By Duane St. Clair

Frank and Judy Bozick’s goal of upgrading their master bedroom resulted in a new second floor living area in their Upper Arlington home, and the couple loves the results.

Working with architect John Nicholson of Nicholson Builders of Columbus, the Bozicks settled on a plan to create not only a modern master bedroom and bath, but also an art studio with the comforts of everyday living.

Judy, who used to sketch as a hobby, began painting with oils several years ago and set up her materials in the dining room. It all had to be put away when the Bozicks needed the room for dinners.

As they discussed the master suite upgrade, Nicholson sketched a studio above an enclosed first-floor room, and Frank was sold. The seamless design continued the original architecture of their Tremont Road home of 21 years without detracting from the appearance.

Nicholson’s plan included several modern design features within the older home.

To get the added closet space the Bozicks wanted, Nicholson redid a knee wall enclosing a long unused space with a sloped ceiling. Access to the new closet is through four pocket doors that are not quite standard height. Their panels match existing woodwork in the room. A 21-foot long hanging rod was installed so supports are minimal, making the expansive closet easy to use. A corner along the entry hall was fitted with cabinetry for more storage. Nicholson tapped into empty space behind a small hallway closet and made it part of a new walk-in closet.

Enlarging the master bath that adjoined the bedroom was a definite consideration of the upgrade. Nicholson designed a curved wall that allowed installing a shower with glass mosaic tiles in one corner. The modern curvature softens the bedroom wall and helps traffic flow, while also creating space needed for the bathroom upgrade. Also added was a tub with a curved granite deck and enclosed in a cherry-panel skirt. The wood matches all other wood pieces in the master bath. Twin sinks have corner-mounted medicine cabinets with angled mirrors for back-of-the-head views.

To build the studio above a room off the master bedroom, existing supports were replaced with steel posts enclosed in stone, which was cut to match stone on other parts of the home. Existing windows and other parts of the first-floor structure were not changed.

Nicholson says the studio was designed with windows on three sides to improve natural lighting. A sink was added in one corner so Judy can clean up after painting. Other features include copper roofs over windows, storage in the walk-in closet for electronic equipment and a uniquely designed pull-down staircase that gives access to storage above the studio.

To complete the remodel, Bozicks have added flat-panel televisions in both the bedroom and studio. They also added several comfortable chairs, including one that can be used as a bed. The result of it all, Judy says, is a three-room living area where the couple spends much of their leisure time.

Duane St. Clair is contributing editor for Upper Arlington Magazine.