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The Builder's Way

Perhaps no one appreciates quality building as much as a builder does. Here's how three of them designed and decorated their own homes.

Chris Schell liked the community
he built so much that he and his
wife, Lori, bought a home in it.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

The Builder's Way
Perhaps no one appreciates quality building as much as a builder does. Here's how three of them designed and decorated their own homes.

The Design Incubator
As a rule of thumb, homebuilders don't get too attached to the houses they construct.

After all, the point is to create a place somebody else will buy and call home.

But when Chris Schell built an opulent Craftsman-style house at Wolfe Pointe, a fashionable community near Lewes, he became so immersed in the project, it was easy to visualize himself moving in with his wife and two young children.

"I fell in love with the house, so I bought it," he recalls.

With his twin brother, Preston, Schell runs Echelon Homes, a builder of custom luxury residences, and Schell Brothers, a developer of upscale communities.

His own home is a design incubator of sorts, a house that integrates style, craftsmanship and technology in 6,400 square feet of living space that's amenable to both the intimacies of family life and large-scale entertaining.

"The theme was Craftsman Luxury," Schell says. "We used materials that give the home a sense of time and warmth, but with the latest in conveniences."

He believes in building exquisitely detailed homes with the types of amenities that make life easier for the people who live in them-and even their four-footed friends. In the first-floor laundry room, there's a pet shower with a hand-held sprayer, ideal for bathing pooches.

Other conveniences aren't immediately apparent in the flowing and elegant decor. The massive chandelier in the foyer is outfitted with an automated lift and can be easily lowered for cleaning or to change a bulb. A small fridge is tucked into the custom hickory cabinetry in the study. In the master bath, a radiant heating system takes the chill off the stone floor.

"I set it for 5 o'clock in the morning," Schell says. "When I get up at 5:30 to take a shower, the floor is nice and warm."

Tongue-in-groove pine ceilings
reflect the angles of the roofline
and add volume to areas such
as the bedroom.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

In the kitchen, a commercial-style range and double-wall ovens facilitate cooking for a crowd. An iCEBOX mounted under the cabinets provides multiple functions-Internet access, television, DVD and CD player-in a compact screen.

"We use it a lot for recipes," he says.

There's nothing especially high-tech about the dishwasher. But its placement-elevated a foot off the floor-makes it much easier to load.

"This is something we knew seniors would like, but it turns out everyone appreciates not having to bend over to put their plates in the dishwasher," Schell says.

An expansive lower level is dedicated to entertaining. It includes a playroom for kids and a game area for grownup poker.

A cozy sitting room with seating upholstered in soft leather and tapestry-style fabric is instantly transformed into a home theater with the touch of a key pad, as a large screen descends from the ceiling. Wainscoting is padded in woven leather. The upper half of the walls is softened in artfully draped garnet-colored velvet.

The treatment is pragmatic as well as aesthetically pleasing.

"You can have a conversation right outside the room and not hear the movie," Schell says. "It's an incredibly effective way of controlling the sound."

An expansive and glamorous bar was crafted from burled maple and outfitted with such amenities as a dishwasher for glassware, icemaker, wine chiller and under-counter fridge. Each bottle on the bar back is illuminated by a fiber optic light installed in the shelves. The lights can be programmed in various colors-or in a revolving palette of hues.

The bar, made from burled maple, includes
a dishwasher, icemaker, wine chiller and an
under-counter fridge. Each bottle on the bar
back is illuminated by fiber optic light, which
can be programmed in various colors.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

Schell paid special attention to lighting throughout the house, combining recessed lighting, task lighting and ambient illumination, all controlled remotely. The lanterns recessed into arched stone niches in the billiards area were inspired by a castle he visited while traveling through Greece.

"Lighting makes a huge difference, yet isn't terribly expensive," he says.

Schell also emphasized the ceilings on all three levels. A two-story tongue-in-groove ceiling of pine reflects the angles of the roofline above the living room, adding volume to the space. A vaulted knotty pine ceiling in the family room is bolstered with tresses, enhancing the Craftsman vibe. A coffered ceiling in the study gives the room a masculine, clubby feel. On the lower level, 9-foot ceilings are embellished with coffers in contrasting light and dark woods.

