West University Home continues to evolve

Michael McGrath and Eileen Romer have reshaped their 100-year-old West University home to meet their needs with a series of three remodelings over two decades, without losing its historical

feel.

They attribute thinking ahead and using the same architect to getting what they needed from each project, but without limiting future improvements.

Romer and McGrath have owned the red brick house, on an old-fashioned block-square park just off North Fourth Avenue, for 26 years and raised their two daughters there.

It was only 1,500 square feet when we moved in, McGrath said. Not a lot of space for what would soon be four people and a series of playful chocolate Labs.

Over the course of the three remodels the house grew, but only to about 2,200 feet. Moving the kitchen to a former sleeping porch and extending one rear corner to create a new master bedroom accounted for the added square footage.

I have done three projects for them over the years, said architect Leo Katz said. A kitchen/family room remodel in 1995, an entry remodel in 2010 and a master bedroom suite/covered patio remodel/addition in 2011. Its kind of a good story of a repeat client and the evolution of home remodeling over the years to meet your changing needs and resources.

The first stage was all-important. It included moving the galley kitchen from the rear (west) wall of the house to what had been an enclosed sleeping porch on the north side . While the kitchen is still fairly small and narrow, by modern standards, its functional and attractive. Moving it off the rear wall connected the core of the home a pair of large, open high-ceilinged rooms that led from the front of the house to the rear porch deck that would be expanded in a later remodel.

The choice of simple, slab-front kitchen cabinets in figured light maple and granite countertops keeps the room from looking dated nearly 20 years after that first remodel.

A six-burner gas stovetop set in the granite countertop and a built-in refrigerator also contribute to the kitchens contemporary look.

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West University Home continues to evolve