This Old Ohio City House: Laundry Room Takeover

In this month’s edition of “This Old Ohio City House” we take a deeper look into Tom and Susan’s recently remodeled Ohio City Oasis. Though a laundry room and hallway makeover sound boring, this is… anything but.

Before we get into this month’s edition, (just in case you missed it) here is a quick recap of where we left off.

An Empty Home Full of Heart

“This is the story of a couple who found their paradise right in their own backyard, within a 120-year-old apartment complex well overdue for a modern face-lift.

This 6-bedroom 4-bathroom multiple occupancy home was built in 1900 and purchased by the owners (let’s call them Tom and Susan) in 1997. The family utilized the first-floor space as their permanent home and rented out the top units until their children grew older and settled into adult life.

Now, as empty-nesters, it was time for a change. Located near Lake Erie and many other amenities, the blossoming neighborhood was a perfect place to reside in Cleveland, so the couple decided to make this their forever home. Tom and Susan came to Odell Construction in January of 2019, seeking guidance on creating harmony within their dwelling as well as incorporating aging in place commodities to comfortably enjoy the space for years to come. Our design team quickly came to the rescue and started a whole home project that was an entire year in the making.“

You can read May’s full blog here

Opening up the hallway

First things first. One of the main concerns that Tom and Susan had was that the hallway was incredibly long and stuffy. It was difficult to maneuver even with only two people in the home, and you can only imagine the traumatic happenings with a house full of kids.

Creating a shorter hallway would open up the space and offer an airy feel, making it convenient for aging in place, and easier for multiple people to walk through.

Removal of closets and creating accessibility

After some careful consideration it was determined that removing the hall closet and the closet in the original pantry room would create the wide open space that Tom and Susan were seeking. See the before and after of the floor plan below (use slider) and catch a quick glance of one of our team members hard at work.

Floor Plan changes make a world of difference

With the removal of the closets and shortening of the hallway by nearly 4’ came an additional nearly 15 sq ft of livable space, providing the peaceful feeling of openness within the home.

The neutral paint color further added to the serene feeling, and with a much larger room there was a need for an additional heating /cooling vent to promote efficiency within the space.

A First Floor Laundry Room

Walking down to the basement to do laundry was becoming increasingly difficult, and in addition to that, take a look at how creepy this 120-year-old basement is!!  The basement is a project for another day, but none the less it was an obvious choice for the homeowner and designer alike to move the laundry to the main floor.

Renovating for Convenience

We take the next step in our journey into the freshly renovated Ohio City laundry room. Previously used as a “catch all”, this room housed the workout equipment, pots and pans, and served as the overflow for nearly anything without a home. Believing that every room should be designed with a purpose in mind, and with like minded clients, it was mutually decided that a first floor laundry was the most effective and efficient use of space in this case.

A surprise behind the walls

While investigating, the team at Odell not only discovered that a brick wall acted as a support for the 2nd floor, but that it once had a doorway which was closed off in 1921 and signed by the 3 brick layers responsible for the work. We may never know who these people were, but the decision for Tom and Susan was unanimous in wanting to preserve and highlight this little piece of history.

A Perfectly Preserved Piece of History

The Odell Team quickly went to work and created this beautiful design featuring and perfectly framing the 1921 graffiti.

The exposed brick added an eclectic flair that suited Tom and Susan’s taste perfectly, and created a focal point and conversation piece within the room.

Tom and Susan not only have a first floor laundry room, but now have a beautiful and useful space! What a perfect addition to their newly designed kitchen and dining area!

You can subscribe below to get notified when next month’s blog comes out featuring the couple’s new bathrooms!

What do you think about this transformation? Leave your comments below.

JENNA RAUS OF ODELL CONSTRUCTION.

“Building rooms of distinction. Designed with intention.”

JENNA RAUS IS THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FOR ODELL CONSTRUCTION LOCATED IN WESTLAKE OHIO.

COPYRIGHT 2020 - ODELL CONSTRUCTION INC.