"The ceilings feel even higher because of the coffer," he says.

Choosing the right materials and finishes was an essential element in infusing the house with a feeling that is both rustic and refined. The spindles on a sweeping central staircase were crafted from wrought iron. The rare granite that tops the counters and tub deck in the master bath is exuberantly patterned in verdant green and earth tones.

"This granite was taken from an old river bed, so it has different stones in it," Schell notes.

On the exterior of the house, wood and stone are combined in the tradition of Craftsman architecture, a style rooted in the Arts and Crafts movement of the 19th century, which celebrated natural materials and superior workmanship. A broad front porch is defined by weighty wood columns with stone bases. The shutters are unpainted pine with wrought-iron hinges. A barrel-vaulted ceiling of tongue-in-groove pine defines an entry marked by massive double doors and transom windows.

Behind the house, a sweeping multi-tier deck is made from ipe, a Brazilian wood known for extreme durability.

"It's really hard," Schell says. "You have to put it together with a special drill because the nails just bend."

A gas-fueled stone fire pit surrounded by built-in seating enables the family to enjoy the deck year-round.

The kitchen features a commercial-style range
and double wall ovens. An iCEBOX, mounted
under the cabinets, provides Internet access,
television and a DVD and CD player.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

"We turn it on for our Christmas party, and everyone seems to gravitate toward that space," he says.

A pergola defines an outdoor kitchen equipped with a built-in 50-inch stainless steel gas grill, sink, refrigerator and granite countertops.

Family and friends can dine on an adjacent screened porch, outfitted with retractable screens that allow the Schells to readily create an open-air connection with the deck.

"One of the things we like best about this house is the outdoor spaces are just as comfortable as the indoors," he says.

Ron and Donna Coffin's three-story home
provides a panoramic view of the Lewes coast.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

The Builder's Itch
Custom contractor Ron Coffin typically builds houses from the ground up.

But the inspiration for his home was plucked from the sky.

Coffin was looking for a place to keep his boat when a canal-front property in Lewes became available.

He surveyed the lot on foot-then decided to get a bird's eye perspective.

"Ronnie got in a lift to see what the views would be," his wife, Donna, recalls.

When he reached a height the equivalent of three stories-the highest level buildings can be constructed by law in Lewes-Coffin was tingling, taking in dazzling views of Roosevelt Inlet and Broadkill Beach.

"You could see all the way to Prime Hook-and then some," he says.

Though he was totally content in his nearby cottage, Coffin was captivated by the prospect of constructing a new house that would maximize the waterfront setting, as well as the jaw-dropping vistas.

"I got the builder's itch," he says.

The gourmet kitchen on the third floor is
outfitted with a large island for casual dining
or for those who want to visit with the cook.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

Coffin had renovated several homes for his family over the years, including a residence in North Carolina when he briefly relocated there, a big house in Millsboro he expanded multiple times, and a bungalow in Lewes he transformed into a two-story cottage.

The new house was inspired by the classic homes found in the historic district of Charleston, South Carolina, a style that combines large windows, gracious columns, and multiple porches and balconies. He chose cedar shakes for the siding, in keeping with the beach setting. In all, the house is 4,700 square feet, with an additional 2,000 square feet of decking.

With the couple's first three homes, Ron pretty much took charge of the design and the amenities. This time around, Donna came up with her own wish list.

"I've always enjoyed my homes, and I love to decorate," she says. "I think a person's surroundings are very important."

Her plan included reserving the second floor for the Coffins' three children, who were then teenagers.

"Every child had his or her own bedroom with a private bath and walk-in closet," she recalls.

The space also included an open-air deck, as well as a den where the teens could hang out with their friends.

After seven years in the house, the Coffins are now empty nesters, and the one-time teen haven is now expansive guest quarters. The couple recently welcomed their first grandchild into the family and frequently host extended visits from friends and relatives.

"We still have the trundle beds the kids used when their friends stayed over, which comes in handy when you have lots of company," Donna says.

