|
For the Brilliant family, the road to reconstruction finally leads back
home—as their year-long renovation odyssey comes to an end
By Sarah Pekkanen
On the last Saturday night in November, Jenny and Myron Brilliant lay on
the fold-out couch that had served as their bed for the past 11 months—the
couch that was about a foot too short, the couch that had given Jenny a constantly
aching back—and thought about what lay ahead.
The stresses of the past year were finally coming to an end. Tomorrow, the
Brilliant family was moving back to their Chevy Chase home.
And what a house awaits them: Last January, the 100-year-old yellow farmhouse
with black shutters and graceful front porch boasted plenty of charm at the
expense of practicality. Architects Jim Rill and Kay Kim developed an ambitious
vision: They’d tear off the back of the house, gut the interior and build
a three-level addition—then they’d marry the two halves of the house together,
the old and the new, as if they’d coexisted all along.
Now that the finish line is in sight, now that this marathon of a renovation
is almost complete, how are the Brilliants feeling?
“Very stressed,” says Jenny, her usual easygoing smile nowhere in sight.
There’s still so much to do, so much unpacking to finish and details remaining
on the construction that it’s impossible for her to relax.
She walks into the airy living room, which is anchored by a wood-burning
fireplace, then into Myron’s cozy study. Toward the back of the first floor
is an open kitchen, gleaming with stainless steel appliances and dark granite
countertops. The kitchen flows seamlessly into the family room with its exposed-beam
ceiling and another fireplace, this one surrounded by natural rock. A nook
next to the kitchen is filled with built-in cubbies and cabinets that will
help bust the clutter of Andrew, 9, Eliza, 6, and Eric, 2. A mudroom gives
the main level’s wood floors a fighting chance to stay clean.
“It looks good,” Jenny says, heading up the broad, gentle staircase—such
an improvement over the original 28-inch-wide, claustrophobia-inducing staircase—and
toward the master suite with its big windows and bathroom with earth-colored
tiles. Then she begins to perk up, because just ahead is her generous, walk-in
closet with tons of hanger space and drawers and shelves.
“It’s my favorite part of the house,” she says. “This, and the master bathroom.”
Each child has a bedroom upstairs, too, and there’s another bathroom with
dual sinks. Before, the upstairs contained only one tiny bathroom. Mornings
will be a lot less chaotic for the Brilliant family now.
So, was it worth the months of driving endless loops
from their temporary home—Jenny’s parents’ house in
Potomac—to the kids’ school in Bethesda, worth the dozens
of trips to tile shops and bathroom fixture outlets,
worth the roughly $650,000 price tag—not including the
architecture firm’s 15 percent commission?
Yes, the Brilliants say, but…
Last January, when the Brilliants signed a contract with Prill Construction,
they were eager and optimistic, even while they acknowledged the renovation
would be emotionally difficult.
But anticipating stress and living through it are two very different things.
While they’re happy with the quality of the work— “I
think we’re getting what we paid for,” says Jenny—they’re
less happy that the construction ran behind the schedule
they were originally given. The Brilliants were told
they’d be home by Sept. 1, then Oct. 15, and now it’s
the end of November, and there are still some lingering
details, like finishing touches on the deck and missing
knobs on some kitchen cabinets.
“I’m in a strange state,” says Myron. “On the one hand I’m very excited we’re
finally moving home. I’m anxious to move in and quickly settle back into my
way of life.”
On the other hand, Myron says, he’s frustrated the house isn’t picture perfect
by now. “We probably set unrealistic deadlines,” he acknowledges. “We did
and the contractor did.”
Still, the Brilliants applaud the dedication of project manager Paul Connolly,
who spent the Friday after Thanksgiving grouting their bathroom and showed
up Saturday morning to work on the kitchen.
Adam Prill, owner of the construction company, says conflicting emotions
by homeowners are the norm when it comes to renovations.
Has anyone ever considered the process a joyful one and wished it could stretch
out a few months longer?
Things will probably seem better once Jenny and Myron get a good night’s
sleep, in their big, comfortable bed with its new deep red Ralph Lauren linens.
Hopefully the noise coming from next door won’t disturb them too much. Their
neighbors to the left have torn down their home and are starting a massive
renovation project.
Chevy Chase writer Sarah Pekkanen has written for the Baltimore
Sun, the Washington Post, Washingtonian and People.
|
