Urban Urbane
Chic results from innovative couples
Photography: Craig Wolfrom
(page 2 of 3)
Knocking Down the Walls:
The Marx Family
Warm Springs
“Joe and I with sledgehammers! It was really fun,” laughs Amy Marx, sharing the story of how she and her husband actually knocked down the walls of the “total disaster” of an old ski bum house in Ketchum to turn it into their family home.
“To pull off a project in a town like this has to involve a lot of creativity,” declares Joe Marx, “if you’re not just going to pay somebody to do it.” Adding an upstairs master bedroom suite and a pop-out dining room expanded the original house from 1,400 square feet to 2,200 square feet. “It was a remodel but, yes, it was environmental, since we used the existing footprint,” he continues.
Joe is a partner in Idaho Mountain Builders, which helped, as he was able to do most of the construction himself. Amy’s family had a friend in architect Carolyn Wicklund, who advised them on an overall design.
With the limited amount of space, the couple decided to open the whole house up (with their sledgehammers). From the living room, which opens to a front patio area, you can now see all the way to the family room, kitchen and backyard, giving a sense of spaciousness. And right in the middle is an almost transparent work of art—a wood and glass staircase. “Stairs were the biggest challenge in the design of the house. They usually are because they have to be centrally located,” Joe explains. “We were trying to figure out a way not to break up the open feeling.”
The Marxes wanted a house that was open and then got one with the front path leading to a view straight to the backyard. The staircase could have been disruptive as it was situated in the home’s center. They got around that by building one of glass.
One night at a party they ran into architect Dates Fryberger who suggested glass. Joe created the dark wood staircase with horizontal strips of glass hanging above, blending seamlessly and transparently into the home.
To save money, the Marxes ordered their walls made in a factory in Canada. (Joe is originally from Canada.) The windows, exterior siding, and Douglas fir flooring came along too. It was quick and efficient. “They came up on semi-trucks and then we stood up the walls,” says Joe. “I did the whole project.”
They decided to splurge on the kitchen. “We pretty much made a commitment that we were going to spend a lot of money in the kitchen because we entertain so much and we both love to cook,” observes Amy, who owns Idaho Mountain Real Estate. A luxurious expanse of Calcutta gold marble enhances the kitchen island. “Marble was our big splurge,” says Amy, smiling. “It’s so soft. Everyone likes to touch it.” A stylish rounded sink from Rocky Mountain Hardware has a built-in strainer for pasta and vegetables. There’s a double oven “so we can have a huge Thanksgiving!” she beams. The mahogany cabinets were built by Dave Milligan, and the concrete counters poured by Joe himself.
Many young couples find the Internet a great source of creativity. Design Within Reach (www.dwr.com) was the website where the Marxes found their dining room table as well as the modern light shade inside the front door—wood veneer wrapped in circles.
The striking walnut and metal front door was custom made by local Adam McNae. “We have a lot of metal and steel in the house,” says Joe. The living room mantle Joe built is steel and, impressively, the crafty couple is learning how to weld steel in their garage workshop so they can lay a steel frame for their flower bed.
Up the glass-enclosed stairway is the master suite with a high ceiling and a wall of windows looking out at Bald Mountain in winter and a privacy-enhancing forest of trees in summer. The striking turquoise floor (Joe used an acid stain over concrete) in the master bath gives an ocean and beach feel alongside the sand-colored Ann Sacks tiles.
The kids’ bedrooms downstairs are small, which suits the family’s outdoor lifestyle. Ethan, 5, and Abel, 1, “play T-ball, bike and have skied Baldy since they were one,” says Joe. (He’s planning a skateboard area in the backyard.) Each family member has a metal locker (classic high school lockers) to organize sports stuff in the laundry/mudroom.
The Marxes have definitely designed their home to suit their lifestyle.
“Every space is used almost every day all the time,” Joe comments. “There are no dead rooms—no showrooms anywhere. More space would be a waste.”
“We use every part of this house,” Amy agrees. “We built it from the foundation up,” Joe continues. “We have a real attachment to it.” >>>
Click Here for more pictures of the Marx Home.
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