An elevator zips groceries and other supplies to the gourmet kitchen on the third floor. Donna is an accomplished and enthusiastic cook, so she outfitted her kitchen with granite countertops, a commercial-style cooktop with a griddle, a high-capacity fridge and a pair of wall ovens. There's a large island for casual dining or seating for folks who want to keep the cook company.

The kitchen is open to a large gathering area from which the Coffins can see the ocean on a clear day. A cozy table and chairs by the window on the opposite side of the space offers a view of charter boats going up and down the canal.

The formal dining room is
flanked by large Italian pottery
jars that once held olive oil.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

"Except for the coldest days in winter, there's something interesting to see," Donna says.

There's also a large table for formal dining. It is flanked by enormous pottery jars imported from Italy that once held olive oil. That European feeling is echoed in the conversation area, where large sofas are upholstered in a comfy, tapestry-style fabric. The space is grounded by wide, random-width white oak floors treated only with a simple finishing oil to promote a sense of age.

Donna commissioned a decorative artist to paint the walls and ceiling in a mottled, Old World finish reminiscent of aged Tuscan plaster. The artist also created a patinated replica of a centuries-old map, complete with crinkles, and mounted it on doors set into the wall above the fireplace.

"It hides the television," Donna says. "I would rather look at something artistic than a big black box."

Both the Coffins are aficionados of art and Donna is fond of collecting antiques. A pair of pottery jugs, discovered at an antiques shop in Key West, was recovered from a shipwreck. She bought the vintage woven-wood eel pot at auction.

The third floor also includes a sumptuous master suite, where the Coffins awake each day to vistas of the sea and sky. Donna furnished the space in Chinese Chippendale-style furniture with bamboo-inspired carving that conjures images of world travel.

A luxurious master bath-one of six bathrooms in the house-features his and her vanities, a large shower and a soaking tub.

On the first floor, a compact summer kitchen is accessible to the patio. It's the ideal place to boil crabs. When it comes to cracking them, the Coffins put a plywood top on the billiards table to create a massive surface for serving food. A screened porch allows diners to enjoy a repast without interference from insects.

"I didn't want to be banging on crabs on a table over an Oriental rug," Donna says. "This is the perfect solution when we have a lot of people over."

The master bath, one of six
bathrooms in the home, features
a soaking tub.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

"We're down-home folks, very casual people," notes Ron.

The Coffins and their friends enjoy putting their feet up on the red-brick patio that faces the canal. Speckled orange and silver koi slice through the water in the fish pond, hoping for a treat from visitors.

A gifted gardener, Donna enjoys colorful flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. She has surrounded the patio with hot pink hibiscus, sunshine yellow coreopsis and vivid orange lilies. Her dahlias produce blooms the size of dinner plates. Thanks to Lewes' moderate climate, the tubers overwinter outdoors.

As much as they enjoy their home, the Coffins also have fun thinking about how they would design their next one. That's an occupational pastime with contractors.

"We'd like to build-just one more time," Ron says.

 

Jeff Stapen and Barkley
discovered a diamond in the
rough in Centreville.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

A Happy Restoration
Jeff Stapen was on an expedition of sorts, making his way through a dense grove of bamboo, hacking a path through a jungle of vines and trees in the unlikely wilds of Centreville.

Just ahead was a shabby duplex with a sagging, primitive addition. Inside, the units were equally rundown, with antiquated baths and cramped rooms.

Stapen looked around-and liked what he saw.

"This house was a diamond in the rough," he says.

Stapen is a custom builder who has constructed new homes and additions with craftsman-like precision. He also has restored structures, meticulously returning them to their former luster while making a few improvements.

But he started his career in the insurance business, evaluating repairs on homes that had been heavily damaged through flood or fire. That experience instilled him with a keen sense of vision of what a house could be-and how to achieve quality, authentic results.

Raised-panel kitchen cabinets are
made from salvaged wood finished
with lemony milk paint to enhance
the vintage look.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

"The insurance company taught me how to put things back to the way they were originally," Stapen says. "I learned to see beyond the mess."

His strategy was to restore the house, built in 1910, to the purpose established by its first owners. He would live in one half and rent out the other half.

"It was always a duplex, right down to the divided basement," he says.

