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Robert and Michelle Owings hadn’t made any major changes to their Floyds Knob home since it was built in 2002. About two years ago, they decided it was time to give the house a bit of a facelift.
“We were actually going to only do half of the house and keep the … kitchen/breakfast room/family room (area) … the same,” Michelle said. “But when we got the other half of the house renovated, we were like, oh — this is not good. There was just too much of a difference.”
Within just a couple of weeks, the Owings called Barry Wooley Designs and his team— the crew that had helped them with the original overhaul — to schedule more renovations.
Cutting-edge kitchen
The overall kitchen footprint didn’t change, but there’s one particular modification Wooley made that Michelle absolutely loves.
“You (used to be able to) look right into the laundry room (from the kitchen) — which I hated,” she told The Courier Journal. “(Wooley) actually built a wall and … (now) there’s a little area that you just kind of walk around and into the laundry room — so you can’t see directly from the kitchen (into) the laundry room (anymore). He (moved) the stove and the microwave (into that area), and so now I’ve got this really long workspace.”
She adds that prior to the renovation, she had minimal drawer space for mixing spoons, measuring cups, and the like. But with the additional drawers under the new workspace, as well as more storage below the countertop that Wooley widened, she now has ample room for stashing all her kitchenware.
“He really capitalized on the space,” she exclaimed. “It’s so much more functional.”
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Blissful bedroom
Michelle is delighted with every aspect of her home renovation, but if she had to pick a favorite part, she says it would be the primary bedroom and bath.
“It’s just so comfortable and it’s really a relaxing room,” she said of the space that boasts floor-to-ceiling windows looking out toward the backyard pool. Situated just near the windows is a plush chaise lounge, outfitted with comfy throw pillows and a cozy throw. An avid reader, Michelle can often be found here, curled up with a book.
Like the kitchen, the bathroom did not undergo a footprint change — but much-needed storage was added there as well.
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“Shortly after we moved in,” Michelle said, “we wished we had put towers on either end (of the vanity) for storage. So, when we were talking about renovating the bathroom, we (did) put two towers on either end, which I love because it adds so much more storage … it was really wasted space.”
Their former bedroom furniture, she adds, was a traditional cherrywood set.
“We got rid of all that and put a built-in across the one wall,” she said. “(It’s) awesome and has given us so much more storage. We also had (Wooley) do the closets and really optimize the space, which has been great.”
She and Robert also did away with the large garden tub they never used because it was so uncomfortable. They replaced it with a new soaking tub that Michelle picked out on her own.
“I went one day and sat in probably 30 tubs,” she recalled. “They’re kind of personal … You have to find the one that fits you — and I found (it), and I love it. I think my husband would agree. He really loves our bedroom, (too). It’s just a really relaxing space.”
Curated choices
Though Michelle chose the tub on her own, she says that many of the major changes made throughout the house were driven solely by Wooley and his team.
“We filled out surveys and forms and all kinds of stuff — likes, dislikes, (etc.),” she said. “So, he really had a good idea of … where we wanted to go with the renovation, and he thought of things we never in a million years would have thought to do.”
One such idea included removing 13 columns from the house.
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“We were just going to leave those,” she said. “But we’re glad we did it; we don’t miss the columns at all. We like the … more streamlined, obviously updated look.”
The house is now airier and more open and features new art and accessories that Wooley chose without direct input from the couple.
“Barry is … just a very talented designer,” Michelle said. “A designer I am not, but I do kind of know what I like and what I don’t like. And he is very, very thorough about getting to know the homeowner, and decorating, and understanding their lifestyle and what they need and want. I would not have picked out anything he picked out, (but) I love it all.”
Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at [email protected] or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at [email protected].
nuts & bolts
Owners: Robert and Michelle Owings. They are Southern Indiana business owners.
Home: This is a 4-bed, 4-and-2-half-baths, 6,220-square-foot, traditional-style home in Floyds Knobs that was built in 2002.
Distinctive elements: Travertine throughout the main level; Cambria countertops in kitchen and primary bath; custom cabinetry in the kitchen, dining room, primary bedroom, and primary bath; unique light fixtures; cherry-paneled library; custom mahogany bar in the living room; custom closets in the primary bedroom; heated floor, large shower, two sinks and soaking tub in the primary bath; custom window treatments.
Applause! Applause! Barry Wooley Designs and his team.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/home-garden/home-of-the-week/2021/09/30/floyds-knob-home-undergoes-full-renovation-with-barry-wooley-designs/7935489002/