021-22 COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN

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EDITOR’S FAVES

The Local Manifesto There’s nothing like a worldwide freeze in the supply chain to encourage a switch in our buying habits. The woods and forests of Ohio provide plenty of raw materials for our local furniture makers, as do those century-old barns being removed in rural areas around the state. Whether it’s a shiny cherry table or a leather-and-iron magazine rack, Central Ohio’s creators are busy making plenty of statement pieces. —Sherry Beck Papocki

Sunrise rocking chair in walnut, $3,499 at T.Y. Fine Furniture

Maple/sycamore, live-edge, three-bottle wine holder, $199 at Created Hardwood

Principal chair, $400 from Edgework Creative

Oliver modular shelving in oak, $600 at Edgework Creative Glam magazine rack, $179 at Elm & Iron

Cantilever console table in cherry, $1,499 at T.Y. Fine Furniture Walnut double console vanity, $6,659 at Created Hardwood

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COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

PHOTOS: COURTESY CREATED HARDWOOD, EDGEWORK CREATIVE, ELM & IRON AND T.Y. FINE FURNITURE

Cambridge dining table in ash, $3,500 at Edgework Creative

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STYLE TRENDS

Wallpaper Palooza Rich botanicals.

Subtle prints.

Textured graphics.

Organic textures.

Anything goes when it comes to wallcoverings.

Choose from myriad styles to emphasize a small space, a big wall or an entire room.

There’s nothing quite like luxuriating in a roomful of voluptuous posies positioned on every wall. Think Dorothy Draper roses or Billy Baldwin bamboo—the legendary designers, each with a big wallpaper persona. With the help of wallpaper giant, Schumacher, we’ve put together a few lively vignettes that we hope will freshen up anyone’s worldview.

WALLPAPER AND FURNITURE SELECTED BY ANA PIPER, WITH HELP FROM RHIANNA KOEBE

PHOTO: CHAIR, COURTESY IKEA; WALLPAPER, COURTESY SCHUMACHER

On this page: Molly Mahon Lani Blue wallpaper, Froset chair in red ($99) from Ikea.

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COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

ALL ABLOOM

PHOTOS: WALLPAPER, COURTESY SCHUMACHER; BOOKCASE, COURTESY SERENA AND LILY; SOFA, COURTESY ROVE CONCEPTS

An exotic twist in any room of the house, Schumacher’s Lotus Garden in jade pairs nicely with quiet furnishings, such as the Cabot bookshelves from Serena and Lily ($1,998) and and the Reya curved sofa in teal ($3,374) from Rove Concepts.

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STYLE TRENDS

LIFE DISRUPTED

PHOTOS: WALLPAPER, COURTESY SCHUMACHER; TABLE AND CHAIR, COURTESY IKEA; CHEST, COURTESY CRATE & BARREL

Perfect matching is no longer required. This subtle wallcovering makes it easy to implement a variety of patterns. Whether it’s your plan to emphasize natural wood grains, or to stay all bright with solid white or black furnishings—there’s plenty of space here for creative integration. The wallpaper is Deconstructed Stripe from Schumacher’s Made in America section. It’s easy to dress up for summer or winter holidays or, dare we say, add a touch of gray for a Buckeye celebration. Rove chest ($1,999) from Crate & Barrel, Ekedalen extendable table ($299) and chairs ($70 each) from Ikea.

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COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

PHOTOS: WALLPAPER, COURTESY SCHUMACHER; CHANDELIER, COURTESY RH; BOOKCASE, COURTESY IKEA; CHAIRS, COURTESY SERENA AND LILY

DEEP CONTEMPLATION

A sensual design, this textured print called Orient Express lends itself well for thoughtful rooms such as libraries and studies, living spaces and bedrooms.

Pair with soft and velvety furnishings, such as these Belgian linen slipper chairs ($2,698) from Serena and Lily. Add in the Billy bookcase in dark blue ($179) from Ikea. Then, top it all off with the RH’s Glace round chandelier in brass ($3,206), which was inspired by midcentury Viennese fixtures.

Designer Timothy Oulton’s piece evokes an ice sculpture in crystal.

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STYLE TRENDS Bridge Park

The Rental Crunch Rates are soaring in Central Ohio and across the country.

Real estate sales are on fire, so maybe you’ve decided to go for the gold and sell your home this summer. But exactly where will you go next?

That’s a quandary for many Central Ohioans. Whether you are a millennial attempting to get into a high-grade school district or a baby-boomer empty-nester focused on a low-tax neighborhoods, the real estate market is tight and homebuilders are backed up. It’s difficult to find comfortable environs no matter your age or your situation.

Maybe you were thinking about temporarily renting. But now there’s a rental crunch and rates are soaring both nationally and locally. “The first half of 2021 has seen the fastest growth in rent prices since the 16

start of our estimates in 2017,” says a July 26 report by the website Apartmentlist.com.

“The recent spike has now put actual rents well ahead of the trend they were on prior to the pandemic,” the report continues. “The national median rent currently stands at $1,244, which is $44 greater than where we project it would be if rent growth over the past year and a half had been in line with the growth rates we saw in 2018 and 2019.”

In Columbus, apartment rents have climbed 9 percent between the end of 2020 and June, according Apartment List.

(We’ve noted that some of the city’s most expensive properties aren’t listed on that website.) That said, Columbus still seems to be faring well. Boise, Idaho, has seen a 39 percent increase in rental rates since

COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

the start of the pandemic, according to the same analysis. That was the highest increase in any U.S. city.

In late July, there were more open apartments in Downtown Columbus than elsewhere in the city, according to an article published by The Columbus Dispatch. In part, that’s caused by the number of new buildings that have opened in the last five years. Rents Downtown, though, are reportedly higher than others around the region.

“So far in 2021, the national median rent has increased by a staggering 11.4 percent,” Apartment List reports. “To put that in context, in the pre-pandemic years from 2017-2019, rent growth from January to July averaged just 3.3 percent. This month’s spike continues to push rents well

PHOTO: ROB HARDIN

BY SHERRY BECK PAPROCKI AND DAVID REES

above where they would be if growth had remained on its pre-pandemic trend.”

Given all this news, we’ve checked in on five high-end complexes in Central Ohio.

We’re surprised to find that, if you need a three-bedroom space for that furniture you don’t want to put into storage, you may pay as much as $4,600 a month in rent. The cost-efficient solution? Temporarily rent a nice storage unit and squeeze into a smaller living space.

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

MARKET & MAIN, NEW ALBANY Efficiencies start at $1,280 and threebedroom spaces go up to $4,050 per month.

Perks: Garages for rent, workout facilities and meeting rooms, in downtown New Albany.

Contact: livekaufman.com LVQ, DOWNTOWN Efficiencies start at $1,590 and two-bedroom spaces go up to $3,490 per month.

Perks: Located adjacent to the Palace Theatre with city views, The Keep onsite restaurant and bar, and a 24-hour fitness center.

Contact: livekaufman.com

GRAVITY, FRANKLINTON Efficiencies start at $850 and two-bedroom spaces go up to $1,895 per month.

