HONORING HEIRLOOMS

Discover how a ride in the countryside led an Ohio couple to a midcentury home that they transformed into a rustic retreat with warm wood tones, sentimental furnishings and primitive collectibles.

A drive down a country road leads an Ohio pair right to a midcentury ranch house that turns into the perfect place to lovingly display their family treasures.

TTurning 18 years old can yield a lot of “firsts” in a young adult’s life—graduating from high school, going away to college and exploring a new sense of independence. But for Jan Cyphers, one of her milestone memories at age 18 happened when her mother took her to an auction. Seeing myriad antiques and artifacts scattered about the lawn left the teenager awestruck. The century-old patinas, handcrafted wares, and pieces with long histories piqued Jan’s interest, and she was instantly hooked. “I was the winning bidder of my great-aunt’s rug beater, which began my first collection,” Jan recalls. “I also purchased an oak bed where four generations of my family had slept. Now, our granddaughter sleeps in that bed when she visits. What some consider junk, I have always seen as treasures.” Jan’s sense of adventure has served her well. In 2008, she and her husband, Tom, rode their motorcycles through Greenville, Ohio, where they happened upon a ranch-style house with a “for sale by owner” sign in the yard. “We spent nine years looking for a larger property,” she says. “That day, we found the perfect home nestled among trees near the edge of town.” From the outset, the Cyphers were determined to renovate the ranch’s interior to resemble early American homes. Emphasizing rich wood tones was key, starting with the flooring. “Curiosity made me think boards might be beneath the carpeting throughout the home,” Jan recalls. “I pried a corner of the carpet with a screwdriver and found the original oak floors.” Not wasting any time, she and Tom got to work removing the carpeting the next day and then sanded and refinished the wood floors.

Next, the couple liberated the home from its outdated wallpaper and paneling. They replaced drywall and painted walls a serene linen color. They installed crown moldings stained to match the flooring hue. To make the home cozier and more efficient, they retrofitted traditional fireplaces with gas inserts.

Since attending that first auction when she was 18, Jan has slowly built an impressive collection of furniture, pottery and textiles. She combs basements and barns for items that belonged to her family as well as Tom’s. She frequents yard sales and antiques shops and finds vintage items that amplify the heirlooms she stewards.

Rooms resonate with Jan’s many treasures. Cheese boxes sit atop a dining room stool, her father’s fishing poles grace the living room wall, and baskets dangle on a bedroom coat tree.

Jan’s decorating approach is creative and budget-friendly. “If you can’t afford an antique cupboard, remember the term ‘make-do.’ Our forefathers made furnishings and learned to make do. Purchase an inexpensive TV cabinet or armoire. Paint, distress, and add wooden knobs,” she advises.

As spring awakens the Ohio countryside, Jan’s itinerary is chock-full of “make-do” activities both indoors and out. Her upcoming kitchen makeover, for example, calls for soft white beadboard, and salvaged barnwood will soon be transformed into fireplace mantels. And, for old times’ sake, she may even attend an auction for inspiration!

“Our family heirlooms help remind us of where we came from, our humble beginnings on the path to where we are.”

Sunlight streams through skylights and casts a warm glow on the millwork and varied collections in Jan Cyphers’ kitchen. She combines pottery with wooden mashers along the upper cabinets and windowsill to lend variety to her displays. In lieu of a standard bowl, Jan hung an antique mercantile scale above the corner of the island to keep fresh fruit close at hand.

Tom and Jan take a short stroll with their Goldendoodle, Jaxie, before tending to the perennial gardens, rock gardens and limestone pathways that surround their home.

The dining room showcases Jan’s love of mellowed patinas. The table and chairs that belonged to Jan’s grandparents pair perfectly with a primitive-style chandelier and stepback cupboard. She creates wall art by displaying wooden bowls in a rack and hanging slaw cutters beneath a sconce and framed print. “Our family heirlooms help remind us of where we came from, our humble beginnings on the path to where we are,” Jan says.

An heirloom bed that belonged to Jan’s great-aunt occupies the guest room. Keeping with a family history theme, Jan appoints the space with childhood memorabilia, including marbles, blocks, christening gowns, Roseville pottery and antique quilts. A primitive portrait, her mother’s suit and vintage hats provide feminine touches.

By painting a sideboard black and removing the doors from a cupboard, Jan created a focal point and storage area in the master bedroom. Stacked boxes and a rack adorned with woven baskets heighten the visual interest.

To liven up the living room, Jan crowns an Eastlake table with a tobacco basket adorned with a grapevine wreath and dried tobacco leaves. Above the heirloom rocking chair, she displays rug beaters on a wood peg rack. “Our home is filled with items that stir childhood memories. Many objects I used growing up,” Jan says.

In the Cyphers’ family room, a variety of disparate collections are presented in organized groupings, which helps the presentations work well together. For example, a trio of hefty crocks presides on the sill of the bay window, woven baskets hang from a ceiling-mounted rack, whisk brooms line a yoke, and graduated funnels add whimsy atop a large crock.

To give the 1950s stone fireplace in their family room more primitive appeal, the Cyphers installed a gas insert and iron grate and will soon cover the concrete mantel with aged barnwood. The hearth provides a classic backdrop for their favorite country wares. When Jan needed a hutch to house her pewter and rag rugs, she married a cupboard with an old bookcase.