Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 8, 1990 TAG: 9004100153
SECTION: GUIDE TO BETTER HOMES PAGE: GTBH2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Making the most of available space, with more closets and extra rooms, is an asset for your home because it gives you more for your money.
And energy efficient homes naturally can help a homeowner save money, too.
These were some of the ideas that Andrzej Jarosz and his brother-in-law Stanislaw Mizerski had in mind when they began a year-long project in 1989 to build the Jarosz family dream house.
"Energy efficiency was a major concern when we started this house," said Jarosz, a research associate at Virginia Tech and native of Poland who came to this country in 1983. "But we found that there was quite a bit of space that could be used once we got underway."
Jarosz decided to utilize areas, which otherwise might go unused, for a variety of things.
For instance, next to one of the upstairs bedrooms, which is above the two-car garage, is a door leading to what Jarosz calls a "bonus room."
The 10x20-foot room, which runs the width of the bedroom, is about 4-feet high, narrowing down with the slant of the roof. Due to the ceiling slant, that space probably would have been closed off, but it proved to be useful for additional space.
"It's too small for adults to stand up in, but children love it to play in," said Jarosz. "You can place toys, or any storage material, within the room, too."
Other areas that have slanted walls, or are too small for use, were also built. In the house's lower level, beneath the garage, is a 5x6-foot brick area.
"The bricks, which are part of the foundation, are kept cold from the ground so it's perfect for a wine cellar," said Jolanta Jarosz.
Some of the hall closets beneath the stairways have been made deeper by extending them with the slant of the stairs. This, too, allows for more storage.
And under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, Jarosz had tilted drawers installed. The cherry wood drawers, which pull outward, are thin to hold items like utensils, toothpaste or sponges.
"With four children such as we have, it's important to have many areas in which to store items," said Jarosz.
Utilizing space also opens up the house, providing better air circulation. The cathedral ceiling in the living room, for example, stretches 16-feet high, and one can look down into the living room from an upstairs balcony. The openness allows for the central air and heat to flow easily from area to area.
Jarosz said heating the house is no problem.
First, the house was built on a half-acre lot in Cedar Orchards with a southern exposure. This means there is continuous sunlight through large, floor-to-ceiling Peachtree windows and Atrium doors.
Second, a 12x12-foot sunroom, extending off the master bedroom, absorbs afternoon sun. With fans placed in the walls over the Jacuzzi, the heat can be transferred throughout the house.
Third, the house has gas heat, but a woodstove can also transfer warmth up from the family room in the lower level.
Fourth, the contemporary home has cedar siding and brick. Both hold heat or coolness.
Also, there are 6-inch walls and wall-to-wall carpeting throughout almost the entire house for added insulation.
Other energy efficient items placed in the house include oak hardwood floors, which retain heat; a brick fireplace in the living room; skylights in the master bedroom bath and walk-in closet; and virtually no windows on the front of the house, which faces the street.
"We wanted to keep the heat and the coolness inside as well as provide some amount of privacy," said Jarosz.
With all of these amenities, the Jarosz family finally had the home they wanted, but they haven't moved in yet and probably never will.
Last year, Andrzej Jarosz was offered a senior lecturer position at a university in South Africa. He postponed his arrival there until the house was completed. Planning to begin his new job in July, he is now waiting to sell this house.
"This house has so many loving touches," said Sol Ames, the Realtor handling the sale. "There is no other house like this in the area."
Listed at $229,000, the house has taken a year, piece by piece, to be completed. Ames, who said it is a useful family house and contemporary showcase, has already shown the house to about 40 prospective buyers.
"This house was built with a lot of personal involvement," said Jarosz. "It took a lot of soul to create a pleasant environment for children. And I put myself behind the quality."
by CNB