By Duane St. Clair

So many times, extensive remodeling of a well-located home trumps building or buying another house.

Location was a prime factor for Peter and Deb Czerwinski: they opted to completely remodel the first floor of their south Dublin home of 10 years, which sits on a mature lot near the Scioto River.

They first consulted Columbus architect Gary J. Alexander, which led to a construction team including Todd Schmidt of Renovations Unlimited, Inc. (of Grove City), and interior decorator Tracie McGarity of Columbus. The three worked with the Czerwinskis on ways to transform the home and take advantage of the lot’s riverside serenity.

Key to the project was opening the back of the dark (and dated) 1970s home to better appreciate the scenic river. To do that meant starting with the kitchen.

So the family would not be displaced for the projected six-month timeline, crews dismantled the kitchen before removing all of the other first-floor walls. The dark cabinets were moved to the basement, given a coat of light-colored paint and installed in a new kitchen, which became part of the informal family room. A temporary laundry room was also added to give the family a place to live outside of the second floor during construction.

Where previously there had been only one kitchen window overlooking the river, now the Czerwinskis have a wall of sliding doors with paned windows, giving them a French door appearance conforming to and enhancing the attractive interior. The kitchen features white wall and base cabinets and a walk-in pantry, which lights up when the door opens. A wooden, mantle-like frame surrounds the exhaust hood for the commercial grade gas stove. Behind the stove is a custom-designed tile wall highlighted by a pair of hand-carved roosters. The island includes chair seating and a sink, and the dishwasher is built into its black walnut base cabinets. The black walnut blends with the Brazilian cherry floor installed throughout the home. Base cabinets in the work area feature pullout drawers and tray storage. All the countertops feature lovely golden aurora granite.

A dining area at one end of the kitchen sits in a glass-walled alcove and is adjacent to the study, which is accessible through French doors. The doors’ beveled glass panes complement glass in wall cabinets elsewhere in the home.

The formal living room was upgraded and retains its place off the entry foyer. When upgrading the entry, a curved stairway with painted white posts was upgraded with Brazilian cherry stair treads and railing supported by wrought iron posts.

A major improvement was an addition for a master bedroom suite with a vaulted ceiling. The addition, which ties into the original suite, made possible reconfiguring the suite and installing a fireplace with a custom wood face.

An exquisite custom black walnut vanity cabinet with a twin-sink granite counter is another of the suite’s appealing features. The vanity was built by Randy Beechy Cabinetry of Plain City, which also did all custom cabinets and woodwork in the home.

In the master bath, unique faucets extend from the wall rather than through the countertop. The Czerwinskis opted not to install a tub, instead settling on a generous, marble-tiled shower with a glass door. The marble floors are heated, and the bath has an on-demand water heater.

A more formal family room with a bay of windows between the addition and kitchen received an upgrade, as well. The masonry fireplace face was replaced by polished brown onyx, and a fully-wired entertainment center was added. The lower level of the bedroom addition also houses a well equipped workout room adjacent to the less formal lower level family room. A door was added for access to the rear yard.

The bedroom addition is balanced on the other end of the home by a screened porch. Between them is a deck that was upgraded with new high-grade wood planks similar to the interior wood floors. Thick, high-wood railings were replaced with wrought iron railings to improve the view and appearance.

Another segment of the project, some done by CSL & Associates of Hilliard, upgraded brickwork around extensive plantings in the backyard, as well as all masonry and landscaping in the front of the home. Stairs from the deck to a patio as well as steps to the river were upgraded, as was the deck, with wrought iron railings.

In addition to their married daughter, who frequently visits with their one-year-old grandchild, Peter and Deb often play host to other family members and friends. Their home is “the primary place where people gather,” Deb says, and the redone space gives them “functionality, durability and livability” to accommodate other people and the two mastiffs who live there full time.

“(The designer and builder) really kept the integrity of this older home,” Deb says.

Duane St. Clair is a contributing editor for Dublin Life.