Raymond G. LaVoie
Kathy Kennedy and Steve Herminghausen weren’t in the market for a new house, but when they passed the for-sale sign around the corner from their home, they couldn’t shake the urge to visit the 1.1-acre property bursting with possibilities.
“We were perfectly content where we were and had no plans to move whatsoever,” Kennedy says. “We kept waiting and hoping someone else would put an offer down, but nobody did. Five days after seeing it for the first time, we owned a house.”
With hopes to make the space perfect for them, the two quickly went all in on their new home. So, knowing they couldn’t do it alone, they called a friend whose home renovations they loved.
Bill Maibach, co-owner of Custom Home Works, became a key part of the project from that point forward, and their journey began.
“We want to age in place here,” Kennedy says. “That was where most of our considerations came from.”
The main renovations included a 20-by-24-foot addition that added a new master suite as well as a kitchen revamp that brought in all new appliances. Kennedy and Herminghausen did have a few non-negotiables, such as a “fabulous bathroom” and a walk-in closet you could “actually walk in.”
“When we got started, we didn’t originally think there would be that many changes,” Herminghausen says. “Bill told us in the beginning we would end up doing a lot more than we thought, and he was right.”
Raymond G. LaVoie
Maibach brought a few ideas to the table including cathedral trusses throughout the home, a half-bath by the back entrance and additional windows throughout the home to take in the beautiful backyard.
The inclusion of sliding glass doors in the master bedroom gives a beautiful view of the 1.1-acre yard and growing garden. These doors, combined with the added windows, allow constant entertainment for their 14-year-old golden retriever-chow mix, Scout.
Perhaps the most surprising factor of the renovation was how it changed Kennedy and Herminghausen’s lifestyles – and the lifestyle of their fluffiest family member.
“When people ask how these renovations have changed our lifestyle, we say that it has changed (Scout’s) life the most,” Herminghausen says. “With the windows and the glass doors, she can just sit right in (our) bed and know exactly what’s going on.”
Kennedy and Herminghausen have also found that they enjoy entertaining more in their new home and have developed a true dedication to transforming their new yard. Using only plants native to Ohio, they have taken what was once a monoculture space with six trees and filled it with color and wildlife.
Their impact can be felt throughout the entire property as they, along with the help of Maibach, have turned a home they didn’t know they wanted into a beautiful place to age.
Ainsley Allen is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
