Chris and Liz Melnik found their “forever home,” Liz says, when they bought their four-bedroom, two-story house in Dublin’s Amberleigh neighborhood just over a year ago.
They started their journey together when they became sweethearts at Westerville North High School, where Chris was a year ahead of Liz. They both attended Ohio University, and though they had different fields of study, they’ve found themselves in professions with a similar focus.
Chris, 30, is a software engineer at Battelle for Kids, a nonprofit in Grandview Heights, where he helps develop computer-based lessons to help improve education at all grade levels in districts across the country. Liz, 29, is in her seventh year as a math teacher at Dublin Jerome High School, currently instructing juniors and seniors in pre-calculus.
After he graduated from OU, Chris bought a two-bedroom ranch in Upper Arlington where the previous owner had lived for 60 years. It needed upgrades, which he accomplished with the help of his father, Frank. Soon, it became Liz’s home, too.
In 2012, the Melniks decided to sell and find “something long-term with more than one bathroom,” Liz says.
Living: Residence, Reborn
Much to their surprise – and dismay, too – it sold within a week. The couple lived with Chris’ parents in Westerville for nine months while they searched for the right home.
“We were able to kick back and take our time,” Liz says.
They needed the extra time. Two homes they found and liked were sold by the time they submitted offers. Having learned a valuable lesson, they immediately placed their offer when the Amberleigh house came on the market.
For Liz, moving to Dublin was almost like coming home. Her father, Roger Wood, graduated from Dublin High School in the early 1970s. Many members of her extended family live in Dublin, and she remembers many Sundays in her childhood when her family had dinner with her grandparents. Being closer to Liz’s job was another plus, Chris says.
And then there’s the house. To start, it has more space; in addition to the four bedrooms, it has three and a half baths.
“We really liked the idea of open concept living,” Liz says.
That setup was possible because the kitchen, with a large island, ties into a great room that features partially vaulted ceilings and an attractive fireplace.
“What really got us excited was the patio and fireplace,” she says. “The outdoor space is fantastic.”
Part of the outdoor space, Liz says, is covered, and it’s accessible from two doorways.
The couple managed to furnish the first and second floors throughout.
“There’s something in every room,” Chris says.
Liz notes that the first few months were somewhat hectic as they furnished the home, which was essentially move-in ready and didn’t take much fixing up.
Their first floor includes a formal dining room, while all four bedrooms are on the second floor. Three of the bedrooms are considered guest rooms, as the couple have no children as of yet.
The finished lower level gave them a place for their old couch in the living area there, which is adjacent to the theater room, while all the new furnishings decorate the main level. That’s where the couple spend most leisure hours unless the weather allows them to enjoy their outdoor living space.
They’re on a cul-de-sac, which means a quiet, private backyard. But the front yard offers plenty of opportunity for social interaction. The Melniks moved in right around the time of a neighborhood party and met almost everyone in the court, and they often run into neighbors when walking their golden Labrador retriever, Riley.
Those dog walks take Liz to two other amenities: a park in the subdivision and nearby Donegal Park.
Bike and pedestrian paths allow Chris and Liz to ride along Dublin Road to Historic Dublin.
“We wanted to be closer to restaurants,” Liz says, adding that “all the paths are connected,” so it’s possible to ride throughout the city.
Both are looking forward to the Bridge Street District development, a sign that the City is “trying to get younger people involved,” she says.
Chris, who plays indoor soccer at Soccer First, cites City services, the parks and paths among the amenities that drew the couple to make Dublin their home.
Duane St. Clair is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
