Cribs
New Take on Olde Towne
By Travis Hoewischer |
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Photo by Chris Casella Marc Coyer and his partner Mike Dreitzler didn't set out to become DIY home improvement warriors. They were really just trying to flee an unscrupulous landlord.
Still, more than a decade and thousands of dollars later, they find themselves the proud owners of a stunning, nearly century-old American Four Square home in Olde Towne East. All but a few square inches of the Madison Avenue home have been cut, placed and painted by the pair, who replaced "pretty much everything but the woodwork."
"We both had the same goal," Mike said. "We both just wanted something our own. We knew we were gonna tear it up."
The result is a little something for each of them, with both owners influencing different areas of the home in distinct ways. "Eventually, each room got its own culture," Mike said.
The first floor largely belongs to Marc, who admits he has filled parts of it with his own "weird stuff." An antique wheelchair greets those that walk into the main foyer, and once through the slightly African themed living room, you arrive at the dining room, which features Marc's prized possession, a real coffin from 1895, which he snagged on eBay. The piece contributes heavily to the room's motif, which he semi-seriously describes as "vampire chic."
"I told [Mike], if the house catches on fire, you're on your own," Mark laughs. "I'm grabbing my coffin and getting outta here."
An adjacent sunroom sheds light on the dining area and the open-air kitchen, where you find the classic (stainless steel appliances, granite counters) married to the creative. One of the home's more interesting features is a concrete kitchen floor, replete with indentations of various fossils, an outdoor technique Marc adapted by hand with a rubber mold and latex stamps. A replica of an Egyptian tomb stands watch at the doorway to the first floor bath.
"Most people either love it or they hate it - just like everything in this house," Marc laughed.
The second floor layout accomplishes a number of functions in a small space, without the floor plan becoming too crowded.
A clockwise view of the room reveals a home office, small deck, and a workout/rec room with a treadmill, two TVs and pinball machine; as well as a bath with separate tub and shower and two bedrooms.
Anchoring the room is an inlet containing a small bar and two-person sauna. Both prefer the function of the second floor, admitting they "basically live up there."
Indoor plants and meticulous landscaping give the house a consistent earthy feel, a product of Marc's green thumb. "I'm just a plant guy," he shrugged. "That's my passion."
Now, after the 3,000-square-foot home has undergone a number of transformations, both try to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. "I finally figured out it will never be finished," Marc said, with a resigned smile. "We do it because we're perfectionists."
"As long as it gets people looking into the neighborhood, then it's totally worth it," he added.
In the end, Mike and Marc's home is an expression of the dual personalities of its owners.
"He's got big, grand ideas and I'm into the minute details," Mike said. "That's how we complement each other."
Take the tour
1205 Madison Avenue is one of 13 stops on the 2010 Summer Tour of Historic Homes put on by the Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association (OTENA) and the Franklin Park Neighborhood Association. The tour runs from 1 to 7 p.m. on July 11th and will begin at Tifereth Israel (1354 E Broad St.). Attendees can walk or drive the tour route.
For more information, visit www.oldetowneeast.org.
Originally Published: July 1, 2010
