After a season when the most popular home and garden tours were canceled or put online, remodelers in the Columbus area have decided it is finally time to welcome the public back to see some of their best work in person.
The Columbus Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) will host the first major trip home of the year to the region on Saturday and next Sunday.
The tour will include renovation projects in seven homes and a showroom showcase for a remodel.
“The decision to continue on the tour was a tough one, but we’re very excited,” said Pam Patter, managing director of NARI in central Ohio.
Special pandemic precautions will be taken for the tour, Patter said.
The number of people allowed in each home at one time will be limited, and social distancing and face masks will be required, she said. And unlike previous NARI tours, guests cannot see for themselves, but are accompanied by tour guides at every location.
Otherwise, as on previous tours, the guests see a multitude of projects that the individual homeowners and renovation companies would like to demonstrate. Projects include a kitchen, outdoor living area, wine room, and home conversions ranging from a historic Bexley mansion to a Grandview cottage.
Dan Gauthier’s Hilliard House on the Scioto Riverwas scheduled to appear on NARI’s spring tour, which was canceled. Gautier said he and his wife Natasha Bowen were a little hesitant about including their home on the upcoming tour.
“We have been incredibly careful since the pandemic started,” he said.
But Gauthier said he was confident in the precautions tour officials are taking, including wiping and disinfecting the surfaces around the house during the tour.
The project for the house involved a complete first floor remodel, removing walls to give it a more open – and very modern – look.
Gauthier said he was very pleased with the work done by Nicholson Builders and the project’s senior executive Jeremy Little.
Little, said Gauthier, was excited about including the project on the tour.
“His excitement was contagious,” said Gauthier. “And we like it when people come over to see it and appreciate it. It’s fun when other people talk ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ about it too.”
Mike Fought, president of Nicholson Builders, said he was glad the Gauthiers had decided to continue with the tour.
“In this environment, I am really grateful that you are ready to open your home to strangers,” he said.
According to Fought, guests at the Hilliard Tour House will “see a truly unique design that is different from the traditional designs we often deal with”.
The project includes ornate, almost sculptural walls, Fought said, and a home office surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass.
“There are features you won’t see in a home every day, especially in central Ohio,” said Fought. “We don’t get the chance to flex our contemporary or minimalist muscles very often. We’ve had to improve our carpentry skills and our craftsmanship. It really is a showpiece.”
The NARI tour always attracts guests interested in seeing the latest design trends and walking around beautiful homes. But it also allows homeowners thinking of remodeling to meet company representatives and closely examine some of their best work, Patter said.
A large renovation project can be very complex – and very personal, said Patter.
“You want to find someone you like,” she said. “You will spend a lot of time with them.”
The tour sites are open on Saturday from 10am to 5pm and next Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. Tickets for the tour are $ 3 per person for a single location or $ 10 per person for the entire eight-location tour.
For security and convenience, guests are encouraged to purchase tickets online at trustnari.org. However, tickets are only available in cash and with exact change on each tour website.
@SteveStephens
Fall NARI tour
2814 Exmoor Road, Upper Arlington
A mid-century ranch home converted into a California style ranch. Project by: The Cleary Company.
6368 Oisin Court, Dublin
A complete kitchen replacement and more. Project by Gdansk Construction.
193 Stanbery Ave., Bexley
Contemporary renovations to a 100 year old Bexley mansion including a family room, wine room and kitchen remodel. Griffey Remodeling project.
1355 W. 2nd Ave., Grandview
A charming cottage in Grandview that has been converted into a home jewelry box. Project by Haus Studio Designs.
5566 Dublin Road, Columbus
An outdoor pool house with an open-air bar, a changing room and an attached indoor bar. Project by JS Brown & Company.
4740 Shire Ridge Road E., Hilliard
A complete renovation of the first floor creates a contemporary, open, active and dynamic space with natural daylight. Project by Nicholson Builders.
4747 Bridle Path Court, Dublin
Complete renovation and updating of the kitchen, laundry room and dirt traps. Organized Home Remodeling project.
3505 W. Dublin Granville Road, Columbus
Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers’ design studio with 25 displays and installations.
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