Perks: On West Broad Street, just over the bridge in Franklinton. Onsite dining and shopping, rooftop terraces and steps from the Scioto Mile Trail and Genoa Park.

Contact: livekaufman.com

LVQ

THE NICHOLAS, DOWNTOWN Efficiencies start at $1,223 and threebedroom spaces go up to $4,624 per month.

Perks: Located on High Street with an infinity-edge, rooftop pool; 24-hour fitness; secure, inside parking garage; and direct access to Veritas Restaurant.

Contact: bethenicholas.com BRIDGE PARK, DUBLIN Efficiencies start at $829 and three-bedroom spaces go up to $3,289 per month.

Perks: A new neighborhood in suburban Dublin connected to restaurants and bars—including the new North Market Bridge Park. Adjacent retail, wellness and fitness facilities.

Contact: bridgeparkliving.com

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Farmhouse Style How to keep the best and eliminate the rest from this latest design craze

BY SHERRY BECK PAPROCKI

If you visit Hobby Lobby or HomeGoods anytime soon, you’ll likely find a host of tin décor. Baskets for carrying eggs (presumably from the nearby chicken coop) or mini milk cans for those who’ve never seen the real thing. The modern farmhouse style has indeed gone full-on commercial in its mass production of kitschy products.

Does this signal the end of the simplicitybased farmhouse trend?

Not so fast, says one local designer. Any trend in architecture and interior design will leave a mark that resonates with the people who love it. Careful integration is key, though.

“I do a lot of mixing time periods and styles, modern and traditional, new and old, but it has to be intentional and well thought out,” explains kitchen designer Eric Small, whose modern home kitchen is based in an actual farmhouse. (His is one of three kitchens featured on pages 20-27 in this issue.)

“The farmhouse kitchen style, in general, can’t be thrown in anywhere; there has to be intention, the right detail coupled with the right environment,” says Small.

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“It doesn’t always work to mix and that might be the takeaway.”

Nationally, Joanna Gaines, the former host of a popular DIY show who has plans to launch Magnolia Network this fall, often gets credit for launching this farmhouse craze.

Back in 2013 she and her husband, Chip, who own a Waco, Texas remodeling company, started their HGTV brand.

In Central Ohio, though, some components of this trend were evident years before that. Unique industrial lighting fixtures were being created early on by some talented local designers such as Dennis McAvena. Raw wooden floors were on display more than a dozen years ago at the Central Ohio BIA Parade of Homes. Rough-hewn dining room tables and other furnishings were introduced by the former Restoration Hardware (now known as RH) during the Great Recession. The first time we saw the now popular open kitchen shelving was in the Granville home of designers Keith and Monique Keegan, back in 2011.

By the way, the Keegans are a Granvillebased creative duo who have designed

COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

marketing campaigns, as well as commercial and residential spaces. Most notably among their achievements was American Eagle’s store on Times Square in New York.

If you look at pictures under the Enjoy Co. label—that is Monique’s design brand—on Houzz.com you’ll see the AE protypes that include a lot of open shelving and roughhewn floors. Those, too, were done before Joanna Gaines became a household name.

Further back in the mid-1990s, if you remember walking into an Abercrombie & Fitch store, you might have been taken in by the store’s fresh design. It was a study in white, gray and black—a still-relevant color palette for which Joanna Gaines gets much credit. A&F’s store design has been replicated globally as it has expanded its brand over the last few decades.

The point of all of this? Simplicity in design has been underway in Central Ohio for a long time. Even Dave Longaberger’s philosophy when he developed his basket company out in Dresden was saturated in stories dripping of the coziness and simplicity of times gone-by.

So, whether it’s a store prototype being built at A&F headquarters out in New Albany or an innovative kitchen design at Small’s farmhouse in Ostrander, there’s real innovation still underway in Central Ohio.

After all, this is now a region touted for having more design professionals than any other city outside of New York and Los Angeles.

No matter who gets credit for this latest simplicity trend, we thought it might be

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

STYLE TRENDS

time to review some basic design tenants of farmhouse style. Opinions are mixed regarding what will stay, and what will go.

Suffice it to say, 10 years from now that wire egg basket—should you be tempted to buy it—will be donated or in storage.

Shiplap—This is being used indoors for a paneled effect or on the exterior of homes.

Most recently, we’ve noted some vertical siding that resembles shiplap at M/I Homes’ new Westerville development, Hoover Farms. Custom builders are using it, too.

Industrial lighting—Visit Fortin Iron and you’ll get a taste for what we mean. Industrial fixtures are most often used as statement pieces over kitchen islands.

Edison bulbs—Named for inventor Thomas Edison, strands of Edison lights have become prominent in outdoor patio areas and other landscape designs. Most recently, indoor fixtures are also claiming the Edison bulb in their most updated products.

Rough-hewn floors —This is a trend that probably will not fade anytime soon.

You can get the look by sanding down your original hardwood; adding new, appropriately distressed hardwood; or by installing luxury vinyl tiles that have a distressed look.

Black-framed windows—Major window brands are touting the design benefits of black frames—they provide better contrast with lighter home colors, and they may boost your home’s curb appeal. In a trend that works best if your interior or exterior is white, many of Central Ohio’s builders are offering this design option for new homes.

Open shelving—A design trend that doesn’t seem to be evaporating, upper kitchen cabinets are being eliminated in favor of open shelving. Call this an environmentally friendly choice by using less wood, but it’s also a simplistic choice in that you can actually see what you own.

(And you won’t buy items similar to those stashed high in your cupboards.) Shelving materials vary, but most often they are made of painted lumber, shiny brass or various versions of iron. Shelves are frequently mounted on a backsplash made of subway or another type of white tile.

Shaker cabinets—The Shakers, a religious sect that arrived in the United States from England in 1774, touted simplistic design in architecture, furniture, music and lifestyle. By far, it’s the most popular cabinet design being used today—and likely will stay relevant in Central Ohio for another 15-20 years.

Apron sinks—The farmhouse sink may have seen the peak. Cast iron sinks rarely go out of style, but the apron sink somehow succeeds in looking overdone in simplified kitchens. Plus, it may have already lived out its 20-year trend cycle.

Reclaimed wooden walls and furnishings—Whether it’s an accent wall in your dining room or a table made of old barn slats, there’s plenty you can do within this design trend especially if you’re living in a home that lacks original woodwork. When tastefully integrated, distressed wood can enhance your space and your appreciation for history—especially if the barn was your own or your grandfather’s.

Barn doors, oversized clocks, blanket ladders and other home décor accents—As with any home accessory trend, carefully choose items that have personal meaning to you. It’s easy to overdo mass produced décor, so exercise some restraint.

When in doubt, heed the advice of the man sitting in the farmhouse. “Homeowners wanted the farmhouse look as the trend and that’s when we can see a look become tired,” says kitchen designer Small, “when it doesn’t quite fit properly and eventually wears itself out.”

New, Modern, Amish Crafted 38 N State St, Westerville, OH 43081 amishoriginals.com (614) 891-6257 FALL/WINTER 2021-22 COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN

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BY TAYLOR SWOPE | PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

Kitchen Chronicles Three local families adapt their cooking spaces to match their unique lifestyles.