To stabilize the house as well as improve its appearance, Stapen tore off a tired asphalt shingle roof, then replaced it with cedar shakes that were appropriate to the period.

A generation earlier, a previous owner had sheathed the duplex in aluminum siding. Based on a little house detective work, Stapen determined that the original siding was likely intact and in good condition.

"There was a big drive in the 1970s, selling aluminum siding up and down Route 52," he says. "We looked underneath it and found this nice cedar lap siding."

Removing the siding revealed detailed dentil molding on the front porch, as well as elegantly carved cap molding above the windows and doors. He painted the trim in crisp white and the siding in a deep tan that is compatible with the fieldstone foundation.

A furniture maker designed and built the dining
table, which includes carved legs and a rustic top
of reclaimed wood.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

Inside, the central staircase leading to the second floor didn't need much work. The duplex also retained its five-panel wood doors. The only door Stapen had to add was for a powder room he tucked into the first floor.

He restored the existing pine floors, removing three coats of paint and two of stain to reveal the grain, giving the space an instant sense of age and character.

For the kitchen floor, he chose 20 inch-by-20 inch quarry tiles. The dimensions make the space look larger and the rugged surface stands up to traffic from Barkley, his Labrador retriever.

"Barkley and I have been together a long time, so it was important that everything in my home be dog friendly," he says.

As a man who embraces craftsmanship, Stapen marveled at the plaster, mixed with horsehair by early 20th century artisans, as he took down a wall between a snug living room and a jot of a dining room to create a single gathering space.

"I like the openness," he says. "Even though this house is small, it's open, and you can easily see from front to back."

The deck overlooks a field used to graze cattle.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

He commissioned a furniture maker from Pennsylvania to design and build a large dining table with carved and detailed legs and a rustic top of reclaimed wood. Surrounded by custom chairs crafted in farmhouse style, the table is big enough to accommodate company at mealtimes-or serve as impromptu office space.

The furniture maker fabricated the raised-panel cabinets in the kitchen from salvaged wood, as well. Apothecary drawers and lemony milk paint enhance the vintage look. Stapen specified glass doors on the overheard cupboards, in keeping with the light and airy ambience he wanted to achieve.

For the countertops and deep sink he chose soapstone, a nonporous, naturally occurring material. Charcoal with white flecks, soapstone isn't shiny like polished granite or marble, and it gains personality over time, along with a few dings, which the homeowner can readily sand out-or opt to keep.

"I wanted it to look rough with the joints exposed," Stapen says.

He asked friends for input on his color selections, finally selecting a palette inspired by the earth. The kitchen walls are painted in soft terra cotta. Sandy beige sets the tone in the living and dining rooms.

Stapen chose soapstone for
bathroom countertops.
Photograph by Thom Thompson
www.thomthompson.com

Stapen didn't forget the creature comforts of life in the 21st century. He installed a plasma TV and a surround-sound speaker system, -a total guy thing," he says. A sectional sofa provides casual seating in front of the fireplace.

The second floor was reconfigured to accommodate a master bedroom, a guest room, closets and a hall bath with soapstone counters.

Stapen razed the wobbly, two-story shed addition on the back of the duplex, relocating laundry rooms to the dual basements. He then constructed spacious, two-tier open-air balconies that offer a vista of grazing cattle.

"It's an extremely peaceful setting, relaxing on the deck and looking out over green fields," he says. "It's a much more pleasant view than a bunch of overgrown bamboo."

For Stapen, the location also offers an ideal blend of small shops and friendly residents in an historic oasis nestled in verdant hills. So far, at least one neighbor has been inspired to remove the aluminum siding from his home and restore the clapboards beneath.

"I love the whole Centreville village experience," Stapen says.

His work isn't restricted to residential restoration and vintage styling. His projects include new construction, including a stone and brick barn, and such undertakings as a cool, mid-century house.

"We're actually making it more contemporary," he says.

His own home is a small space that has inspired big thoughts. When he builds his next house, Stapen will incorporate architectural elements he enjoys in the duplex-but on a grander scale.

"I love wood, exposed brick, that great craftsman style," he says. "It's a classic that never gets old."