Built in 1924, this grand Tudor appeared on St. Margaret's Guild Decorators' Show House in 2004. Since then, new owners Michele Janin and Tom Linebarger have completed an extensive renovation of the three-story home that marries their contemporary tastes with the home's historic architecture.
When Michele, Tom and their two daughters relocated to Indianapolis three years ago, this home seemed a good fit for the family save for one sticking point: Typical of the era, the formal living room occupied prime real estate on the home's sunny south side, while the kitchen, where they would spend most of their time, was situated on the north side of house and received little natural light.
But the house sat on a double lot -- a rarity in Meridian-Kessler -- so the couple bought it and embarked on a renovation with the help of Bly Bennett Inc. that flip-flopped the main-level floor plan to fit the family's lifestyle.
In the new kitchen, a wall of cabinets provide plenty of storage, yet seem to recede because of the light colored finish. In the middle of the room, two islands -- one for food prep and more storage, the other for casual dining -- are stained a richer brown. Toward the back of the kitchen is an eat-in area and tucked around a corner is a home office for Michele. The overall look is restrained with an emphasis on functionality, and of course natural light from the room's expansive bay window floods the space.
The living room, with its limestone fireplace surround, coffered ceiling and gleaming hardwood floors, looks as if it has always been on the home's north side. The spice-colored walls and soft light creates a warm, inviting place to entertain, not to mention the perfect backdrop for the couple's contemporary furnishings and art and artifacts collected while traveling in Asia and living in Hong Kong.
Though the heavy lifting of the renovation involved the kitchen and living room, the rest of the house saw changes, too. The original hall coat closet was converted into a half bath. Removing lathe and plaster exposed the back of a brick fireplace for an added architectural element. In the dining room, a contemporary chandelier contrasts against a more traditional mahogany dining set and original diamond leaded-glass windows. Upstairs, the master bedroom gained a bit of space. By adding an extra door, it's now connected to the adjoining bedroom, which has been transformed into a dressing room. The couple created a teenagers' suite on the third floor. Each daughter has her own bedroom and bath as well as shared living space.
Outside, alexwhite architect designed a covered portico for the front of the house and a pool house for the in-ground pool. The pool-house, with its gym and full bath, pays homage to the home's Tudor architecture, but has a contemporary spin thanks to a lofty ceiling and walls of windows.