REAL ESTATE PRICES CONTINUE TO SOAR in Central Ohio, resulting in more renovations and home upgrades. Here, three Central Ohio families gain new perspective on what their kitchens mean in terms of their daily lives. From the rustic to the innovative, kitchen styles are evolving.

A More Usable Space Andy and Lindsey Carr relocated to New Albany from Connecticut three years ago. The home they sold before moving to Central Ohio had been extensively renovated by its previous owners. The kitchen was a favorite room and great for entertaining, so they knew they wanted to recreate a similar space in their local home, which was built in 1996.

The couple started meeting with builders. Hale Construction Company, a design-build firm, was recommended by their real estate agent. “They put together every number to the penny before we signed anything,” says Lindsey, adding that the cost transparency from the start was helpful before starting such a large project.

The home’s previous kitchen had a smaller island in the middle of the room and a half-wall that separated the family room from the kitchen, creating an area for countertop seating. There was also a large doorway that led to the dining area. A second doorway led to a mudroom and the garage. The Carrs’ goal was to open the space and eliminate the walls that sectioned-off the main living space.

Laura Lemon, an estimator and operations manager for Hale, says the most challenging aspect of the renovation was ensuring there was proper ceiling support when removing the wall that connected the kitchen to the former dining space. Lemon explains that a small beam was concealed within the ceiling for additional support.

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COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

NEW MILLENNIAL STYLE This New Albany kitchen was designed to resemble one in the couple’s previous Connecticut home.

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Lindsey says Serena + Lily influenced her design decisions throughout the process. She also turned to social media, scrolling and saving posts on Pinterest and Instagram to share with Alyson Kaufman, an interior designer for Hale.

“It is definitely easier when people have a sense of style and what they like,” adds Lemon.

“I don’t often stray from my comfort zone, but Alyson pushed me,” says Lindsey. For example, the darker island color, which also matches the nearby bar area, was a color the homeowner says she may not have picked on her own but now loves, as it creates a statement piece for the kitchen.

She also wanted to take a risk with the room’s lighting, selecting a gilded look for the fixtures above the island. “I struggled because I thought all of the metals had to match,” but after consulting with Kaufman, there is a mix of gilded, oil-rubbed bronze and champagne bronze throughout the kitchen.

The Carrs agree it was a top priority when envisioning their new kitchen to have a bar nearby for easy entertaining. They added shiplap and floating shelves behind the bar to pay homage to the previous kitchen’s design.

The panel cabinets were built in Ohio’s Amish country, and the hood design was changed to match.

The barn door, which separates the kitchen from the mud and laundry rooms, also complements the kitchen’s new style.

The pantry was relocated from the mudroom and is now placed closer to the refrigerator for convenience. Carr says she originally wanted all stainless steel appliances, but she and her husband now love their new refrigerator, which blends with the rest of the cabinets. A visible built-in wine cooler separates the refrigerator and freezer.

The adjacent mudroom, a laundry area and a powder room were caught in the recent update, too, accenting looks similar to those used in the kitchen.

Now that construction has ended, the Carrs say they have achieved their goals and are enjoying their new space. “I walk in the room in the morning and it’s bright, clean and spacious, and it just makes me smile,” says Lindsey.

IT’S IN THE DETAILS A brass faucet and other details create this unique kitchen design done by Hale Construction Company.

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A Big City Vibe Eric and Jenny Small traded city living in Chicago for 5 acres in Ostrander in 2018. They knew when they purchased their historic brick farmhouse that it would need to be renovated to suit their family’s needs, especially since it was previously used as a commercial space.

The half-equipped kitchen was their first priority.

Eric is a kitchen designer by trade, so this was a passion project from the start. The home’s previous kitchen had no dishwasher or cooktop, and it had a wall through the center of the room. It was by no means a functional kitchen space for the couple and their six children.

Thus, their first step in the renovation was to remove the wall in favor of opening the space. The Smalls now love the juxtaposition of their traditional farmhouse with its big modern kitchen. “It is important for people to know you can do a modern kitchen in a house like this,” says Eric.

The island is filled with drawers, offering plenty of cabinet space, and the cabinetry system against the wall focuses on efficient storage, too. The modern, synthetic countertops feature nanotechnology with many benefits, including fingerprint and scratch resistance. A selection like this one seemed perfect for a family with children. “Function was really important to us,” says Jenny.

The cooktop’s induction technology uses magnets to create heat. (There are special types of pots and pans that have to be used with this type of appliance.) Eric explains that the pots do not get hot to the surface and only the contents of the pan are heated. Induction is as fast as gas but creates less of an environmental footprint, he explains. The couple says this system also creates a sense of safety with small children, especially since their kids enjoy doing homework at the island nearby.

There are two ovens within the cabinets’ wall system—one is standard and the other is a steam oven.

The steam oven is used for cooking vegetables and seafood, says Eric. It is also smaller and uses less energy.

While their standard oven is smaller than the typical 30 inches, the couple proclaim that it’s still large enough to cook a turkey on Thanksgiving. (They say this is a commonly asked question, as is a concern expressed by some people regarding resale value of the home.)

The refrigerator is located in a small nook around the corner. The family also uses an antique locker system to store individual snacks for the children.

The Smalls took a leap of faith during the pandemic and started Nollie Design Studio, a full-service kitchen design company. Eric says his first goal when meeting with new clients is to understand how they intend to use their kitchen space.

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“I want it to function well first, and then we can figure out the aesthetic,” he says. He often sketches designs in front of clients before completing a full rendering so the process can be as collaborative as possible. After spending the last two decades designing kitchens for other companies, he is now thrilled to be working in his own design studio.

“He is happy with creativity.” says his wife of more than 20 years. “Watching him grow into the designer he is now is really cool.”

MODERN FARMHOUSE After living in Chicago, Eric and Jenny Small bought an old farmhouse in Ostrander and launched Nollie Design Studio from their home.

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A Clintonville Refresh Alex and Julie Olemacher purchased their Clintonville ranch in March 2019, bringing along their Bernese mountain dog, Maple. Julie, an intuitive eating and body image coach, loves to cook. She knew at some point she would want to give the home’s galley kitchen a facelift.

Because this is their first home, though, the Olemachers did not want to do a full kitchen renovation just yet. They thought they’d start small.

“The sink was actually the entire inspiration for the kitchen project,” says Julie. The previous sink was too small to even soak a pan. It was replaced with a black matte sink from Build with Ferguson.

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“When I found the sink, everything fell into place, and I leaned into the black and white aesthetic,” she says.

Olemacher says she learned to love Scandinavian design after visiting family in Denmark. She initially thought the dark sink was risky, but she found a matte black faucet to complement this statement piece.

The couple hired Columbus Handyman to help them complete the minor installations during the update, which included the sink, a full tile wall, updated cabinetry hardware, a new dishwasher, shelving and a butcher block countertop to replace the old one.

The Olemachers worked with Frankie Cropper, an interior design consultant. “I thought I would love an all-tile wall,” says Julie. “Frankie agreed and gave me the courage to do it, which reaffirmed my own intuition.” The light fixtures, purchased from Joss + Main, were also added to the refreshed space.

