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1. “Everyone ends up in the kitchen,” says Andrews. And what a kitchen! The countertops of Santa Rosa granite include a U-shape bar that allows friends to gather and sip wine as a meal is prepared.
2. A subtle earth-tone palette creates an aura of warm serenity throughout the house. Smith and Andrews credit Dorie Williams of Bloomington Paint & Wallpaper with guiding them through color choices. Arts and Crafts period furniture, much of which the couple had already owned, perfectly complements the architectural design.
3. Since both Smith and Andrews travel a great deal, the luxurious but understated master bedroom suite features the kind of amenities that would be found in a posh hotel. Not visible in this photograph is a two-sided fireplace that can be enjoyed from both the bedroom and the bathroom.
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By Lee Ann Sandweiss
Photography by Steve Raymer
What makes a home comfortable—a place you feel relaxed the minute you step inside and want to stay awhile? Is it a soothing color scheme, indoor greenery, furnishings that envelop the body, or special amenities added during a renovation —such as a screened porch, or a fireplace in the bathroom? For this year’s homes issue, Bloom set out to answer that question. The inviting abodes featured here run the gamut of architectural styles—from one of Monroe County’s oldest structures to a spanking new condo. As different as they are, they share that unmistakable “Ahhh” quality that comes from the homeowners making choices that define comfort for them. So although you may have your nest feathered to cozy perfection, fess up—you still like to look, right? Such is human nature. So turn the page and come on inside.
“They left no stone unturned” summarizes the approach Dan Smith and Jonlee Andrews took when they decided to renovate the historic house at East 1st Street and Sheridan Drive.
 Well, almost.
“The slate entrance is original, as are the fire-places,” says Smith, referring to the few stones that stayed put. “But otherwise, it’s a complete rebuild in the footprint of the original house.”
Smith and Andrews bought the house the first day it went on the market in 2004 and embarked on a 16-month odyssey to make it their dream home. Built in 1952 by quarry owner Albert Hoadley, the house had interesting exterior lines, but it also had a lot of dated interior appointments—and termites. The couple contacted James and Val Gray of Stone Cabin Design to make their vision reality.
“We respected the history of the neighborhood and wanted something that would fit in, but with an Arts and Crafts look,” says Smith.
When completed, the house had grown from its original 2,000 square feet to 3,200, largely due to an upstairs addition that now includes a reading room and workout studio. The stately staircase and all woodwork and flooring are of burnished Santos mahogany.
“We designed the house around how we live, so we were realistic about the choices we made,” says Smith, who is dean of IU’s Kelley School of Business. “We both work long hours. So our study is prime real estate—downstairs in a room that gets great light.”
The great light is enhanced by the addition of 75 Pella “true divided light” windows that are not only energy efficient, but also more consistent with historic architecture.
Andrews, who got the ball rolling with the purchase and renovation, is thrilled with the results. She loves the fact that she and Smith can walk to their IU offices—she is associate chair of the MBA program and is on the faculty in the Kelley School’s marketing department—and come home at night to play with Kelley, their yellow lab mix.
“Even though we loved our house in the country, I often thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to live closer to campus?’” she says. “This is such a wonderful location. It feels very private for being in the middle of town.”
The time that Smith and Andrews used to spend driving to and from campus is now spent enjoying their beautiful home. One of the projects most recently completed is a free-standing screened porch that will allow them to spend summer evenings outdoors without the annoyance of flying insects.
Though down time is a rare commodity for this busy couple, they do have a preferred way of relaxing: cooking for friends. “Our favorite thing is to go to the Farmers’ Market on Saturday morning, get fresh ingredients, and have people over later and cook for them,” says Andrews. “That’s our idea of a perfect evening.”
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