Hanover - 03
Dr. Bart Francis, left, Justin Morris, and the couple's Yorkie Molly, in front of their house at 137 S. Hanover Avenue. | Photo by Zoya Tereshkova
New owners made an Ashland Park home a paradise of modern living while preserving its historical features
Photos and Story by Zoya Tereshkova
The two-story brick house with a semi-enclosed masonry front porch had not been love at first sight for Bart Francis and Justin Morris. “I liked it from the outside, but once I walked in, I felt depressed,” said Francis.
According to Morris, an interior designer, the 4,000-square-foot house’s “closed up” atmosphere was caused by features typical of a dwelling built almost 100 years ago.
“Rooms were small; the kitchen was separated from the dining area by the wall – it was all dark and gloomy,” he said.
However, the location — just four blocks away from Henry Clay Estate — made the couple come back to check on the property again and again, until they realized they had already fallen in love with the place.
“The owner was gradually moving stuff out, and every time we came there, it was easier to envision what a great space it would become if we renovated it,” said Morris.
After closing on the house in December of 2013, Francis and Morris started renovations the following month. In July, they moved in, while their contractor, Mike Warner with Warner Builders, was still finishing up the work. The project was completed in August, just in time for the 2014 Homebuilders Association of Lexington Tour of Remodeled Homes. About 500 people visited the property, and the house became the winner of the tour.
“Winning that competition gave us great satisfaction. I’m particularly excited about the house being comfortable and modern, as if it were built in 2014, yet its original facade and historic design has been carefully preserved,” said Francis, who grew up in Pikeville and moved to Lexington while attending medical school at the University of Kentucky.
As vice president of Medical Affairs for Hospital Physicians Partners, he travels among several cities in eastern Kentucky and southwest Virginia two or three weeks out of each month.
“Coming back to this house is very enjoyable, and it makes all the hard work we put into it worthwhile,” he said.
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Taking the lead on the renovation, Morris, a native of Somerset and now an interior designer with Norwalk Furniture and Designs in Lexington, said he knew from the start that updating the house would involve a “major, heavy-duty renovation.”
“It felt like it was too much for us to handle in the beginning, but we did it,” he said.
To make a 1918 house more livable, the entire plumbing, electrical and heating and air-conditioning systems were replaced.
“We installed dual-zone climate control, which made the house very energy efficient. The plumbing system is now modern in every way and includes recirculating hot water and water- conserving toilets,” said Francis.
In addition, the whole house has a “smart house” touch with iPhone-controlling security, lighting and HVAC.
“We can even operate our door locks remotely via our phones, so that our out of town guests and service personnel can come and go as needed,” Francis added.
The exterior renovation included building a circular drive, and a deck in the back. On the house itself, all the rotten wood was replaced and the brick was repainted.
To solve the outdated kitchen/dining area layout, two walls were torn down, creating one large area with a lot of space and light on the right part of the structurally sound house. The kitchen became “the focal point of the house” and its newly installed marble island “the heart of our home,” according to the owners.
“That’s where we spend our mornings drinking coffee and our evenings eating and chatting, and that’s where our friends gather, unless it’s a big party,” said Morris.
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Bigger parties usually happen in the backyard, which, in addition to the heated saltwater swimming pool, features two wooden decks, one of which is equipped with a fire pit and five lounges by the side of the pool.
“It used to be a hidden garden here but not in a good way,” said Francis, referring to the backyard before the renovation.
Another nice detail of the deck area: During parties, food and drinks can be served through the three-sectional window directly from the kitchen.
Francis said that the property ended up having two distinct styles. It’s very traditional from the front, with every detail of the exterior being carefully preserved.
“But in the back, it has a very different ‘California resort style,’” he said
As the weather gets colder, the entertaining, which is a big part of the couple’s life, will move from the backyard to the dining room and also to the left part of the house with its formal sitting room and living room.
The dining room, while being part of the large kitchen/dining area, is defined and visually separated by contrasting wallpaper on one of the walls, a rug and the striking furniture: a dining table with two Queen Anne-style chairs that look like small thrones taken out of a medieval castle. The large windows are original; the glass is all antique – handmade – with its unique, slightly uneven texture. Also, the windows have no curtains.
“We don’t believe in them. We don’t want to wall ourselves off of our street and our neighborhood,” he said.
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The original doors were not in place in the dining room and other rooms downstairs when the couple bought the house, but fortunately, they were found neatly stacked in the attic. Now, after being carefully restored, they’re installed again. The house’s original wooden floors and staircase visually tie together the dining area on the right and the living area on the left of the house.
“It gives the house its Southern flavor, a ‘Gone with the Wind’ feel,” said Francis about the staircase.
Another unifying detail is Georgian molding, installed throughout the house during restoration, which, according to Francis, added even more Southern charm.
Upstairs, again, some walls were knocked down to create one large master suite with a bedroom, a bathroom with a modern walk-in shower stall (an antique claw foot bathtub was added), and a walk-in closet.
“I made the walk-in closet look like a clothing boutique,” said Morris, who designed every little detail of the suite, including the curtains, made by a local seamstress following Morris’ idea of placing silver sequins over black silk. He defined the master bedroom’s style as an “old Hollywood glam with a modern spin.”
The pool view from the master bedroom and from the upstairs deck, connected to one of two guest bedrooms, is “amazing, very beachy and relaxing.”
“It’s all a cozy glam,” Morris said.
The 1,512-square-foot basement, once unfinished, now hosts a complete guest suite with a sitting room, a bedroom and a bathroom with a shower, in addition to a modern laundry facility and an equipment room.
Morris added that the guest suite is decorated in “Oriental inspiration” style, enhanced by the antique Japanese chest of drawers, a friend’s gift, and by pieces of art, all hand-selected by the owners.
Hanover - 02
Dr. Bart Francis, left, and his partner Justin Morris and their Yorky Molly relax on the front porch. | Photo by Zoya Tereshkova
One of the couple’s favorite places is their front porch, where they like spending time in the afternoons.
“We like watching people walking by,” Francis said. Morris added that in their neighborhood “you actually speak to your neighbors.”
“People stop by and ask questions; we show them the house; they come back later on,” said Francis. “We make friends, and we like it.”
Even the previous owner, who has moved to a condo nearby, stops by and says hello, he said.
At the end of October, the couple hosted their neighborhood association’s party with more than 100 people in attendance.
“Our neighbors are very accepting and open minded, and we are very fortunate to be embraced by this community,” said Francis.
Francis is also happy that the big renovation did not do anything to detract from the overall aesthetic of the neighborhood.
He said he didn’t want his house to overwhelm the surroundings or even to stand out.
“It’s been a superb project, and I want to believe that the end result truly enhanced the look and feel of the neighborhood,” said Francis.
Morris said he’s proud to be a part of the project.
“In our culture, we toss things away; we need everything new, fresh,” said Morris. “But old homes are our heritage; they’re part of our history.” cc