House of the Week: Marvelous modern farmhouse

Read article : House of the Week: Marvelous modern farmhouse

Simple yet dramatic, this clean-lined exterior will turn heads.(Photo: © www.ePlans.com)

Both classic and modern, this farmhouse presents an open layout that's full of amenities. The split-bedroom configuration gives plenty of privacy to the master suite, which opens via French doors to the lanai. Double walk-in closets and a luxurious bathroom with a large shower complete this private retreat. The office provides a bright space for working or hobbies. In the middle of the home, the extra-wide island invites everyone to gather in the kitchen. Porches in front and back invite you to entertain outdoors. An upstairs loft can become a quiet reading area, or perhaps a fun zone for kids to have sleepovers. 

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A remarkably open layout combines the island kitchen, dining area, and great room into one easy-living space. (Photo: © www.ePlans.com)

To build this home, you can order a complete set of construction documents by calling toll-free 866-228-0193 or visiting www.ePlans.com/HouseOfTheWeek. Enter the design number to locate the plan and view more images and details.

At www.ePlans.com/HouseOfTheWeek, you can view previously featured plans, browse other specialty collections, or use our search filters to help you find exactly what you want from over 28,000 home designs. Most plans can be customized to suit your lifestyle.

See more images online at www.ePlans.com/HouseOfTheWeek. (Photo: © www.ePlans.com)

Design Number: HOTW170034
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 ½  
Main Level: 2,168 sq. ft. 
Second Level: 552 sq. ft. 
Total: 2,720 sq. ft. 
Dimensions: 53' 9" x 60’ 3"
Framing: 2 x 6
Foundation: Slab

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Did Steve Yzerman take a bath on his house to get Dan Girardi to sign with Tampa Bay?

Read article : Did Steve Yzerman take a bath on his house to get Dan Girardi to sign with Tampa Bay?

After his contract was bought out by the New York Rangers, defenseman Dan Girardi signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the time, Girardi said he came to Tampa because “(GM Steve Yzerman) was very convincing. He told me I’d be playing good minutes…Overall, I’m just super excited.” Apparently, half of that money is now gone because Girardi just purchased a 6,265-square-foot house on Tampa’s Davis Island for an even $3 million. But that’s not the quirky part of the story. The quirky part is who sold him the house: Steve Yzerman. And at first glance, it kinda looks like the GM gave his new player a sweet deal. The GM listed the Mediterranean-style mansion for $3.595 million last November before dropping the price to $3.45 million in June. On July 6, five days after Girardi signed with the Lightning, a sale on the home was pending. This week, we finally found out the sale price, $595,000 less than the original asking price. I am sad that it is possible that Steve Yzerman had to literally throw in his house at a discount to persuade Dan Girardi to sign in Tampa — Hardev (@HardevLad) August 23, 2017 So, did Yzerman take a bath on his house in order to sweeten the deal to make sure Girardi signed with Tampa Bay? Well, probably not. Yzerman bought the four-bedroom home in 2010 for $2.43 million. His listing price of $3.595 million was high but probably just a roll of the dice to see if the current housing market would go there. Since the house next door sold for $2.9 million in February, it was always unlikely. Zillow estimates the value of the home at a shade under $3 million so at the end of the day, the sale price is probably right about where it should have been. Yzerman still made a profit, just not the one he was hoping for. If anything, it was probably just perfect timing as Yzerman happened to be looking for a buyer and Girardi needed a place to live. Still, Yzerman better hope Girardi doesn’t find mold in those walls or else the next contract negotiation is going to get awkward. [Tampa Bay Times]

Our new house in Palatine, Illinois

Read article : Our new house in Palatine, Illinois

You guys, remember when I said that I wasn't going to settle on our new house this time?  Well, maybe I didn't say that on this blog, but I definitely did in real life.  Turns out we are buying exactly what I didn't want....a raised ranch with the annoying double stairway going up and down right after walking in the front door. 

Not to mention the downward sloping driveway with garage under the home.  And the hideous front door, paneling, and oaky railings. 

BUT, the house is very large and we just couldn't pass up the living space here.  The main (upper) level is over 1500 sq ft, has four good sized bedrooms, a master bath and a main bath, and a large living room. 

The kitchen is TINY and while it's 'updated' I pretty much hate it.  The maple cabinets, the enormous soffit with can lighting above the sink, the speckled granite, the stone backsplash....I would love to rip it all out and start over, but we can't do that. 

There is only three drawers in the entire kitchen, so we are going to use the L-shaped eat in area for more cabinetry instead.  I struggle with this because with kids, I love a place to eat in the kitchen...but the dining room is right there, so I don't think we'd miss it. 

The kitchen door walks out to a decent sized deck. 

Our grill and patio table will fit nicely here.  I don't typically like raised decks because there is no privacy, but there are ways to help that and I plan to get creative!  The backyard is also nice and big.

 We plan to fence in this side of the yard.

And I'm not sure what we will do to cover the awful chain link and white vinyl on this side.  We might ask the neighbors in back of us if we can remove the vinyl and replace with wood, since the only fence on their property is this little piece. 

