Tucked away in Upper Arlington’s historic district lies the Dunlap family home. Built during World War I, the home is one of the oldest in Upper Arlington and has long posed a tricky remodeling opportunity. When Courtney Bowe, contractor for J.S. Brown & Co., was given the opportunity to work on the home, she and her team did not shy away from the challenge.
“There was a lot structurally that was going to be happening, and there’s also just a lot of things that come up when you’re working with a 100-year-old home,” Bowe says. “As a company, we’re very comfortable with that.”
In addition to its age, the house had not had any major upgrades since the ’90s. While Bowe brought in more windows to brighten up rooms, a main priority would be addressing the aging structure of the home.
“Part of our decision making process was to have things that would not only be beautiful, fit the home, fit the client’s aesthetic, but also would be able to hold up over time,” Bowe says.
To give the home a more robust feeling, stained cabinets, a porcelain floor in the mudroom and Cambria countertops were added.
Todd Yarrington
The project in total transformed the entire first floor and part of the second floor and added a bathroom to the third floor. The areas covered included the kitchen, laundry area, mudroom, butler’s pantry, sunporch, family room, three and a half bathrooms, sleeping porch, and cabinetry.
“We really did touch so much of the home. As a designer, that’s so fun to get to see,” Bowe says. “To create individual spaces, but also tie the home together. I think that was exciting, just the volume of the project.”
Coordination and communication were critical for completing the project. Thankfully, homeowner Lee Ann Dunlap and her family were up for the challenge.
“It was exciting to imagine what could be and to work with Dean Wentz and the J.S. Brown design team on the architecture structure, the finishes and the amenities,” Dunlap says. “They were able to help us make different rooms in the house into very unique experiences.”
The Dunlaps knew exactly how they wanted their home to look and feel. Together, the family and Bowe applied colorful new features while maintaining the classic feel of the home, making a seamless transition from 1917 to 2020.
“We wanted space that was open, yet cozy and comfortable,” Dunlap says. “A lot of the homes in our area are historic and we wanted to keep with that intent, but still have modern amenities. It’s a nice mix of the new and the old.”
Matthew Urwin is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