Today, Julie says there is a misconception that to have a dream kitchen “you have to have a big house, too.” Through this project, the couple has learned otherwise.

“You can make a small kitchen really fabulous and make it your style,” says Julie. “I love our kitchen.”

A BASIC UPGRADE Julie Ohlemaker and her dog, Maple, have fun in the midst of their Clintonville ktichen. Julie, and her husband Alex, chose to refresh their current kitchen without making major changes in its design. Among the details added: butcher block countertops to replace the worn old countertops of similar design.

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By Sherry Beck Paprocki Photos by Tim Johnson

Masters of Renovation Serial preservers update their third 100-year-old Granville home

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im and Julie Hopson’s most recent renovation in Granville is a grand 1905 house that looks out over a historic home they updated almost 25 years ago.

The Hopsons have drastically refurbished four homes in Granville and many others elsewhere. Three of those Granville houses, including the one just completed, are at least 100 years old with more than 3,000 square feet of space.

The couple arrived in Granville in the early 1990s when Jim was hired to oversee a group of Ohio newspapers, which included the Newark Advocate. They purchased their first historic Granville home, which was built in 1864, on College Street.

That house was once a Lutheran church and is said to have been a safe place along the Underground Railroad. Before the couple and their then-teen-age daughter moved their possessions to town, a thorough renovation was completed.

You would be hard-pressed to find any couple in Central Ohio who has had more courage working on and liv-

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ing in old houses. Their current house, says Julie, will be their forever home. It works for their family and certainly welcomes visitors with its large foyer and original, stained glass windows that grace the front entry.

“One of my favorite quotes is Churchill’s: ‘We shape our buildings, and afterwards, our buildings shape us,’” says Julie.

“The way rooms are placed dictates the ways in which people interact in those spaces, and that affects the quality of life lived there,” she adds.

In their quest for perfection on this latest project, Jim visited Granville’s zoning commission and village council on at least six different occasions, as the couple worked with various contractors to restructure an attic stairwell, add a gated backyard and update the front porch—which sloped 18 inches from one end to the other. They closed on the property in mid-October of 2019 and moved in the midst of the pandemic in June 2020.

This summer has found Julie enjoying the wide front porch with its temporary

A COMPLETE UPDATE The kitchen retains its cozy, vintage charm even though it was completely reenvisioned with an updated floor plan, new tile work, modern cabinetry, granite countertops and more.

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A DINING EXPERIENCE In the center of the home, the refurbished dining room is separate from the busyness of the kitchen. At right, the home’s facade, including its dramatic front porch, was updated as part of the renovation.

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furnishings. (Supply chain issues stalled delivery of the furniture she ordered months ago.) A decade and a half after his official retirement from publishing, Jim has now settled into a routine that starts many mornings at the Granville Golf Course— two blocks away. As the last school year wrapped up, they enjoyed early mornings with two of their grandsons, including a breakfast occasionally cooked in their new kitchen by the 10-year-old.

Their vibrant kitchen is alive with cream-colored cabinetry, light green granite and a green-and-cream checked tiled floor that Jim designed. The fleur-de-lis pattern in the tile backsplash echoes the one in the foyer’s original stained windows and front door. Julie says the soapstone countertops that were under consideration for a time were ditched after she discovered the upkeep the black stone would require. Instead, the duo ordered the exact granite that they had installed in a home they once built on Sanibel Island, Florida.

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A wide center island and all of its organizational structure provides plenty of space for whomever is working in the kitchen.

Many chef duties in recent years have been handed over to Jim, who continually takes courses and tries new recipes.

Still, Julie enjoys cooking and is part of a cookbook group that meets regularly at the Granville library, located just two blocks away, opposite the golf course.

On a recent afternoon this summer, she had a sweet potato-mango cake cooling on a nearby counter, from the cookbook “Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African-American Cooking.” Nearby, stools provide seating space for visiting grandsons and other guests.

Back at the front of the house, the parlor adjoins the entry and offers an intimate conversation area with chairs that can be turned toward the fireplace or two recently recovered love seats. Every corner, every nook in this house has been updated—even a concrete wall at the rear

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of the parlor’s fireplace was knocked out to join the dining room’s fireplace for a see-through effect. No surface, it seems, has gone untouched. The Hopsons—more than a dozen houses into their marriage— have become experts at designing efficient living spaces, bookshelves, storage areas, hobbyist rooms and all.

Still, mistakes will be made. They cringe when they talk of their recent flooring challenge. The old oak in the first floor of this home was sanded and then coated in a toodark, almost-black glaze that went against the honey color they had ordered. Their solution? Rip up the old, worn floorboards and install new glistening oak, still matching the golden aura of the house.

The rear of the first floor features a warm den that they refer to as the “man cave,” 32

replete with Jim’s desk, plenty of bookshelves and other built-ins. There’s a doggy door for Penny, a vizsla, and Summer, a Labrador retriever, who at their own will go in and out to the fenced rear yard. In this room last spring, their oldest grandson studied remotely while his mom tended to her onsite teaching job and his younger brother worked in the parlor at the front of the house.

On the second floor, the homeowners created a comfortable haven. One of the house’s four bedrooms was removed in favor of a spacious owners’ suite, complete with compact laundry facilities, a large bath, two closets and more. Two additional bedrooms down the hall provide plenty of sleeping space for visiting family and friends.

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WARM AND WELCOMING The spacious foyer is furnished to accommodate quick visits from drop-in guests. Here, the home’s original stained glass windows have now been protected with the addition of storm windows.

Wingback chairs in the parlor, at far left, can be turned to face the nearby hearth.

Julie’s private quarters is a large space accommodating both her office and sewing room where iPads and machines and design boards and plenty of fabric and quilts-inprogress keep her busy. A gabled landing was designed along with the new stairway to this formerly dusty attic. Various nooks and closets allow the homeowners to tuck away luggage and other things not currently in use. (Jim also raves about the basement’s size. It is a neatly organized storage space with holiday décor and other items not commonly used but now within easy reach.)

The Hopsons’ journey to get to this home has been a long one. They have lived a corporate life throughout the United States, including several years when Jim was a publisher in the Northeast. The two met in journalism school at the University of Missouri, and then Jim served in Vietnam and got an MBA from Harvard. They purchased their first renovation project in Des Moines when both took jobs at the newspaper there.

“We bought our first house in Des Moines in 1974 and did what pathetic renovations we could afford when we moved in,” Jim says. “[That] first house was bought under a GI [now a VA] loan, no-money-down program,” adds Julie.

As young parents, they then moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, with two sons. Upon moving there they dropped a contract they had to buy an older home that needed renovations—because time was limited with children and jobs involved.

“The whole house, inside and out, was painted a deep Wedgwood blue and we knew it would take gallons of coats of paint to change it,” explains Julie. “With two toddlers, we just didn’t have the bandwidth or energy to take on that scope of a project.

Later, just before Thanksgiving, we learned it was next to the most famous Christmas decorated house in town, one that even made The Today Show, and we felt lucky to have passed [due to traffic created by the spectacle next door].”

