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    At Home: Lush Patio Space in German Village

    Scott Elder and Chad Huguenin enjoying their outdoor patio.

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    Remember the feeling you get when you walk into a place and just know it is for you? That happened to husbands Chad Huguenin and Scott Elder when they were shown a place in German Village. They had looked at a lot of homes, many in the Short North and German Village because they wanted a home in an urban area. The house in German Village didn’t have much greenery in the front garden and the rooms in the front of the house had mismatched flooring. But once they went through the kitchen and turned to the right…

    “As soon as we rounded the corner and saw the patio, we thought, oh yeah, this is the place,” says Elder.

    The enclosed dining room has two large picture windows that look out onto the patio. Even though the previous owners did not have many plants on the patio, Elder and Huguenin have green thumbs and knew it was perfect. They ended up making an offer on the 1400 square foot home, with 3 bedrooms and 2 and a half baths and it was theirs. That was just over four years ago.

    They would like to redo the cabinets and countertops in the kitchen.

    A chalkboard for menu planning and grocery lists.

    Into the dining room.

    These tree boxes held the seating cards for their wedding at Taylor Mansion. Elder went to EcoFlora for advice and plants to make the terrariums.

    As soon as they bought the house, they had the floors redone to match the wood floors in the living room. Having cohesive flooring throughout the home makes it feel larger. The master bedroom and bath are on the main living level. They repainted the walls to a dark blue-gray and added airy curtains that still allow you the views of the side garden and street and also the patio. It’s peaceful and calming, the perfect place to relax.

    Unique doors lead into the master bedroom.

    Soft and serene colors in the master bedroom.

    The German Village Society does a great job welcoming new members. Elder and Huguenin joined and were given a packet of information on their home. It was built in 1870. It was also on the House und Garten tour in 1969. Pictures of a dinner party in the home show that there may be a mural of South Fourth street behind the mirrored wall.

    “But we probably won’t take it [the mirror] off to see,” says Huguenin.

    The couple also had the son of a previous owner contact them about a painting of the home that his mother had. The painting had been commissioned in 1969 and he asked Elder and Huguenin if they would like it. They did, bought it, and have it hanging in the living room.

    “It’s fun to see the changes the house has had,” says Elder. Huguenin agrees. “It is a part of this house and will stay with the house,” he says.

    Built in shelving in the living room. Elder and Huguenin decided to keep the eagle painted in the transom.

    Painted exposed brick in the living room.

    The foyer displays a painting done by Huguenin's grandmother, Irene Blake. Blake created many paintings during her time at Ohio University, something the family did not discover until after her death. There were enough that everyone was able to choose a painting to remember her by. On the right, a closeup of the home in 1969, and the couple's version of a wedding guest book, displayed in the dining room.

    For furnishings, they often find things at West Elm and Crate and Barrel. They also like to look in consignment shops, but don’t often find just what they are looking for. It took them a long time to find the perfect dining room table for the space. They wanted a table made of reclaimed wood, and Elder was considering making one himself, when they came across one at West Elm. It was in such demand that it took four months to be made, but it was worth the wait. The large dining space and bench for seating, as well as the soft gray chairs and accent pillows are so right in the space.

    The dining room and patio are absolutely their favorite rooms of the home. The two love to entertain guests and often have friends over. The dining room has a functional wood burning fireplace that is cozy in the winter months.

    Large picture windows in the dining room bring the outdoors in.

    The wall where they added a trellis and hanging flower baskets.

    The planter boxes atop the wall hold peppers and other vegetables.

    In the patio, they added fountains and planters, stones from Lang Stone Company, a trellis and flower baskets. In the planters on top of the walls, they have some peppers and a few other plants. They plan to let the peppers dry so they can make their own crushed red pepper flakes. There is also a Serviceberry tree that produces enough berries for jam making.

    “We have jam sessions,” says Huguenin. Elder also enjoys buying large quantities of fruits and preserving them. He and another family member recently canned a large amount of peaches into jam. He feels it’s a rewarding way to spend time, and the beautiful (and tasty!) jars make wonderful gifts.

    The house does not have an abundance of storage, so they added shelving along the walls leading to the basement. Elder and Huguenin would like to redo the kitchen and the bathrooms. This summer, they are getting the exterior of the house repainted.

    Artwork and photos showcase their love for Columbus and each other. The small door leads to the basement.

    German Village ended up being the perfect place for them to set up their home. They both have lived in Columbus for quite awhile and have enjoyed seeing all of the changes taking place- most recently, the addition of Columbus Commons and Bicentennial Park. Those are parks that Elder and Huguenin can easily walk to, and sometimes hear the concerts from. In the village, they enjoy spending time on the patio at MoJoe Lounge, eating at Harvest Pizzeria, and getting take out from Club 185.

    “It’s so easy to live here,” says Elder.

    At Home is a monthly column on Columbus Underground focused on urban home remodeling and style as well as older home renovations and unique homes in Columbus. If you would like to have your home featured in the At Home series, please send an email to me at [email protected].

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    Anne Evans
    Anne Evanshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-evans/
    Anne Evans is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for The Metropreneur and Columbus Underground. She regularly contributes feature stories on both sites, as well as Mega Weekend each week. She has started and grown businesses, created experiences, forged community partnerships, and worked to create opportunities for others. She loves meeting new neighbors and those making an impact in our community. Want to connect?
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