Photo by Jeffrey S. Hall Photography
“It’s so bright and cheerful and it has great windows that overlook the pretty large back yard that we never had before,” says the homeowner. “We had a cute patio and all that before, it was a nice back yard, but we just didn’t have all this space and I’m really enjoying it. I love to garden.”
Living in a landlocked community presents challenges, especially when expanding your home. It’d require nothing short of buying out your neighbors to make space for a substantial addition.
So, when Charlie Griffey got the call from an Upper Arlington couple that had recently purchased the home next door, he couldn’t resist taking on the unique opportunity.
“I think it’s more of the architectural detail and the blending of the new space and the old space within an old Upper Arlington home that makes (the project) unique,” says Griffey, who owns Griffey Remodeling.
Griffey joined the two adjacent homes with a screened-in porch, converting the previous neighbor’s home into a spacious two-car garage while making sure to create cohesive architecture throughout.
Photo by Jeffrey S. Hall Photography
Photo by Jeffrey S. Hall Photography
Photo by Jeffrey S. Hall Photography
Photo by Jeffrey S. Hall Photography
Custom cabinetry housing the homeowners’ record collection adds a personal touch to the project. Inspired by their introduction while attending The Ohio State University, the couple was excited to see their memories come to life in the renovation.
“When we were in college, I worked at the Ohio Union, just a little part-, very part-time job in the music and browsing room at the Ohio Union,” says the homeowner.
The alphabetized albums from these memories stirred them to rebuild an archive with their own personal spin. Now, when they aren’t hosting in the screened porch, they can have friends upstairs to enjoy the music that brings them all together.
“We’ve raised three children in this house, and two are still in Columbus and we have a lot of extended family functions here and a lot of friends over,” says the homeowner. “A lot of people our age are starting to talk about downsizing, but that’s just not something that we’d consider. Our door is always open to friends and family and we use a lot of the house and hope to continue to do so.”
Jenny Wise is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at jwise@cityscenemediagroup.com.