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NEW SPACES GALORE The second floor includes two guest rooms, in addition to the owners’ suite. At far right, the home’s formerly dusty attic was refurbished into a hobby room and office space for Julie.

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That, though, was one of the few times the Hopsons—who later had their daughter and now have five grandsons—decided against buying a home that needed work.

In all, the couple has renovated at least 10 homes, in addition to building two new.

Back in the 1990s, after completing two of their Granville renovations—and after Julie had finished teaching at OSUNewark and commuting to the University of Pennsylvania to eventually earn a doctorate in education—the couple left Central Ohio.

Jim took a publishing job based in Madison, Wisconsin. First, they lightly updated a home and then built a new one on a vacant lot beside it. After six years there, they thought they might slow down.

As Jim retired from publishing, they purchased a spacious 1970s contemporary styled condominium perched on a hill

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overlooking the Granville Golf Course and Denison University beyond.

Their official residence was in Florida at the time, but they still updated the entire Granville condo while both regularly flew in and out of John Glenn Columbus airport. Jim worked around the country on several different newspaper consulting gigs, even temporarily overseeing The Columbus Dispatch following the sale of the paper and its sister publications, including Columbus Monthly, to GateHouse Media.

(Over a series of disrupted summers, he also walked and later rode a bicycle across the United States.)

Both Hopsons loved the fact that their daughter and two grandsons moved to Granville and were within walking distance when they were in town.

The couple’s latest Granville project brought them off the hill and out of the

condo. They had long admired the turnof-the-century home, which had been owned by the same family for the past 98 years. When it went on the market, they quickly purchased it from the heirs and hired contractor Keith Wills to do the three-story renovation.

When it came time to sell their condo, word was out in the village and a sidewalk conversation between Jim and Granville Golf Course developer Bob Kent resulted in its sale. That’s just the way it works in Granville.

The Hopsons, now a bit tired of renovations, smile at their pandemic escapades.

By the time this Granville renovation was

done, they had sold the graceful stilt home within an easy walk to the beach that they had built on Sanibel. The drive to southwest Florida had become too long. Yet with a continued desire for a cold-weather refuge, they found another home in the center of Hilton Head Island and did some renovations there, too.

It so happens the younger of their sons is a professor of industrial design at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and his family is within an hour’s drive. (Their oldest son is the head of user research for a computer game studio and lives in Seattle with his family. Thus, the Hopsons take occasional jaunts to the West Coast, too.)

Certainly, the past couple of years have been very busy with renovations and such.

Few furnishings were bought new, though.

The Hopsons talk of shipping things from the Granville condo to Hilton Head, and from Sanibel to the new Granville house.

They shipped things to their kids in other places, including their daughter’s new home in Upper Arlington. Finally, by the Fourth of July, almost everything had arrived at its destination, and they had settled in for Granville’s weekend Independence Day celebration—it was just one block away.

“We have ruled out any more moves,” says Jim.

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Spectacular Views in Muirfield An original home on the championship course is razed in favor of building new.

BY LAURIE ALLEN • PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

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VIEWS OF A CHAMPION Peeks of the Muirfield Village Golf Course, which hosts the annual PGA tournament every spring, can be seen from the backyard of this new home constructed on the course.

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hat started as a major remodel on a picture-perfect site evolved into one of the first entirely new homes to be built on the Muirfield Village Golf Course since its inception nearly 50 years ago.

The 4-year-old home takes full advantage of its location on the eighth tee, with views of the entire green from tee to hole. Floor-to-ceiling windows, sprawling outdoor living spaces and an upper deck provide sweeping views of the course. Tucked among trees at the end of a secluded road, the stone-and-stucco home resembles an English country estate and looks as though it’s always been there—the goal for both the homeowners and their architect, Richard Taylor.

Taylor had begun extensive discussions with owners Sam and Susan Smiley about remodeling the Muirfield home they’d purchased. It became clear that neither the site nor the home’s existing footprint would accommodate their needs, which included a first-floor owner’s suite and unobstructed views of the course.

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THE PERFECT SITE Architect Richard Taylor captured picturesque outdoor scenery that seemed to be ignored when the original home was constructed on the site in the 1980s.

The homeowners first planned for a renovation, but found that construction costs made it prohibitive.

Instead, they decided to demolish the first home and build a new one.

The house, built in the mid-1980s, was divided by walls and staircases, and “what should have been a spectacular view was no view at all,” Taylor says. “It wasn’t taking advantage of its location as well as it could have.” Furthermore, adding on to the structure to create a owner’s suite presented problems because of the way the house was sited.

Despite “fabulous renovation ideas” from Taylor, Susan says when contractor bids started coming, the couple realized the significant cost involved, particularly given the 30-year-old plumbing, electric and HVAC systems. When all was said and done, razing the existing structure and starting from the ground up made more sense. Corinthian Fine Homes built the 6,600-square-foot house, which has four bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms on three levels. The two-year construction project was completed in 2017.

“I had never dreamed of it,” homeowner Susan Smiley says of the project. “We’ve never built a house before.” She and her husband have been delighted with the way the residence suits them and meets both their collective and respective needs. That includes Sam’s cherry-paneled study with its ideal tee view and Susan’s large island kitchen and outdoor gardens.

The kitchen, adjacent great room, and outdoor living and entertainment areas all orient toward the course. Lush landscaping and terraced seating create intimacy and privacy while echoing the serene, yet energetically charged, nature of a professional golf course.

In fair weather, the focus is outside. A large porch with seating and dining areas steps directly off the great room and features floor-to-ceiling, remote-controlled screens that keep the elements and insects at bay while retaining an open-air feeling.

Beyond the porch, a massive wood-burning stone fireplace forms the focal point for a curved conversation area nestled inside low stone walls that create a sense of seclusion.

The outdoor kitchen with its grill, smoker, sink and refrigerator has the capacity to feed a crowd.

Susan credits designer Carolyn Rand for suggesting the red brick patio pavers that underlie the entire area and lend a sense of permanence. “I had wanted stone like in the front, and she said, ‘Susan, I think you have enough stone here,’” Carolyn says with a smile. “I really do like it. We wanted it to look like we’d been here [from the beginning].”

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HOSTING AT HOME A lofted area, above, is a comfortable place for the couple’s baby grand piano. Conversation areas abound throughout the house, including in the living room, as well as Sam’s Scotch room, at right.

One of her favorite spaces is a small, secret garden on the side of the home, where she cultivates perennial hibiscus she starts from seeds taken from the mature plants grown on the opposite side. Some seeds become gifts to friends. Although the gardens contain enough plants to keep a professional landscaper busy, Susan maintains them herself because, “I like to garden and be outside.”

Inside, her husband’s second retreat is a natural stone Scotch room with circular seating and a wood-burning fireplace. It’s on the home’s lower level, which also contains a large fitness room and bathroom complete with a steam shower and sauna.

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Another of Susan’s favorite things about the house is a coffee bar off the first floor bedroom that connects to the screened porch. Unlike the other rooms on this level, the owner’s suite is not oriented to the course but to the tree-lined side of the home. “It’s quieter here,” she explains.

