Cincinnati February/March 2024

Older and wiser
The couple moved into this home in 2003 with two young children. Like
many older homes, Brian says, the layout was choppy and there were a lot of
load-carrying beams. The goal for the renovation was to respect the heritage
of the home while updating and modernizing some of its features and functions.
The original home was designed by architect Frank Packard, whose work is
well known in the Marble Cliff and Greater Columbus area and documented
by the area’s historical society. When choosing the team who would handle
the extensive makeover, the couple went with J.S. Brown & Co. for a good
reason.
“I’d seen their name a lot in the yards of older homes in Upper Arlington,”
Brian says. “Since our house was built in 1903, we wanted a company with
extensive expertise dealing with older architecture. We wanted solid experience
uncovering all the things I expected to uncover.”
“We have a very deep level of experience dealing with older homes,” says
Paul Martin, production manager with J.S. Brown. “As remodelers, we know
we are going to find issues that need to be fixed. We have what we think the
plan is, and then open up the house and say, ‘oh boy.’”
As Brian expected, there were many things done by various contractors,
prior to his family living here, that Martin says shouldn’t have been allowed.
But the J.S. Brown crew had the knowledge and experience to deal with the
detours.
Man with a plan
“I had a vision for what I wanted the house to be—the design, the concept
and the built ins,” Brian says. “They took my vision and brought it to life.”
Brian is especially complimentary of the craftspeople who worked on his
home. “It was like watching an artist starting with a blank canvas,” he says.
“It went from nothing to artwork. Their eye for detail was fascinating to
watch.”
“I enjoyed working with Don, Tom and Mike—the whole team,” he says.
“They were respectful and educational. Don, the lead carpenter, and I would
banter around ideas, and sometimes he would say ‘Brian, you’re crazy!’ I was
okay with that. I wanted them to let me know when my ideas wouldn’t work.”
1
2
1 The uneven ceilings in the adjoining bar and
dining areas needed to be leveled and replaced
before the crew constructed the much-improved
coffered ceiling. 2 The stone fireplace’s mantel
was updated with a reclaimed barn timber.
44 housetrends.com