Miracle on 51st Street
Scott and Monica Myers’ penchant for waiting eventually produced a domestic miracle in their lives. In their sun room off the open kitchen and living area one afternoon recently, this vivacious couple laughs heartily as they agree it was well worth the wait.
Most of their married life, they enjoyed living in one of the 1940s bungalow-style homes on Harvard Avenue where they raised three daughters. They worked on remodeling their place “continuously” during their 25 years there. Scott also kept busy building homes for other families.
Today, they live in a 2,600 square-foot Craftsman-style home built by Scott himself with a landscape blossoming with flowering hollyhocks, rose bushes, Russian sage and evergreens.
The spacious three bedroom, two bath home with nine-foot ceilings flows beautifully on one level. No steps are in sight. “I climb ladders and walk on roofs,” says Scott, “so, when I come home I don’t have to negotiate any of that.”
An open design focuses on ample accessible maneuvering around the house. “We’ll retire here,” emphasizes Scott.
The openness of the living area combines the sunroom, kitchen and living room. Stained concrete revealing deep reddish earthy tones covers the floor. It’s a quick and easy cleanup when the nine grandkids, ages eight and under, come to visit. With overall radiant heat beneath, little feet stay toasty warm.
The kitchen addresses a super-family gathering or an ultimate place to entertain friends. The lighter colored custom-made cherry wood cabinets deliver clean lines and exceptional beauty. A built-in desk fits nicely beside the fridge. The lower half highlights two glass drawers with animal crackers pressed inside one drawer and pretzels outlining the other.
In the cozy living room area, a flat screen TV hangs over the high-efficiency wood-burning fireplace from Belgium. The celebrated bungalow ‘look’ takes precedence with impressive glass cabinetry trimmed in true Craftsman fashion on either side of this rock-faced fireplace.
Another outstanding visual element in this space is two battered columns Scott had built and placed as aesthetic dividers. Glass cabinetry trimmed to precision continues the charm while elegantly and ever so slightly separating the living room from the kitchen.
Down the hall from the main living space are the three bedrooms. Two guest rooms, with one containing two sets of bunk beds plus a trundle bed to accommodate the grandsons, accompany the master suite. The master reinforces the homeowners’ decision to make this home their permanent residence.
There isn’t anything unfriendly about this home. It’s been “done well.” Extraordinary design coupled with rustic warmth equals a balanced home with character.
Scott and Monica contend it’s such a great place to be out here in the country along a gravel road while being so close to town. “It’s a miracle in the fact that we built a home for ourselves after 25 years,” shares Scott.
Miracles happen…just like this one on 51st Street.
TO READ THE FULL STORY ON THE MYERS' HOME, click HERE for a peek inside the October/November issue.
