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A total renovation put this hobby farm on terra firma.
When Dayna Patrick bought her four-acre Daleville property 15 years ago, she had three dogs and one cat to share her home.
She grew up on a farm, and was thrilled to have the space for chickens and a garden. But when she got engaged to now-husband Scott Maynor, the real estate duo knew they had to make some changes for the house to function well for all of them.
“We looked at other properties, wondering if it would be better to just move but knew that we couldn’t replicate the view and the acreage for the price, so we decided to stay and renovate,” says Maynor. “We started the process of engaging with architects and contractors, and about a year and a half of non-stop construction.”
On the wish list was an improved flow and layout, new front entrance, renovated kitchen, master bath, garage and entertaining spaces. The complete remodel by contractor Duane Saufley yielded all of that and more, and the home went from 1,800 square feet and a carport to 2,700 square feet with a garage. Due to the couple occupying the property during construction, it was a tricky dance of phased work.
The garage was added first, and the couple moved most of their belongings to that new space so the house could undergo demolition.
“We lived in the living room…we slept on couches for three months and dealt with drywall dust,” laughs Maynor. “Then we swapped living spaces so they could work on the other side of the house. It was tough, but there were some amazing moments when everything came together and we were blown away at how different it was going to be.”
New open kitchen
With the walls opened up, the new kitchen became the star of the show with a central location in the home, open to both the living and entertaining area, and the dining room. The former living area was converted to dining space, with a large table positioned ideally to take advantage of an expansive window with a stunning mountain view.
The original fireplace in the room was refreshed by covering it in stone and adding a new mantel, topped with a TV framed in custom millwork. An adjacent seating space with club chairs is a spot to sip coffee or have a drink while interacting with the cook.
The now open kitchen has new cabinetry from Ideal Cabinets—the perimeters in a creamy white and a dark-stained island, all covered in a milky quartz. Special features in the kitchen include a faucet that can be turned on with a touch, a pot filler, and many custom pull-outs. The sink has cutting boards and drying rack integrated, to keep counters clear.
Spaces for entertaining
The couple loves to entertain friends and family, and the house exudes a laid-back, welcoming atmosphere. Around the corner from the kitchen is a custom bar, stocked with the couple’s favorite whiskeys and liquors. The dark-stained, built-in lighted cabinet with glass doors has a unique geode pattern glass tile backsplash and black quartz top.
Near the cabinet is a foosball table, a two-seater built in bar, and the new family room with a massive TV for movie nights and football Sundays.
If a guest prefers a glass of wine to a cocktail, they can meander around the corner to the butler’s pantry, which houses another wet bar and dual wine fridges. Creamy, glass-front cabinets in this space show off the couple’s stemware collection. For party overflow, a second refrigerator in the mudroom can hold extra drinks and food.
One of the most helpful additions for entertaining was a humble coat closet, as the original house lacked one.
“We had a party here and that coat closet was full…there was finally somewhere to put people’s coats!” Patrick says, laughing.
Smart home features
Maynor has a background in IT, and was interested in making the house as functional and automated as possible. Smart features abound, from automatic lights to Wi-Fi connected ovens in the kitchen. However, Maynor contends that anyone can work smart features into their home, and a lot of the equipment is available at big box stores.
“Most of the house can be controlled from a tablet,” he says, demonstrating by dimming the lights while seated on the couch. “I can adjust the thermostat, or pre-heat the ovens or turn on lights while we’re away,” he notes.
Most every light in the house is app or voice controlled, or both. Smoke and carbon dioxide detectors, as well as the thermostat are app controlled. All lighting is LED, which is both green and cost saving. On the convenience front, nothing was left to chance—built-in dog bowls hidden in a pull-out drawer, dog doors so the dogs can go outside at will, and the well-designed kitchen have yielded a house that is fit for easy living.
“There is only one interior step in this entire place, which is the step-down into the family room, so we can’t age out of this house,” says Maynor. “It was built in ‘81, but we effectively gave it a new life with the renovation. We could stay here forever.”
The story above is from our September/October 2020 issue. For the full story subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!
