Ramsey Baker Photography
When Sara Muniza and her family moved into their home just off of Muirfield Drive, they were happy with the layout of the home but knew they wanted it to look more modern. After several rounds of renovations over the course of a few years, the Munizas have made their house a home for the long haul.
Ramsey Baker Photography
First steps
Having lived in Columbus since she was 4 years old, Muniza has a special connection to the area.
She moved to Dublin in 2013, drawn by the city’s top-rated, schools however, she found far more than quality education when she met her husband, Joe, who lived in the same neighborhood.
After getting married, they moved to a new house in Dublin with their two children, Rocco and Erin, who were 9 and 15 at the time. Soon after the move, the Munizas hit the ground running with renovations starting with the basement and kitchen with things such as replacing the countertops. These projects were finished up in 2017, but this was just the beginning of their renovations.
Ramsey Baker Photography
In and out
The next stage of remodeling began in 2022when they tackled the most pressing concern: the exterior. The original design was all vinyl siding, but some of the wood around the house was rotting.
Along with the siding updates, the Munizas wanted to remove the shutters on all the windows to make room for some trim, giving the house a more modern look.
The next stage of renovations involved the inside of the house, starting with the upstairs bathroom.
The bathtub was swapped for a half-wall shower, adding features , such as a retractable shower bench, a heated towel rack and shelving behind the mirrors.
Muniza designed the bathroom herself, placing functionality and usefulness as priorities.
“I (want) to live where form meets function,” she says.
First floor refresh
Ramsey Baker Photography
Ramsey Baker Photography
Ramsey Baker Photography
Ramsey Baker Photography
In August of 2023, the next stage of the project commenced with 5 Oaks Company helping them draw up their dream home. The Munizas began work on the first floor, transforming their living room, laundry room, office and revisiting the kitchen.
Sound travelling between the office (formerly the dining room) and the kitchen was a main concern due to the openness of the wall separating the rooms. To close off the office from the kitchen, the wall was built all the way up and the doorway was sealed to create a new pantry.
A main issue for the Munizas was the lack of storage in the kitchen. To make the most use of the high ceilings, the 30-inch kitchen cabinets were switched out for cabinets double the height.
“It came down to functionality, so we went vertical with a lot of the space,” Muniza says.
The office and laundry room also received additions to maximize space, including a rollable laundry cart and vertical drawers for storage.
“I think my favorite part about it is just the fact that everything has a place,” Muniza says.
Personal touches
Ramsey Baker Photography
Ramsey Baker Photography
Ramsey Baker Photography
Ramsey Baker Photography
In addition to the improvements made in communal spaces such as the kitchen and living room, the Munizas also focused their attention on individual bedrooms.
They created a guest bedroom by closing off an upstairs area that was originally a loft. The other bedrooms were updated by switching the layout and adding new decor.
When it came to refreshing her decor, Muniza had the help of interior decorator Lindsay Bluman, who helped Muniza incorporate more vintage décor into her new modern home look.
“I feel like growing up in Upper Arlington or any of those older cities, you have more of a layered older aesthetic. I didn’t know how to translate that in a modern home, because I wanted modern finishes, but then I wanted to layer it with pieces that made it feel like it was here for 100 years,” Muniza says.
Bluman searched antique and vintage stores for decorations that would complement the Muniza house. The pieces reflected the colorways of the renovations, but included a personal feel to each room. In the living room, an eye-catching gallery wall of vintage artwork accompanies the modern-looking fireplace. In the primary bedroom, nightstands with marble tops and detailed wood carvings sit next to a modern bedframe.
“My goal is to honor the past while embracing the present, artfully, and always with heart,” Bluman says.
“Every choice was intentional, balancing form and function to create a home that feels warm, elevated, and truly ours,” says Muniza.
Ali Hartzell is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