The great thing is that this house was built in 1967 and has original hardwood floors under the carpet throughout the main level. 

The main bathroom is also original, with blue tub, retro floor and wall tile, and swirly shell counter tops. 

I am really happy that this bathroom is original, because it means I can do what I want in here when we have the funds.  For now, I plan to just paint the vanity, remove the silly brass shower doors, and work with the tile. 

I just can't escape the seashell sinks.  Since this bathroom has no window, I'm hoping to add a skylight or solar tube at some point. 

The secondary bedrooms are all 10x13, which feels so much bigger than the 9x11 rooms we have in our current house. 

I actually love the wood wall in this room! 

However, this fake paneling is gone. 

The master has two windows which I love, but only two average closets, so I'm a little worried about losing my walk in.  I'm thinking of ways to incorporate more storage into the other rooms for all my stuff.

The master bath is totally not my style and impossibly tiny, but it's much better than not having one. 

Luckily, the shower is bigger than our current one, and the window is amazing compared to our current dark master bath. 

The lower level family room is huge, and I love that it has three large windows and doesn't feel like a basement. 

We plan to rip out all the paneling and ceiling in this room so we can add recessed lighting and new drywall.  Since the carpet is in good shape, we will have to be careful to cover that up while we work.  There is also really nice original wood parquet down here and a cool little dry bar that I forgot to photograph. 

Also down here, a large laundry room with window, laundry tub and storage.  And a half bath with a window!

And another bedroom with two windows. 

Check out that sweet carpet and gun cabinet!  For now, this room is going to be a storage area because we are losing our large crawl space and bigger garage with rafters.  Lucky for us, the attic in this house is large and actually usable once we take care of some ventilation and accessibility issues.  Before we move in, we are having all the hardwoods refinished, all the trim replaced, and possibly a new railing installed.

And we will try to remove as much of the paneling as possible, everything is so much easier when you don't have your furniture in the way.  I don't have any great photos of the railing, but I really hate it.  I don't want to try to update it with the traditional white spindles/stained handrail because I don't feel it fits in this retro style house. 

No thanks.   

I'm hoping to install a simple metal railing with wood top like one of these:

I also like the wrought iron without any wood.  It just has to be simple and fit the era of the house.

 One reason I want to replace the railing right away is because I'm not sure how our floor guy will refinish the floors around the existing one.  I am just not sure we can afford a new one at this point.  We also have to replace the rusty ugly outdoor railing at some point. 

So, that is the house.  We do have some major issues to take care of right away.  The main chimney pipe is corroded and needs to be replaced.  The electrical is 50 amp service with a ton of questionable DIY work that is not to code.  The bathroom sinks and tub all are missing the pop up drain mechanism so we can't even stop the water.  The master bath toilet is not attached properly to the floor.  Several outlets are wired incorrectly and the list goes on.  Luckily, the sellers have agreed to a 3k credit to cover some of these issues.  We close on September 3, so I will keep you posted as soon as we get in there and get to work!  

House of the Week: Secluded home in Tully features modern updates

Read article : House of the Week: Secluded home in Tully features modern updates

TULLY, N.Y. - When Jonathan Colino, and his wife, Rachel, were in the market to buy a house, they were intrigued by the home at 925 Route 11 North in Tully.

"I loved the land and the architecture with its cathedral ceiling and the house's peaks and valleys," Colino said.

The house was built on more than seven acres of land, and the property is very secluded. The couple has only one neighbor. More than five acres of the area is heavily wooded.

But while they found the exterior of the home beautiful, the Colinos thought "the style" inside the house needed a bit of an update.

"We wanted a more modern style and less of a country-feel," Colino said.

Within a year or two, the couple were hard at work accomplishing that goal.

They upgraded the home's lighting and flooring, added a whole-house generator, and radiant heating and air conditioning throughout the house.

The front foyer is beautiful with an unique and elegant stairway and is decorated with an ornate chandelier.

The home's dining room is to the left where an office once was. The owners knocked down some walls and built archways to create a better flow from the kitchen.

The kitchen itself was expanded. The amount of cabinets available was nearly doubled, modern kitchen appliances were installed and a large island and coffee bar were added.

The coffee bar area, with its views of the back yard and comfy chairs, is Colino's favorite area of the house.

The great room is large and has a fireplace. A built-in bar has a truly unique back splash made from wine corks.

Another dramatic update was the finished basement. Over 750 square feet of living space were added. Half of the space is made up of office and movie room, with surround sound and a projection screen. The other half is a workout room and space for storage.

"Wow! We did a lot of changing," Colino joked after finishing the list.

Outdoors the prominent feature is the covered patio off the kitchen which is connected by a stone walkway to an uncovered patio, which is large enough for outdoor dining.

The couple is moving for work reasons and admit it they will miss the updates they have done.

"And the tranquility of the place," Colino added.

