Kenwick Bungalows: DIY Ignited

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Necessity was the mother of invention for this DIY Kenwick re-do

The house at 175 Bassett Ave. – one of nearly a dozen homes to be featured on the June 14 Kenwick Bungalow Tour – was a sad sight when Jayson Richardson first walked into it in the spring of 2011.

“There was a potbelly stove in the middle of the living room. The walls were caked with soot, the hardwood flooring was damaged from where the stove previously sat, and the ceiling was falling in,” Richardson said.

In addition, the bathrooms and the kitchen were unusable, and the stairs were so steep they looked more like an attic ladder. Outside, in the backyard overtaken by trees and weeds, the roof of the oversized garage was caving.

However, Richardson, who was a newly hired assistant professor at the University of Kentucky at the time, saw great potential in the 1920s yellow brick bungalow.

“It was a hundred years old. It was very solid and had plaster walls and thick baseboards, and most importantly, it had a lot of character,” said Richardson, who is now an associate professor at the College of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership Studies.

Four years later, the bungalow is completely renovated, offering a variety of modern conveniences while retaining its original historic features.

Ivan Z. Newell, a realtor who over the years has sold dozens of home in Kenwick, including the one Richardson purchased, said that the new owner “made all the right decisions” while renovating.

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“The house is charming and functional, and it’s also a good example of how less can be more in older, smaller houses,” he said.

Kristen Mark, Richardson’s partner of two and a half years who now shares the house with him, said that she was “amazed” when she first saw it.

“It was beautifully done, felt cozy and inviting, and I was very impressed by the fact that Jayson did most of the work by himself,” said Mark, an assistant professor at the UK College of Education.

The large covered porch with big columns connects directly with the living room, which flows into the dining area and then the kitchen, which boasts a huge walk-in pantry that Richardson converted from an odd nook. The focal point of the kitchen is the island countertop that Richardson designed. Relatively simple, the island was designed to fit in with the style and size of the kitchen, with a large countertop made of Silestone, a handmade quartz, giving it an updated, modern appearance.

“The space used to be very dark and closed in,” said Richardson. “I had to take down a few walls to open it up and bring the light in.”

Updating a steep and narrow, one-flight staircase leading to the second floor – which was originally an attic – was a particular challenge. Richardson spent many hours trying to figure out how to fix the problem by completely redesigning the staircase, but in the end, he opted to leave it in place and make minor adjustments to the stairs.

-Click here to read more about the 2015 Kenwick Bungalow Tour!-

“I opened the hallway both vertically and horizontally, using a skylight and open railing to change the entire house profile for the better,” he said.

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The backyard has a completely new look as well, with a four-level deck and outdoor living space as the focal point.

“The outside space is quite the retreat,” said Richardson. “I love sharing this space with neighbors who pop over and say hello.”

When Richardson was buying the house, he had no intentions of doing the work himself.

“I was going to do what other people do: hire a contractor and go from there,” he said.

However, dealing with contractors turned out to be a pain: They would either not give Richardson a detailed budget or simply would not return his calls.

“The notion of doing it by myself came out of necessity,” Richardson said.

It was a very bold decision, according to Newell.

“He didn’t have the skills in the beginning, yet he did a truly professional, superb job,” he said.

Richardson said he learned a lot by watching home and garden shows while running on the treadmill in the gym.

“I also watched a lot of how-to videos on YouTube, but mainly, I’ve learned by trial and error,” he said.

While doing most of the work by himself, Richardson still outsourced a portion of the heavy duty projects like plumbing, roofing and air conditioning.

“I spent three years getting this bungalow into its current shape,” he said.

Instead of putting away his tools and enjoying the fruit of his labor,

Richardson bought another fixer upper, located at 178 Bassett, across the street from his house, and renovated it over the course of seven months, finishing it in May. The second house, which is now on the market, will also be part of the 2015 Kenwick Bungalow Tour.

In addition to almost singlehandedly renovating two older houses over the past four years, Richardson has continued teaching and doing research at UK, publishing close to 20 academic articles and traveling for conferences and research projects all over the United States as well as to seven different countries, in addition to teaching two classes each semester. While remodeling his last house, he even served as an interim chair of his department; his term just ended at the end of May.

“He amazes me,” said Mark. “His energy level is extraordinary; his work ethic is high; and he’s the most efficient person I have ever known.”

Richardson said that remodeling is his hobby and that it gives him a break from his academic work.

“I like working with my hands,” said Richardson. “Also, I just enjoy thinking of what’s there currently and what it could be if you make the right decisions and put your work into it.”

Richardson is looking forward to showing people around his two remodeled houses during the tour; after that, he is not sure how long it will take before he takes on another project.

“Probably not very long, just as soon as something comes available,” he said. cc

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