In a marriage between sport enthusiasts, when one spouse is from Indiana and the other is from Cincinnati; it is imperative to have multiple TVs in the home. “There’s usually a different sport on each TV,” Julie says. “IU basketball on one and our Cincinnati teams on the others.”
So when planning an outdoor living area, Julie, from Cincinnati, and her Indiana-native husband, Chad, made sure to include three flatscreen televisions to accommodate their family. While baseball and golf dominate the summer months, this entertainment space can be used year-round thanks to screens designed to keep rain and debris out while still allowing ventilation. Wall-mounted, outdoor heaters provide ample heat while blending into the black walls.
Treasured discovery
When house hunting in 2021, Chad and Julie were thrilled to discover a home on a spacious two-acre lot in Mason. The couple, along with their three daughters and three dogs, are no strangers to moving and renovating properties. They have moved five times, all in the Mason area. All their previous homes were on lots measuring under a half-acre. This time they had space for their first pool.
The yard left much to be desired, but thankfully it was a blank slate. “It was just a patio back here,” Julie says. “We love dogs, so we were so excited to have so much room for them to run and play. And it was the right time for our family to build our dream pool.”
Julie admits that the process included some compromise. While she wanted a free-form pool, her daughters really wanted a sun-shelf which called for a rectangular shape. “It really did turn out beautifully,” Julie says. “I do love the chaise lounge chairs on the sun-shelf.”
The rectangular design also lends itself to a volleyball net for a little competition. The couple’s youngest daughter plays competitive volleyball, so she and her friends love to hangout around the pool most of the summer.
While the kids are in the pool, the adults can gravitate to the outdoor living space where Chad takes charge of the outdoor grill. “He loves to cook hibachi, hamburgers and hot dogs,” Julie says. “He likes to make pulled pork in his new Egg. He lets it cook all night and gets up at 4 a.m. to check on it.”
First things first
Chad and Julie began their complete home renovation outside—painting the exterior, gutting the landscaping to replace it with a more streamlined design, and installing their pool. Once their dream outdoor space was complete, the couple began tackling the interior redesign.
“We did our master suite and laundry room renovation first, so we lived in an upstairs bedroom during that process,” Julie explains. “When we tackled our main living area, we made a lot of crock pot and air fryer recipes in our basement.”
Throughout the process Julie says the renovation team was amazing to work with. From her builder, Jeff Barnes of Cedar Hill Custom Homes, to her interior designers, Tammy Litzau of Well-Dressed Homes Ohio and Jenny Lynn Wynne of Jenny Lynn Wynne Designs; everyone made living through a renovation as seamless as possible.
Reallocating resources
The most dramatic changes to the floorplan of the home happened in the open concept kitchen, living, dining area and the attached laundry room, powder room and pantry space. The previous homeowners ran a business out of their home, so it made sense for a large amount of square footage on one side of the home be devoted to a home office. But this space had the potential for ideal access to the pool area, so an exterior door was added and a fireplace removed so that office could be reworked as a powder room with pool access. This reallocated space also includes a pantry that is great for kids coming in hungry with wet feet, and a laundry room for all those beach towels—all easily accessed from the kitchen, which was also completely reconfigured.
“We tore down all the walls,” Julie remembers. The newly designed dining nook is where the original kitchen was located, and the new kitchen was once the laundry room and half bath. J&N Distribution and Design created the beautiful, custom built-ins and dramatic table in the dining nook, along with all the cabinetry.
Repeat performance
Julie has worked with both Wynne and Litzau on two of her other homes and has a very good working relationship with both designers and appreciates that they understand her tastes.
Wynne helped Julie select the new exterior door, countertops, hardware, cabinets and paint colors throughout the home. Litzau took the lead when it came to furniture and decor. “Julie is very flexible,” Litzau says. “She is so open-minded, which allows me to be creative.” In fact, Litzau says she may purchase multiple items, leave them at the house for Julie to look over, and then return anything that doesn’t work.
Julie loves how the entire home turned out, but if she had to pick, she would say her favorite spot is the kitchen/family room area, because that is where their whole family hangs out together. Whether they are inside or out, this family is enjoying their new, expanded property and all the family time it brings them.
RESOURCES
Residential design Studer Residential Designs Builder Cedar Hill Custom Homes Interior design Well Dressed Homes Ohio; and Jenny Lynn Wynne Designs Lighting Visual Comfort & Co Wall treatments and accessories Sacksteder’s Interiors Hardwood flooring 50 Grit Flooring Carpet Cincinnati Floor and Window Coverings Windows Andersen Front door Clark Hall Doors and Windows Fireplace James A Linville Masonry Pool Mid-American Gunite Pools KITCHEN Cabinetry J&N Distribution and Design Countertops and backsplash Take It for Granite Sink, faucets, appliances Ferguson Range hood and side of island MetalCraft BATHROOM Cabinetry Sims-Lohman Countertop Stone Statements Painting 365 Renovations and Color Creations Basement and exterior stone Schwarber Artistic Interiors Exterior painting AG Ohio Construction Electric work Brian Kist Electric Plumbing Dupps Plumbing Patio screens Tri-State Retractable Screens Indoor/outdoor audio visual Multi-Source Home Electronics Covered patio roofing Fasten-Pro Roofing Blinds Phillip Boone Window Coverings
Article by Sarah J. Dills | Photos by Greg Grupenhof
Article originally appeared in April 2025