Space is crucial for the Sharp family. Matthew and his wife Suellen have quadruplet girls and as the kids started school, it became clear that the flow of the mudroom and master bedroom was far from ideal.
Danielle Kravec
The project took place across three different areas of the house, one being the master bedroom, then the mudroom and finally the powder room right off of the mudroom entrance. Functionality was a key point of emphasis when beginning this project with Dave Fox Design|Build Remodelers.
“It really started with the mudroom space,” Matthew Sharp says. “We didn’t have the most functionable space between the garage and our kitchen where we enter the home. Our girls were entering kindergarten, so we wanted the space updated.”
The Sharps wanted a landing space for everyone’s shoes, bookbags and coats. It was nearly impossible to have all four kids in the previous space without tripping down the large steps or over each other as they all got ready to leave.
“I shudder to think about what it would look like without the function that was added in that space,” Sharp says. “It’s already cluttered and busy because that’s how our lives are.”
Four cubby spaces were installed so each child has a space to get ready and store school supplies to eliminate clutter elsewhere in the house. Sharp says his daughters love the cubby spaces and also got a kick out of watching everything get put together as the Dave Fox team worked.
Danielle Kravec
The original bathroom off of the main entrance to the mudroom that guests of the Sharp’s home often used was not up to the family’s liking. To update the feel of the room, the space took on a little more of a rustic feel and became less formal as a barnwood wall was installed in the bathroom.
“It just wasn’t our taste,” Sharp says. “Having that be a place you aren’t embarrassed to show people has been nice.”
In terms of design inspiration, the Sharps wanted to create a more cohesive feel to their home, especially in areas that hadn’t been touched in a while.
“We were trying to solve the design aesthetic; it just looked a little tired. I am sure it looked fine when it was first done, but that was over 20 years ago,” Sharp says. “Each space was decorated pretty different and were incongruent to each other.”
By implementing a more cohesive and transitional design, the rooms in the home opened up and feel much more welcoming and to the Sharps’ satisfaction.
“It is more of a warm and cozy feel and brings a consistency to the spaces,” Sharp says.
A Functional Bedroom
Danielle Kravec
Once the mudroom was finished, work began on the master bedroom. Creating a more efficient flow was the main goal in this part of the remodel. Their bedroom had only one way to get to the bathroom: through the master closet, which created a bottleneck for the family.
Organization and functionality continued to play roles in this part of the project as the closet lacked the space for storage and the bathroom had large cabinets that did not fit the Sharps’ needs.
“We ended up moving a doorway and the bathroom and closet switched places,” Sharp says. “The flow is so much easier.”
Changing the layout of the room opened up the space, making the bedroom slightly larger and making traffic flow a little less chaotic for the family.
And although the Sharps remain as busy as ever, the project helped get the family the space needed to accommodate for their growing family and busy lifestyles – all of which they credit to the Dave Fox team.
“They were instrumental in bringing this all together,” Sharp says. “They came to us with solutions and ended up meeting our needs and design aesthetics.”
Rocco Falleti is the editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com.