“People think golf is a quiet sport and it is, during the game. But it’s not quiet before, when everyone is out getting ready.”

The suite’s vanity area houses one of the lady of the home’s pet projects throughout the renovation—hiding the electrical outlets. Here, they are tucked behind drawers that hold hairdryers and other beauty essentials. In the kitchen, she has concealed

them under the marble island countertop rather than on the side. She’s also a fan of placing outlets in baseboards and painting switch plates to match wall color.

The first-floor suite is a key component of the “aging-in-place” objective the Smileys sought. Hallways to the suite are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, and levers replace knobs on some of the doors.

Despite their planning, Susan says the couple is “thinking about” putting the house on the market after Sam retires from his dental practice.

The second floor has three bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom. The second-story hub is an open seating area with an ivory-and-gold Yamaha grand piano, which one of their adult daughters played in earlier years. The loft area overlooks the main level and directly out to the course.

Susan says she learned several lessons as a first-time home builder. “I would have relaxed more,” she says. “I was so involved. I’m glad the builder was patient with me.” She appreciates Taylor’s knowledge of both Dublin’s and Muirfield’s building regulations. (He’s a former member of the planning and zoning commission and a current member of Muirfield’s design control committee.) Equally, “the builder respected the rules instead of trying to circumvent that,” she says. “I’m very grateful for that.”

The architect, builder and designer all worked and lived in Dublin during the project, “which made it so much easier for me,” she adds. The couple’s neighbors “were unbelievably patient, understanding and supportive” during the two-year construction project, she says.

Taylor says he expects other Muirfield homeowners to go the same route the Smileys took in razing and rebuilding from scratch. The first Muirfield houses are approaching the 50-year mark and many have not undergone any updates. Also, he notes, a major expansion and renovation of the Muirfield Village Clubhouse in 2013 raised the value of all the properties around it, and “it made the lots more valuable than the houses in some cases.”

Taylor says he had a lot of fun guiding the Smileys’ home from drafting table to completion. “It’s always such a great feeling to see something on paper appear in three dimensions,” says the architect. “I think it’s a very handsome home, and I’m pleased with how well it fit the site. When I can tell the homeowner loves the house, that’s when it’s really meaningful to me.”

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WHIMSICAL GARDENING Marysville council member Donald Boerger prolifically plants the property around the home he owns.

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A Marysville preservationist plants a year-round garden at his vintage home.

A Fresh Take On Cottage Gardening

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By Teresa Woodard • Photos by Rob Hardin

ars slow and pedestrians linger as they pass the colorful cottage gardens surrounding Donald Boerger’s century-old home in historic uptown Marysville. Compliments come via notes from people in Texas, South Carolina and Oregon, making Boerger happy to know that he is inspiring visitors from 1,000 miles away.

“I plant for my enjoyment, but the biggest reason I plant is to see the joy it brings other people,” says Boerger, 32, who is a Marysville City Council member.

This summer, Boerger has cheerfully filled his front beds with dozens of sunflowers, drifts of bright pink petunias, towering lilies and an abundance of nostalgic daisies.

He’s no newcomer to gardening or his other passion, historic preservation. In fact, he planted crocus, daffodils and tulips when he first moved into his home at age 10 with his parents and twin sisters. And, that same year, he spoke at Marysville City Council about the value of preserving historic homes and community identity.

Forever the history buff, today Boerger loves to share the backstory of his home. He

explains it was built in 1901 by builder John Adams as a show home and sold to the McIlroy family. In 1941, his great-grandparents bought the place as a retirement residence.

And, in 1999, his family inherited the home from his great-grandmother’s estate.

When Boerger, his parents and twin sisters moved in, much of the landscape was overgrown with evergreen shrubs, myrtle vine, English ivy and multiplying resurrection lilies. Still, the family treasured two Eastern White pines Donald’s father planted when he was in Future Farmers of America and a saucer magnolia planted

by Boerger’s grandfather when he returned home from WWII as a house-warming gift for Boerger’s great-grandparents. He cherishes an old newspaper photo of his grandmother with the tree and recently posted it on Instagram along with a current one of himself in the same position by the tree.

“The magnolia has a history. It has memories. And it has shade,” says Boerger affectionately. “I’ll cry if I ever lose it.”

By age 14, Boerger had expanded beyond spring bulbs and planted quite a showplace.

He was even invited to be a part of the

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Union County Garden Tour and was featured in a Columbus Dispatch article previewing the tour. “Overgrown evergreen shrubs once shrouded part of the front porch where cascades of miniature petunias now make spectacles of themselves in hanging pots,” described Michael Leach, the reporter who wrote the piece.

Boerger went on to pursue a degree in city and regional planning from Ohio State University and landed a job promoting the region for Union County’s Chamber of Commerce. Two years ago, he ran for city council and continues to serve there now.

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“Community identity, uniqueness, character and preservation are all things I value,” says Boerger. “I try to walk the talk.”

He volunteers with the Union County Historical Society and created “This Place Matters” signs to display at 80 structures during Historic Preservation Month in May. As a preservation champion, Boerger appreciates the value a community’s historic character brings in attracting a younger generation.

“Young preservationists want to live in unique areas that they can’t find anywhere else,” says Boerger. “Old homes have souls,

and every house has a different character like an individual.”

Boerger’s cottage style gardens are the perfect fit to reinforce his home’s cottage architecture. Introduced in the late 1880s

by English gardener Gertrude Jekyll, cottage gardens are known for their informal, blowsy plant borders. Jekyll tired of the formal plantings of the Victorian times and instead advocated for a more natural look with plants arranged by color, height and flowering season.

As Boerger created his gardens over the years, he followed Jekyll’s mantra.

VISUALLY SATISFYING Boerger thrives on beautifying his community. Soon after he moved to Marysville at age 10, he spoke to the village council about the importance of community identity and historic preservation.

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“I wanted cottage beds and color all year long,” he says. The passion for color led him to learn about flowers and their different bloom times.

In spring, his garden shines with an abundance of yellow and white daffodils, pink and purple tulips and a crocus mix he purchased from Marysville wholesaler Berbee Bulbs at their Dutch Mill Greenhouse garden center.

For Easter, he even hangs pastel-colored plastic eggs from his paperbark maple tree and fills containers with pansies and sprigs of pussy willow stems. A flowering crabapple tree steals the show in the front, while his grandmother’s flowering magnolia is the spring highlight in the backyard.

“The blooms are giant,” says Boerger, “and they’re so fragrant in the evening.”

For summer, Boerger grows trays of annuals from seed for plants such as orange zinnias and golden sunflowers. These fill vacant spaces in his perennial beds. He also purchases the latest annuals like Profusion zinnias and angelonia from Scheiderer Farms Greenhouse, where he works seasonally. He 46

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CONSTANT COLOR The home’s vintage charm is enhanced with tulips and other spring bulbs.

Eventually, the property transitions into a colorful garden display with daisies and more, providing a delightful show through the fall.

plants the annuals along the edges of his perennial borders for ongoing summer color.

