Carol Burroughs-Gleim and her husband, Shaun Gleim, had done their share of remodeling.
Though their 1927 cottage was ideally situated on a large view lot in Edmonds, it had some downsides when they bought it in 1997, including shag carpeting, aluminum windows and paneling galore.
Over the years, they have updated all of the above, returning the windows to their original glory, resurrecting original fir flooring and replacing paneling with drywall.
They stayed with the same floor plan and did most of the grueling work themselves.
But when it came time to do the granddaddy of all home improvement projects – a kitchen remodel with an addition – the Gleims, both 48, decided to bring in some professional help.
Stephen Marshall-Ward, who they knew best as the director of music and arts at Edmonds United Methodist Church, was also owner of Stephen Marshall Design.
It was a risk, bringing a friend into such an important mostly do-it-yourself project.
“I didn’t know if he could follow my vision,” Burroughs-Gleim said. “But it worked out beautifully.”
The Gleims’ project eventually expanded to include an entirely new entry, a wraparound porch and a large master suite addition.
Their vision called for a roomier kitchen in a farmhouse style: bigger but not too big, modern but not too modern.
“I wanted the kitchen to feel like it could have been original to the house,” said Burroughs-Gleim, who also wanted a more open space for family time, including Shelby, 16, and Ben, 14.
Shaun Gleim, who loves projects, did all the work he could, including demolition, drywall installation and wiring. He hired out for bigger things such as framing and foundation work.
Burroughs-Gleim and Marshall-Ward, meanwhile, worked on design and decor.
Blending their ideas together, they came up with a stunning look, including painted cabinets from Sheldon Custom Cabinets of Lynnwood, white ceramic tile with black edging and accents, white-trimmed windows and – the room’s crowning glory – a barrel vault ceiling to preside over it all.
Though the black and beige enamel Aga range is definitely old school, the kitchen also includes modern touches such as stainless steel finishes on the refrigerator, dishwasher and drawer pulls.
The Gleims already had a large butcher block, an antique Hoosier cabinet and Burroughs-Gleim’s many collections, including vintage dishware, appliances and antique furniture.
Burroughs-Gleim is an antiques dealer and collector, and a pro at finding cool things for not much money.
“I call myself a hunter and gatherer,” she said.
She found their mahogany dining table at an estate sale, their forest green Kitchen Aid mixer at a garage sale and her Aga range on eBay, saving her thousands.
Jadeite, Fiesta ware and other collectibles are a strong part of the decor.
Marshall-Ward was determined to create a space where those colorful, eclectic home accents wouldn’t look out of place.
“For me the design thread was the collections. Her things had to feel at home with every decision that was made,” he said. “Nothing matches, but it all goes together.”
Though Marshall-Ward has a variety of projects under his belt, the Gleims’ farmhouse-style kitchen was a first.
“We’ve done everything from Georgian to very contemporary,” he said. “It’s like composing music. One good composition doesn’t show everything you can do. In design, it’s the same way. You have a concept and you develop a style. It has a sense of rhythm and harmony.”
Burroughs-Gleim’s things do more than contribute to the farmhouse style.
“Most of my stuff is functional,” she said. “It has to be displayed, functional or fit in my jewelry box. No hoarding.”
Shaun Gleim said the entire remodeling project has brought more movement and light into their home, thanks to Marshall-Ward, who suggested aligning the front and back entrances for a main corridor through the house.
“We entertain quite a bit. We have some large parties, and it works perfect for that,” Gleim said. “One time, we had Carol’s choir party, and we had like 60 people here, and it didn’t feel crowded. It just flows. It was never that way.”
In addition to working his full-time job as a biomedical electronics technician at the University of Washington Medical Center, Gleim worked plenty of nights and weekends to finish the project.
Burroughs-Gleim did her fare share too, hand-scraping glue and dirt from 500 second-hand boards of old-growth fir to be reused as flooring.
Looking back, it was all worth it, of course, Gleim said, looking ahead to their next project, a summer of working outside, landscaping.
“It’s kind of our dream house,” he said, comparing it to his 1936 childhood home in Sumner. “We have it right where we want it.”
Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@heraldnet.com.
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