Village dream
The three-story rental home in German Village looked charming from the outside, but the interior was shabby after decades of wear by rotating tenants.
Timeworn floors, popcorn ceilings, mismatched wallpaper and water damage might have scared off other prospective buyers. But those problems were part of what attracted Marie Logothetis and her husband, Dan Kline.
The couple was searching for their next renovation project, and this home, built more than a century ago, fit their vision.
"I wanted to create something more modern," said Marie, who searched several months for the perfect property. "The house really fit the bill: Structurally sound, in need of a facelift, but not at the cost of destroying a historical legacy."
She had enjoyed the process of renovating the couple's nearby former condo, and that smaller-scale rehab gave her the confidence needed to tackle an aging, 3,300-square-foot space. She worked closely with Fry Contracting to draw an architectural plan that combined two adjoining rental units into a single-family home. The yearlong construction project required tearing apart much of the existing interior and replacing all of the plumbing, electrical wiring, heating and air conditioning.
"The size of the project was a little daunting," Dan said. "You hear all these horror stories about big, massive renovations that go on for years and years. So that was the only thing that gave me a little pause. I think Marie really thought this out and knew exactly what she wanted to do."
Since moving into the transformed home last year, Marie, who works as a geophysicist, and Dan, a literature and writing professor, have thoughtfully personalized each room with furniture and accessories that balance the home's airy design. They've created a sophisticated-yet-natural atmosphere by blending contemporary and rustic materials.
The overall feeling is, in Marie's words, "a little bit farmhouse, a little bit industrial."
One of the home's most striking features is an industrial work of art-a towering, custom-built staircase engineered with steel, wood and glass. A recurring farmhouse theme is apparent, too, in the sliding barn-style doors that flank the TV room, the accents of cow and goat hide and the mounted roe deer skulls that hang above the dining room table.
"I don't want to be defined by one style," Marie said, "so I try whatever looks nice and I think might fit in."
She loves scouring decor magazines, eBay and showrooms from New York to Chicago for inspiration. She turned to designer Monique Keegan, owner of Enjoy Co. in Granville, to fine-tune her vision. Keegan describes Marie's style as modern with a feminine edge. It's clean and contemporary, yet also comfortable.
"She has an amazing design aesthetic," added Jason Mangum, who owns Twig Garden & Home in German Village, one of Marie's favorite local shops. "It's the perfect example of either you have it, or you don't. It's not something that can be taught."