An open house is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

THE DETAILS

Address: 925 Route 11 North, Tully, N.Y. 13159

Price: $469,900

Size: 3,312 square feet

Acreage: 7.4 acres

Monthly Mortgage: $1,764 (based on this week's national average rate of 3.86 percent, according to Freddie Mac, for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20 percent down payment. Fees and points not included.)

Total taxes: $13,966 (Based on assessed value of $400,000)

Built: 2003

School District: Tully

Kitchen: The cherry kitchen has been expanded recently, with the number of cabinetry nearly doubled. A coffee bar, island and second sink are some of the new upgrades. Modern appliances have been added including a six-burner gas stove with a double oven.

Master Bedroom: One of four bedrooms in the home. Very spacious with hardwood floors. The master suite is on the first floor and has a walk-in closet and a sitting room which could be used as a nursery or reading/meditation room.

Master Bathroom: The master bathroom has a soaking tub, a rainfall step-in shower and two sinks. It was one of four bathrooms in the house.

Living spaces: The home has been completely upgraded with a "better flow" and more modern feel. The front foyer, with its unique and elegant stairway and chandelier, has the home's dining room and a sitting room off it. The large living room has updated electric lighting, a fireplace and tall windows. There is a wet bar. Home also includes a first-floor laundry. The home is energy efficient with radiant heating, air conditioning and Anderson windows with custom shades throughout.

Finished basement: The finished basement adds 750 square feet of living space. A movie room with a projection screen is located there. There is also an office, workout space and plenty of storage areas.

Outdoors: There is an attached three-car garage. Built on over seven acres of land, two of which need to be mowed. The rest of the lot is wooded. A covered patio keeps you out of the rain, and is connected to an uncovered patio by a stone walkway. The yard has an invisible fence and is very secluded. Just 15 minutes from Syracuse.

Agent: Eric Maley

Realty USA

Address: 102 West Seneca Street, Manlius, N.Y. 13104

Phone: (315) 391-3454

Website: www.upstatenyagents.com (Site contains a 3-D virtual tour of the home.)

To nominate a listing for House of the Week, send an email to home@syracuse.com.

House of the Week: A quiet retreat along Skaneateles Lake

Read article : House of the Week: A quiet retreat along Skaneateles Lake

SKANEATELES, N.Y.— "It's our paradise."

Peter and Marie Duenkelsbuehler have called this three-acre spot on the western shore of Skaneateles Lake home for the last 20 years.

They were drawn to the lake because they liked to swim, but also because the property—on a private road, separated from neighbors on either side by ravines—offered privacy and peace of mind.

The original house needed work, but the Duenkelsbuehlers were not deterred. They spent a considerable amount of time renovating and expanded the home by about 40 percent.

"It's our paradise," Marie Duenkelsbuehler said. "It's a paradise for us."

Surrounded by trees, green lawns and the lake, the property is crawling with wildlife, including birds, squirrels, and grouse. A flight of about 25 stairs off the backyard leads to 183 feet of lake frontage.

The lake and surrounding nature can be seen from the east-facing windows in the living room, Marie Duenkelsbuehler's favorite room in her home. The living room also leads to a deck with pergola and a wood stove, Peter Duenkelsbuehler's favorite feature of the room.

The couple is thinking of moving back to Germany, where some of their children live, but "we're not in a hurry," Peter Duenkelsbuehler said.

They plan to list the house for sale until the end of December. If they don't find a buyer, they plan to stay in Central New York.

"We'll stay here as long as we can and enjoy it," Marie Duenkelsbuehler.

THE DETAILS

Address: 1675 Tamarack Cove, Skaneateles, N.Y., 13152
Price: $1,075,000
Size: 2,296 square feet
Acreage: 3 acres
Monthly Mortgage: $3,823 (based on this week's national average rate of 3.42 percent, according to Freddie Mac, for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20 percent down payment. Fees and points not included.)
Taxes: $13,210 (Based on assessed value of $244,500)
HOA fee: $500 annually
Built: 1979
School District: Skaneateles

Living room: The updated living room has an open floor plan and views of Skaneateles Lake. The Duenkelsbuehlers said the living room is also their prime entertainment spot.

Kitchen: The kitchen opens up to both the dining room and living room as part of the first-floor's open floor plan.

Sun room: Usable three seasons out of the year, the sun room has the best views of the garden, Marie Duenkelsbuehler said.

Bedrooms: The home has three bedrooms, including the first-floor master suite.

Bathrooms: The master bathroom, one of three bathrooms in the home, has a jetted tub, steam shower and double vanity.

Outside: Among the property's unique features is a wooden pendulum bowling game in the woods that the Duenkelsbuehlers brought back from Germany.

Agent:Georgia Yokom
Williams Realty
13 East Genesee St
Skaneateles ,N.Y., 13152
Phone: (315) 283-3000
Email: gyokom@skanrealty.com

To nominate a listing for House of the Week, send an email to home@syracuse.com. Contact Jacob Pucci at jpucci@syracuse.com or on Twitter at @jacobpucci.

House of the Week: Adirondack-style lodge near Otisco Lake rich with natural beauty