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Pro Spotlight: Enjoy the Priceless Perks of an Open Floor Plan
Removing walls can give you better views and improved functionality, a Baltimore-area general contractor says
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Who: Charleene Doverspike of Charleene’s Houses
Where: Phoenix, Maryland
In her own words: “When many homes were built, the dining room was big and the kitchen was small, and that’s not how we live anymore.”
With their choppy layouts and cramped rooms, older homes are often at odds with the modern domestic lifestyle. “People want to entertain friends and watch their children while they cook; older homes aren’t geared for this,” says Charleene Doverspike, who owns general-contracting firm Charleene’s Houses in Phoenix. “Opening up spaces lets them utilize their home much more effectively.”
Where: Phoenix, Maryland
In her own words: “When many homes were built, the dining room was big and the kitchen was small, and that’s not how we live anymore.”
With their choppy layouts and cramped rooms, older homes are often at odds with the modern domestic lifestyle. “People want to entertain friends and watch their children while they cook; older homes aren’t geared for this,” says Charleene Doverspike, who owns general-contracting firm Charleene’s Houses in Phoenix. “Opening up spaces lets them utilize their home much more effectively.”
The renovation bug. Doverspike first got a taste for the remodeling industry when she renovated her own home. “I went there every day after work and learned to fix it up,” she says. Doverspike then purchased some small houses in D.C. and renovated those too. Soon people began asking her to remodel their homes, and a business was born.
Joys of the job. “The most fun part of my job is making our customers happy,” Doverspike says. She loves standing back at the end of a project, comparing the “before” images with the finished product and seeing the joy on her customers’ faces. “It’s exciting to bring a space to life that people only talked about,” she says.
Thinking about opening up? Doverspike shares some key benefits of tearing down walls.
Thinking about opening up? Doverspike shares some key benefits of tearing down walls.
1. Enhanced Views
Opening up your home lets you enjoy picturesque vistas from multiple vantage points. This house in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood boasts stunning harbor views, but they were once visible from only one room. “All the value was there, but they weren’t able to access it,” Doverspike says.
Her team removed a wall to connect the spaces, rerouting the electrical, plumbing and ductwork. “Now when you walk up the steps, the entire house is open and you can see through to the water,” she says. The client can cook and entertain in her kitchen while enjoying maritime views and sea breezes.
See more of this project
Opening up your home lets you enjoy picturesque vistas from multiple vantage points. This house in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood boasts stunning harbor views, but they were once visible from only one room. “All the value was there, but they weren’t able to access it,” Doverspike says.
Her team removed a wall to connect the spaces, rerouting the electrical, plumbing and ductwork. “Now when you walk up the steps, the entire house is open and you can see through to the water,” she says. The client can cook and entertain in her kitchen while enjoying maritime views and sea breezes.
See more of this project
2. Better Connections
If you’re closeted away in the kitchen of an older home, you won’t be able to interact with your family unless they’re crammed in there too. Doverspike recommends knocking down extraneous walls, with approval from a structural engineer, in your public rooms to better enjoy your entire living space.
She opened up this Lutherville kitchen to the living room and dining area, allowing the client to watch over her young child as she cooks. Previously, the client couldn’t keep an eye on him unless he was within the constraints of the kitchen. “Now the home flows better for everyone,” Doverspike says.
See more of this project
If you’re closeted away in the kitchen of an older home, you won’t be able to interact with your family unless they’re crammed in there too. Doverspike recommends knocking down extraneous walls, with approval from a structural engineer, in your public rooms to better enjoy your entire living space.
She opened up this Lutherville kitchen to the living room and dining area, allowing the client to watch over her young child as she cooks. Previously, the client couldn’t keep an eye on him unless he was within the constraints of the kitchen. “Now the home flows better for everyone,” Doverspike says.
See more of this project
3. Maximized Space
Opening up your home gives you a chance to see your rooms in a new way and make the right changes. “When you do an open floor plan, you use space differently than you would before,” Doverspike says.
In renovating this row home in Baltimore’s Federal Hill, her team repositioned rooms to better suit the client. They moved the living room to the back of the house and closer to the garden, then turned the old living room space at the front of the house into a reading nook and foyer. The newly opened galley kitchen connects the two rooms.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Charleene Doverspike and examples of her work, visit Charleene’s Houses’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Opening up your home gives you a chance to see your rooms in a new way and make the right changes. “When you do an open floor plan, you use space differently than you would before,” Doverspike says.
In renovating this row home in Baltimore’s Federal Hill, her team repositioned rooms to better suit the client. They moved the living room to the back of the house and closer to the garden, then turned the old living room space at the front of the house into a reading nook and foyer. The newly opened galley kitchen connects the two rooms.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Charleene Doverspike and examples of her work, visit Charleene’s Houses’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Charleene's Houses, LLC is a woman owned design build renovation company. Charleene Doverspike has spent the past... Read More
Review by nicholasbcolvin:
My wife and I recently contracted with Charleene’s House to help renovate a bonus room and convert it into a bar that leads out to our pool. We’ve done a number of renovations over the years with a va...More