From Old and Small to Modernist Comfort

Kevin and Jenna Nordine have a young son who is autistic and functionally nonverbal. One of the few words he says is “flowers, flowers, flowers,” which references his favorite park—the Park of Roses in Clintonville.

During the pandemic, the Nordines, who lived in Clintonville at the time, kept their eyes on the streets nearby the park, hoping a home would come up for sale. It was a competitive time for buyers, and prices increased significantly during the COVID health crisis, but the couple vowed that if something hit the market—no matter what it looked like —they were going to go for it.

In May 2022, they closed on a house on Ceramic Drive that was just steps from the park. It was old (built in 1955) and small (1,200 square feet), so a complete renovation and addition was needed. The original home was designed with connections to the Claycraft Brick & Mining Co. of Columbus, a premier manufacturer of high-quality masonry products. According to the Nordines and their architect, Dustin Mondrach of Milhoan Architects, it is generally understood that each house along the street featured a different brick pallet, which is still evident today. Careful planning and intention were exercised in the renovation and addition to honor the history of the street while also adapting the low-sloping ranch to current family lifestyles.

“When we talked with (Mondrach), it was really important that we built something that made sense for the history of the street because every house on Ceramic Drive has a unique brick,” Jenna Nordine says. “We stressed that it was really important that the home blend in with the other homes in the neighborhood.”

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To do that, Kevin Nordine says, bricks were harvested during the demolition of the rear of the home and used in the redesign of the front facade. “Our architect nudged us to a whole new roof system where we ripped out the existing roof so we could have a higher raised ceiling (in the great room at the rear of the house) with a flat roof so we could install transom windows and have a couple different elevations, while also making sure the height keeps in line with the rest of the street really well.”

The 980-square-foot addition to the rear of the home involved that great room and master bedroom suite with bath. A home office also was added at the rear of the home in a space that formerly was the part of a garage. Kevin’s company, Nordine and Associates, was the general contractor for the seven-month project.

The new design, according to a description provided by the architect, “incorporates a contemporary approach without interrupting the existing streetscape through dramatic exterior color or obtuse building massing. The architectural fabric of the street was first honored through the preservation of the original brick. The design intentionally protected the earth-tones, and sand mold masonry veneer wherever possible. When walls and brick veneer were modified or removed, the brick was harvested, cleaned, and reused so as to eliminate unnecessary landfill.

Secondly, the new design incorporates flat roofs preserving the lower profile silhouettes which are characteristic of the street. Although the house celebrates 11 foot high ceilings on the interior, it was designed with the adjacent homes in mind to blend with the massing of the existing streetscape.”

The new plan and flow of the interior was specifically designed around the owners’ lifestyles and family needs, according to the firm. A desire for natural light, open spaces and a connection to the exterior were all important for their occupation of the house and entertaining.

A large priority was placed on the office space having direct access to the exterior patio for outside work. A dining area at the front of the home is one spot for eating, in addition to a 15-foot-long kitchen island. The formal dining space enjoys views to the outside thanks to a large single unit glass at the front elevation. A partial height wall defines the dining space and protects the more casual and private areas of the house from public street views.

As the center of the home, the kitchen was designed as the hub of the house and has open access to the rear great room, which is ideal for entertaining, the couple says.

The older home featured a corner glass window at the front entrance. This concept was incorporated into the full height glass exterior wall at the rear of the renovated home as an homage to the original structure, Kevin says. “It was important to us that we reimagine the home and update it, and not just raze it to the ground.”