2211 Delaware Drive (1996)

Doing every bit of the work themselves, the owners have taken this 1920s colonial house and used their talent, skill, and imagination to create a completely functional setting that reflects their family's individual needs and tastes.

On the first floor they have turned the original dining room into a family room that leads onto a deck and they have created a small dining area on a former porch. They have reconfigured the kitchen, built many cupboards, including an entertainment unit, sewed drapes and slipcovers, set tile, and painted walls.

Originally the kitchen was a kitchen plus breakfast room, but it has been transformed into one very large room with an eating area. The walls have been sponge-painted with a border of fruits. These have a hand-painted look, but were actually cut out from wallpaper which the owner didn't otherwise care for and pasted on a plain border. French doors lead to a screened porch. The lavatory under the front stairs was there originally, but it now has new fixtures.

Upstairs in the child's bedroom on the left, there is an unusual kind of bunk bed, with the top level creating a very inviting loft effect. Next door there is another child's bedroom, with its own bathroom and a separate weight room. Across the hall a boy's bedroom reflects a baseball theme. The remaining room on the second floor has been converted into an office, with new windows and a new door opening onto a porch that has been added over the kitchen roof. Trim sliding doors cover an array of file cabinets and shelving,

On the third floor, everything was torn out and skylights added to make the whole area into a very large and private master bedroom. The bathroom here is entirely new, with a lovely large tiled shower enclosed in glass, plus glass brick windows. Another bathtub - an old-fashioned one - sits in the bedroom and is fully operative but rarely used. A small wet bar is an added attractive feature.

The sewing room in the basement is a revelation. It is bright, cheerful, and eminently functional.

In the backyard, note the raised patio, the deck with hot tub, the swing set with wood chips below, the treehouse, and the sandbox with stone sides.