“I plant annuals for instant color,” says Boerger, explaining that perennials take longer to produce blooms.

“The first year they sit; the second year they kind of grow and the third year they flourish,” he says. As a bonus, though, they can be divided and replanted throughout the garden or shared with friends. His favorite perennials include large-flowering day lilies, showy hardy hibiscus and the pollinator-friendly butterfly weed.

Boerger also encourages self-sowing annuals such as purple larkspur to drop their seeds. As the plants weave their way through the beds, they seem to knit the various plants altogether. Purple larkspur can be prolific, starting with thousands of seedlings, many of which will eventually need to be pulled.

To the east side of the house, he designed a shade garden beneath a ginkgo tree and blue spruce. He filled it with a collection of hostas, bleeding heart, brunnera, hellebores, garden phlox and coral bells. One of his many tips is to place plants—often in deep beds extending away from the foundation— so that they can be viewed from each room indoors. He’s even been known to plant trees in the neighbor’s yard to enhance the views.

Over the years, Boerger has found that Ohio’s heat spells make it tough to grow the classic New England style of cottage plants, so he’s swapped in several native perennials such as black-eyed Susans and coneflowers. He also replaced three burning bushes with more eco-friendly Brandywine viburnums for their glossy leaves, blooms and fall berries.

For July Fourth, Boerger hangs buntings on the front of the house. His year-round show continues through the fall with displays of ornamental kale and pumpkins. At Christmastime, he wraps trees in lights and fills urns with red lanterns to carry on his grandfather’s infamous holiday decorating tradition.

The exuberant gardens are a bright spot in downtown Marysville and a reflection of Donald’s cheery personality.

“I always take advice from a sunflower,” he say. “Be bright, sunny and positive. Rise, shine and hold your head up high.”

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Home & Garden Show Preview This fall, the semiannual expo returns to its pre-pandemic glory.

AFTER PIVOTING TO VIRTUAL EVENTS last year, the 2021 edition of the Dispatch Fall Home & Garden Show presented by Rosati Windows is going back to its roots with fully in-person events, celebrity guests, giveaways and more.

“We’re so excited to see our guests’ faces again, and so are our 180 vendors,” says show director Stephen Buzza. “This weekend will be a one-stop shop for homeowners to access expert advice from local industry professionals and so much more as they prepare their homes for the seasons ahead.”

The Fall Home & Garden Show will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 10 through 12 at the Ohio State Fairgrounds’ Bricker Building. As in years past, the show will again partner with the Columbus Oktober-

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fest, which runs the same days at the Fairgrounds. A free shuttle, courtesy of Branch Insurance, will transport guests between the two events.

All weekend, special opening ceremonies will commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, with displays featuring 9/11 artifacts courtesy Warren Motts, owner of Motts Military Museum in Groveport. Motts’ collection of 9/11 artifacts is a must-see experience.

His display will include a crushed NY Police vehicle that was on site at “Ground Zero.”

Other daily draws include a sports lounge courtesy Spectrum, stage presentations emceed by Sunny 95’s Stacy McKay, three indoor display gardens and an interactive butterfly house. The spin-to-win giveaway kiosks return, offering the chance to win a

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share of more than $5,000 in prizes; other giveaways include free gardening gloves at the door while supplies last and flower bulb packets that will be given away all three days. Live demonstrations, courtesy COSI, Dawes Arboretum and OSU Master Gardeners, will take place throughout the weekend, as well, and each day of the show includes its own special events.

Visit Friday between 4 and 5 p.m. for a bourbon tasting courtesy Haus Studio, where of-age guests can sample 10 bourbons.

In a similar vein, Saturday will feature a wine tasting with food pairings presented

by Riteway Restoration at 5 p.m., as well as presentations from White House chief floral designer Laura Downing and Dave and Jenny Marrs of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous. The

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

BY EMMA FRANKART HENTERLY

PHOTO: COURTESY HGTV

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

noon Buckeyes football game needn’t interfere with a visit to the show, either—catch it in the sports lounge in between stage presentations and visiting vendors’ booths.

Also on Saturday, the winners of the Columbus Dispatch Backyard Garden Awards, presented by Oakland Nurseries and Ag-Pro, will be announced at 3 p.m. The top winner in each of six categories—home landscaping, vegetable garden, container garden, community garden, native plant garden and perennial garden—will win a gift card to Oakland Nurseries and may be featured in the Sept. 9 issue of The Columbus Dispatch.

Sunday is Family Day at the show, with special appearances by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s animals, a presentation from the Turtle Lady (aka Nancy Lockard), and a special make-and-take craft courtesy of Lowe’s.

Tickets to the Dispatch Home & Garden Show are $5 at the door (free for kids 17 and younger); parking is an additional $5. Admission is free all weekend for active military, veterans and first responders, as well as anyone who presents an Oktoberfest program at the door. Guests also have the opportunity to pick up free ticket vouchers (limit two per person) at Central Ohio Lowe’s locations.

Dave and Jenny Marrs of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous

FALL/WINTER 2021-22 COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN

49

WHAT IS HOME

Finding a Home of Her Own A widowed writer quickly sells her house and fast tracks a move to Austin.

I stood on the back deck of our home as the real estate agent hung a “For Sale” sign in front.

“I’ll never have a home like this again” were the words that kept running through my head.

Down, to my right, I saw the faint outline of a wine stain. That was made on an evening about 20 years earlier when my husband, Wayne, and I sat looking out at our wooded backyard. We were both tired from a full day’s work at our jobs and had spent the evening doing some of the million tasks required before you move into a home. We sat down on the deck to relax, share some wine and talk about what was ahead.

As I stood on the second-floor deck that recent evening, my mind cataloged many of the minor 50

COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

and major projects we undertook during the 20 years that we turned that once-ramshackle place into our home. The French doors that led to two outdoor spaces, the dedicated exercise room, the chef’s kitchen, the walk-in showers, the wine cellar, the built-in sound system, an oversized deck with a hot tub, and even this incredible balcony were among the improvements. I smiled as I thought about how Wayne made me promise that we would stay in the house if we invested in the two sets of pricey French doors. Of course, we would, I said. This was our home.

Three years and one unexpected, massive heart attack after the doors were installed, I

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was a new widow. At 57, Wayne was gone.

Everything we loved, as a couple, was in this suburban Virginia house, including all the memories of happy times. But it no longer felt like home.

I watched a deer stealthily graze beneath a tree, unaware of my presence. Perhaps it was then that I knew it would be OK. I would have to make it OK. “We all thought you were crazy,” said one of my best friends when I recently mentioned that time, just three months after Wayne had died, when I decided to move.

Who packs up after 20 years in one place and moves halfway across the country at a time like that?

Despite all the wise counsel I received advising me to wait at least one year before making life-changing decisions, I knew the move was a smart one. I needed to find a place that would become my new home.

Choosing the state and city was relatively easy because I already had a cluster of friends in Austin. The challenging part was choosing the neighborhood and, most importantly, the structure. I thought about recreating what we had but quickly decided that was foolish. I was embarking on a new life as a different person.

One of the best parts about working as a writer is exploring various aspects of life.

