My Houzz: Vintage Meets Industrial in Ohio 'Laboratory'
Science memorabilia, collected vintage and ... oh, don't forget the taxidermy crow. All combine in an eclectic modern Ohio home
Monique and Keith Keegan's design style is defined by their love of rescuing objects most people would discard and using them in new and beautiful ways. This philosophy led them to overhaul a cluttered and dilapidated house in the quaint town of Granville, Ohio, about 30 minutes east of Columbus. Boxes upon boxes of family heirlooms and artifacts left behind by the former owners would have overwhelmed most people, but for the Keegans, they served as a starting point.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Monique and Keith Keegan and son Maxfield
Location: Granville, Ohio
Size: 4,400 square feet; 6 bedrooms; 4 bathrooms
That's interesting: Hardly any two windows or flooring surfaces in the home are alike.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Monique and Keith Keegan and son Maxfield
Location: Granville, Ohio
Size: 4,400 square feet; 6 bedrooms; 4 bathrooms
That's interesting: Hardly any two windows or flooring surfaces in the home are alike.
Monique admits to admiring current design trends, such as Lucite chairs. In her home, however, she keeps design elements natural and down to earth. "I enjoy items with history," she says.
Cylinder lights from Enjoy Co. hang above a butcher block–topped island made by local craftsman Ken Wells.
Refrigerator: Traulsen commercial; sink fixtures: nickel, Waterworks; range and dishwasher: Viking; tile: Walker Zanger
Refrigerator: Traulsen commercial; sink fixtures: nickel, Waterworks; range and dishwasher: Viking; tile: Walker Zanger
An oversize K from a Texas antiques dealer makes a family statement in the sitting area off the kitchen. The Keegans like to shop for their home everywhere they travel, seeking out unusual antiques stores or boutiques. Locally, Appletree Auction is a huge resource. Other favorite sources for their finds are ABC Carpet & Home in New York and Ikea.
Antique suitcases stacked floor to ceiling make for a unique focal point in the living room. Some were left by the original homeowners, and the Keegans added others. They are always looking for just the right pieces to add to their home. "It's not uncommon for us to take a trip and then have to rent a truck to haul all of our finds back," says Monique.
A wall of handmade leather tiles, installed by Keith, adds interest to the front entry as well as to the fireplace in the living room and master bedroom. About 90 percent of the wood flooring is original to the home, most likely salvaged from other projects that Arthur Darrow, the original owner, had been working on. Each room has a different species: yellow pine, oak, walnut and maple.
Emily: As a collector, how do you find the right balance between too much and just right?
Monique: It's a constant editing process. I find that I completely reinvent rooms every couple of years.
Keith: It's all about the edit. Anyone can collect a bunch of cool stuff, but it takes an eye and restraint to find the right balance.
Among all the items in the home, Monique identifies this chair (one of two) as one she would never part with. "It's worn just right and is the perfect shade of leather," she says.
Monique: It's a constant editing process. I find that I completely reinvent rooms every couple of years.
Keith: It's all about the edit. Anyone can collect a bunch of cool stuff, but it takes an eye and restraint to find the right balance.
Among all the items in the home, Monique identifies this chair (one of two) as one she would never part with. "It's worn just right and is the perfect shade of leather," she says.
Left behind by the former owners, these family photos, displayed in the Keegans' living room, remind them of their home's history, which dates back to the 1800s.
Emily: If walls could talk, what would yours say?
Monique: "Thanks for saving me and keeping me true to myself."
Keith: Our walls were built from salvaged materials by a man who saw beauty in the things others discarded. I think the walls, like us, appreciate the fact that we have restored and saved the house.
Emily: If walls could talk, what would yours say?
Monique: "Thanks for saving me and keeping me true to myself."
Keith: Our walls were built from salvaged materials by a man who saw beauty in the things others discarded. I think the walls, like us, appreciate the fact that we have restored and saved the house.
A taxidermy crow looks upon a collection of items atop a vintage desk.
Emily: What's one of the more interesting reactions you have gotten to your home?
Monique: Kids have an interesting reaction. They often call it “the Harry Potter house.” Others comment on how inefficient our windows must be and how few of them throughout the house match. To us, that’s exactly what gives our home character.
Keith: When we first bought it before the renovation, one friend said it was depressing and in poor condition. Most of our visitors say it's like no other house; it defies words. They just say it's cool.
Emily: What's one of the more interesting reactions you have gotten to your home?
Monique: Kids have an interesting reaction. They often call it “the Harry Potter house.” Others comment on how inefficient our windows must be and how few of them throughout the house match. To us, that’s exactly what gives our home character.
Keith: When we first bought it before the renovation, one friend said it was depressing and in poor condition. Most of our visitors say it's like no other house; it defies words. They just say it's cool.
One of Monique's favorite items in the house is this vintage French desk in her home office.
Emily: At what point did you know that you wanted to live in the house and not sell it?
Monique: It was really when we saw our son growing to love it so much. He was five at the time we did a lot of the work, and he started calling it "the Harry Potter house."
Keith: When we looked out over our village from where our house is perched and realized there's not another place like this in Granville. It's private eccentric, and is our own private snow globe view of town.
Monique: It was really when we saw our son growing to love it so much. He was five at the time we did a lot of the work, and he started calling it "the Harry Potter house."
Keith: When we looked out over our village from where our house is perched and realized there's not another place like this in Granville. It's private eccentric, and is our own private snow globe view of town.
The master bedroom needs no headboard. An expansive wall of windows behind the bed frames the beautiful woodsy view.
Vintage mirrors and science glass repurposed as a vase add visual interest in the master bathroom.
An additional living room on the home's lower level gives the couple's teenage son, Maxfield, plenty of personal space.
The back entry is a place to kick off shoes and stash coats and bags.
Through lush landscaping and plenty of potted plants, the Keegans created a natural oasis around their roomy hot tub.
Keith built this deck so they could enjoy the best view in town. The house sits on a 1-acre lot and is a short walk from Monique’s shop.
The Keegans call their home Stonehill, to reflect its hilltop location and the abundance of natural materials they've used inside and out.
More Houzz Tours:
Salvage Style in San Francisco
Artful Vintage Style in Omaha
Warehouse Conversion in Downtown Philadelphia
More Houzz Tours:
Salvage Style in San Francisco
Artful Vintage Style in Omaha
Warehouse Conversion in Downtown Philadelphia
Emily Winters: Describe how you feel every time you come home.
Monique: It feels like I am on vacation. The house has a strong calming [effect] on me. And it's great that we have an acre of land but are still in the town of Granville.
Keith: I love to walk up to our house. It's so tall at four stories; it has a presence and a personality. The house has watched a lot of things happen from its vantage point on the hill. I also feel good to live in such a strangely beautiful place.