As an undergraduate history major at American University, Daniel Steinkoler walked through Wesley Heights and wondered what it would be like to live there. His dream came true 20 years later when he purchased a house on Klingle Street.
“I fell in love with the property,” he said. After college, he combined a passion for historical detail with a desire to restore and build houses as a general contractor.
“Every house tells a story,” he said. “When you start deconstructing, you see when and where people did things.”
The dwelling was a grayish-blue Cape Cod in need of a major update. A massive 100-year-old beech tree loomed over the house. Steinkoler tore down the structure, rebuilt it from the ground up — and saved the tree.
“The only thing I kept was the tree and an interior flue from the fireplace,” he said.
The architectural inspiration for the new home came from the Berkeley Hills, but Dan also wanted something that fit with the neighborhood. The yellowish-tan California cedar-shake siding, stone fa?ade, and black trim give it the feel of a tree house or a lodge. The beech tree — with its expansive and challenging root structure — accentuated the neighborhood feel.
As for the interior, Dan and his wife, Carolyn Yehle, like to vacation in Cozumel, Mexico and they wanted a comfortable and relaxing interior regardless of where one was in the home.
“They entertain a lot and needed space for a lot of people,” said Alsaif. “I tried to create a tropical resort feeling.”
A 5,000-square-foot pleasure dome set on 33-helical piers, Steinkoler calls the end result “a transitional eclectic mix.” From the moment you walk through the door across the Brazilian tigerwood floor, and take in the Union Street pendant lights and the Fortuny Scheherazade chandelier, the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room that project into foliage, and the radial flow of the kitchen with its Vermont soapstone counter, Mexican mosaic tile, and microwave drawer — you’ve entered an expansive and soothing spa — idyllic and beautiful.
It’s also deeply intimate.
The spaces invite you in to a relaxing blend of light and color with comfortable chairs, sectionals and couches. The couple has introduced decorative objects such as iridescent plates, glass bowls and paintings that fuse their lives into the overall experience.
“All of the artwork is local,” said Steinkoler. “The photographs are by Lydia Cutter. Artists from the Torpedo Factory painted the pictures.”
The swordfish in the basement, mounted on a pumpkin-colored wall, came from a Cozumel fishing expedition.
“Believe it or not, we did have to plan around the fish,” said Alsaif
The basement’s 10-foot ceilings, wet bar, workout facility, walk-in steam shower, and heated teak floor in the bathroom make it the perfect retreat from a busy workday. The bathroom’s Waterworks tile with mosaic inlay and riverstone shower floor cause you to stop and marvel at the whole package.
From the bottom up, the home presents a unique blend of design excellence and intriguing personal touches.
“I have several favorite rooms,” said Yehle. “The kitchen for its beauty and functionality, the screened-in porch as it gives us the ability to enjoy the outdoors year-round — a little respite from the world, it’s our ‘staycation room’ if you will, cozy and relaxing.”
Set high above the street looking across the backyard, the master suite with an oval cut out in the ceiling is Dan’s favorite room. The high windows expand the space and add the dimension of elevation — the culmination of relaxation and splendor.
“It’s the coolest part of the house,” he said. “The ‘best’ of the best.”
Dan’s company, Superior Home Services, has won several major awards for the house including the first place, 2008 National Contractor of the Year Award for projects above $1 million, two top-500 remodeler’s distinctions, finalist in the national Qualified Remodeler Competition for projects over $500,000 as well as a first-place prestigious Chrysalis award for projects in the eastern region over $1 million.
It’s his magnum opus — an epic achievement. Even the laundry room, with its stacked and striking red LG washer and dryer, looks like fun.
“What you see here is the culmination of 10,000 phone calls — ‘Where are you? Where are you?’ ” He laughs as the taskmaster. “I could see what [the house] could become. That’s my job — to see the end result before it happens.”
Design details
Designer: Cyndy Alsaif, Thomas French Architects
Appliances:
* Subzero refrigerator
* 48-inch Wolf range
* Vent a hood
*Asko dishwasher
* GE Monogram beverage centers
* LG washer/dryers
* Sharp microwave drawer
* Incinerator EVO
Plumbing fixtures: Toto toilets through out
Basement steam shower : Waterworks
Main level powder room: Coyote glass sink, Union hardware, Brizo faucets
Kitchen sink: Whitehaus, Grohe faucet
Master bath: Toto sinks, Bain Ultra Tub, Waterworks faucets/shower
Secondary baths: Toto faucets, Kohler sinks
Finishes:
Main level upper level floor: Tigerwood.
Basement recreation room: Engineered Teak
Basement steam bath: Teak 1 x 1 mosaic, waterworks tile, river stone shower floor
Exercise room: Eco floors rubber/cork blend Brick
Powder room tile: Ana Cabo Glassl, Architectural ceramics
Kitchen counters: Vermont soapstone
Kitchen mosaic: Waterworks custom mosaic
Glass countertop: River Glass
Master bath: Waterworks tile, Caesar Stone counter top , River Glass glass
Secondary bath tiles: Waterworks
Paint finishes: C2 Paints and Benjamin Moore
Furniture:
IMI Furniture: Thayer Coggin chairs, Henredon custom sectional, Vanguard settees, table, and side tables
Drexel Heritage: Master bedroom Portobello set; basement sofas, leather cubes tables
Anora Home: Dining table & leather chairs
Chandelier: Scheherazade by Fortuny
Pendants morph lights: Union Street Glass