At times, I worked as a newspaper editor overseeing real estate sections, as an editor for Bob Vila, and, my favorite, as a real estate writer for a host of publications,

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51

WHAT IS HOME rating scheme now reflects my slightly boho way. I have a lot fewer things, but an array of new friends with whom I’ve already created many new memories.

Now, not everyone has a best friend––or a spouse, child or another relative––who willingly jumps into your home search with such gusto. And, hopefully, most people aren’t leaving their long-time homes under the same circumstances as I did, so their reasoning may be more circumspect than mine was at the time.

Whatever leads you to choose a home, the best advice I can offer—from both a personal and professional perspective––is to know yourself well enough to know what makes you content. What makes your everyday existence as tranquil as reasonable?

“You want to feel comfortable,” explains my friend, Clifton. “You want to know where the paper towels are.”

I am lucky to have that. I wish you the same.

including USA Today. I learned plenty, which is why a major publisher recently asked me to write The Home Flippers Journal set to release this October.

Through the years, I’ve always advised those who want to choose a new home to heavily research the area before falling in love with a house. Talk to current homeowners. Drive around. Look at crime stats, home stats, population stats.

Sure, I did that, but what really helped me choose my home was listening to the

52

advice of those who knew me well, specifically my best friend from the age of 19.

I told Lisa about the properties I’d seen, the areas I explored and the features I wanted. She untangled my conversational jumble of highlights and lowlights, considered what she knew about me and then began a mission to dissect the available house offerings.

The result was a 6:30 a.m. telephone call from her that led me to my new home. It is not too big, not too small. My new deco-

COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

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real estate transactions JAN. 1–JUNE 30, 2021

PRICE

ADDRESS

BUYER/SELLER

$3,500,000

15 Highgrove Rd., New Albany

Varun K. & Monica Mahajan from Esther Lynn Holdings LLC

$3,000,000

5932 Whittingham Dr., Dublin

Bradley J. Infante, trustee, from Jenna M. & Matthew J. Romeo, trustees

$2,540,000

5350 Olentangy River Rd., Delaware

Anthony D. & Deborah D. Grothouse, trustees, from Roush Leasing LLC

$2,500,000

300 Spring St., Unit 1904, Columbus

Robert Philips, trustee, from Sergeii Bobrovsky

$2,365,000

1370 Loch Lomond Place, Powell

Home Sweet Loch Lomond LLC from Varun & Monica Mahajan, trustees

$2,239,000

7690 Wills Run Lane, Blacklick

99 Bay State LLC from Colts Neck Manor LLC

$2,000,000

5045 Squirrel Bend Rd., Upper Arlington

GMDH Properties LLC from Wesley C. & Ann S. Bates

$1,850,000

2525 Wimbledon Rd., Upper Arlington

Eamon & Katie C. Burgess from Douglas T. & Kerrii B. Anderson

$1,825,000

367 N. Columbia Ave., Bexley

Gabriel L. Coe from Yoaz Saar & Julie S. Saar

$1,787,000

912 Matthews Brook Lane, Powell

Lojo Ohio LLC from Paolo & Marilena Cugini

$1,775,000

7910 Ginger Place, Dublin

Josh A. & Tiffany D. Peoples from Edward Michael Pollina, successor trustee

$1,750,000

8566 Dunsinane Dr., Dublin

Clark & Dixie May from Shelley Jean Meyer, trustee

$1,750,000

8100 Tillinghast Dr., Dublin

Stephen Paul & Teresa Lynn Marohn, trustees, from Ann B. Mlicki, trustee

$1,705,100

5316 Lake Shore Ave., Westerville

Michael & Joella McNeil from George & Jocelyne Youssef

$1,650,000

1685 Hardin Lane, Powell

Ann Gallagher & James Hilz from Todd E. & Christina M. Cameron

$1,650,000

7940 Ginger Place, Dublin

Konstantine & Elizabeth Bourlas from Clark A. & Dixie J. May

$1,626,000

4489 Old 3C Highway, Westerville

Mario J. & Natalie T. Bianconi from Jacqueline S. Gray

$1,620,000

10509 Mackenzie Way, Dublin

Peter & Cheryl Suerken from Robin L. Brannan, trustee

$1,600,000

10122 Concord Rd., Dublin

Troy Allen from Sonia & Rubeal Mann

$1,600,000

4300 Riverside Dr., Upper Arlington

John Steven & Amanda Louise Sass from Sean Music & Emily Coleman

$1,580,000

7656 Wills Run Lane, Blacklick

Even Wang & Stacey Guan from Blaine M. Byers & Kendra L. Byers

$1,575,000

5106 Rosalind Blvd., Powell

Kayla L. & Michael S. Bell from Brandon L. & Becky K. Miller

$1,550,000

4026 Baughman Grant, New Albany

1 Crescent LLC from Julie & Paul Liu

$1,550,000

3281 Milner Rd., Granville

Julie M. & Timothy Gary Wigal from James D. & Audrey L. Ogden

$1,515,000

7101 Armscote End, New Albany

Samuel R. & Karrie L. Short from David J. & Wendi G. Heaton

As provided by Columbus Dispatch researcher Julie Fulton. Statistics are gathered from the greater Columbus area, including Franklin and parts of other surrounding counties.

COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN FALL/WINTER 2021-22

EVERYTHING you want for your home

under one roof SEPT. 10, 11, 12 OHIO EXPO CENTER

Find a pro and ideas for every space, with craftsmen and pros from more than 170 companies specializing in remodeling, kitchens, baths, decor, outdoor living and more.

Live appearances by animals from the

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Feed Live Butterflies at the Butterfly House

DON’T MISS

FAMILY DAY

Connects Curbside

featuring dynamic science demonstrations

Featuring live appearances by:

Take and Make

Dave & Jenny Marrs

Sunday Sept. 12

stars of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous •

presenting interactive presentations

Plus, a visit from the TURTLE LADY

Laura Downing

White House Florist

More info at DispatchHomeAndGardenShow.com

PRESENTS

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FREE ADMISSION

DispatchHomeAndGardenShow.com #DispatchHGShow

Sept. 10 - 12, 2021 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Ohio Expo Center • Bricker Building

Valid for 2 adult admissions Value: $5 each. Not valid with any other coupon or discount. No cash value.

Children 17 and under admitted free with an adult.

HGmagazine

Also get free tickets at In partnership with

Columbus Oktoberfest

being held the same weekend on the Fairgrounds. Complimentary golf cart shuttle between the two shows, sponsored by Branch Insurance.

Show your Oktoberfest program for free entry to the Fall Home & Garden Show!

CLOSURE

AMINAH ROBINSON’S DOOR

PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON

On display at the Columbus Museum of Art through Oct. 3, a door from the home of the late Aminah Robinson has become a piece of treasured art. The recipient of a MacArthur genius grant, Robinson is renowned for her art and her belief that understanding oneself is based in understanding one’s past. The quote above is from Robinson’s journals, which are part of the museum’s current exhibition.

56

COLUMBUS MONTHLY HOME & GARDEN SPRING/SUMMER FALL/WINTER 2021-22 2021

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