Quality Time

The Marsh family of Grimes finally moved into their dream home in 2020, but they opted to save one particular project for a later date.

“We finished part of the lower level when we built the home,” says homeowner Alison Marsh. “But we waited on the family room so we could see what we needed the space to be.”

Homeowner Ryan Marsh says, “When we were ready to do the project, we knew we wanted the space to feel different than the rest of the house. We wanted it to be a place to connect with family and friends and not just another place to watch television.”

Since moving into the home several years earlier, Alison had been collecting pictures and ideas. Both she and Ryan knew they wanted the project to create two distinct spaces. “We wanted a pub space for the grown-ups and a comfortable area for kids and adults to gather, to play games, and hang out,” Ryan says.

The main level of the home is light-filled and open with high ceilings and a spacious feel that connects to a view of sloping hills and distant trees.

The walk-out lower level looks out on the pool and the kids’ play area. Designer Trish Connor and the team at Woodharbor created a finished space that remains open and bright yet feels cozy and relaxing.

“Ryan and Alison were wonderful to work with,” Connor says. “They came to us with some specific ideas and knew what they did and didn’t like. That made it easy to create a design that fit their vision.”

Friends of Ryan and Alison had worked with Woodharbor in the past and recommended them highly, so the Marshes knew exactly which company to call when the time came.

“We’d seen their work and had heard nothing but good things about Woodharbor,” Ryan says. “They were so respectful of our space and did a fantastic job throughout the project.”

The finished entertainment area remains open. But Connor and Seth Arganbright, the project coordinator, found ways to create separate zones within the space.

“One of the biggest challenges was the ceiling design,” Arganbright says. “With the irregular shape of the room, finding just the right layout for the beams and for the tiles over the pub area was really important.”

Dark-finish beams adorn the ceiling through most of the area. A ceiling in pressed-tin style with wood accents complemented by tile flooring, rich wood cabinetry, and dark countertops gives the bar area the style of an old-English pub.

“We added some extras like the bar-style glass rinser and the popcorn machine that ended up being even better than we expected,” says Ryan. “And we have an electronic fob on the liquor cabinet and the candy fridge so that the kids can’t get into things they’re not supposed to.”

The Marshes also wanted the room to be as soundproof as possible, so Arganbright recommended a double-layer system between the ceiling and the subfloor above. “It works beautifully,” Ryan says. “We don’t hear a thing when we’re upstairs. It’s so quiet.”

Although the couple had finished a theater room in the lower level when the home was built, they worked with Woodharbor to complete the remaining space when they did the entertainment area and bar. “We wanted a guest bedroom and bath that reflected the style of the house but worked with the style of the lower level, too,” Alison says.

Connor says, “We used elements that echo the rest of the lower level, such as the same flooring and wainscoting panels that are similar to the ones in the pub area.”

Bright white trim sets off the dark wide-plank flooring and accents. Genuine brick veneer, one of the highlights of the lower level, brings out the old-world style the couple had envisioned.

After waiting several years to put the finishing touches on their dream home, Ryan and Alison say they made the right decision. “This is everything we imagined. Seth and Trish took all our ideas and made them happen and were so easy to work with,” Alison says.

“When you have clients like Ryan and Alison, who have a clear idea about what they want, the design almost comes together on its own,” says Trish Connor.

The project may not have been that simple, but the finished results speak for themselves. This space draws the family together, and the Marsh family couldn’t ask for more. •