Maria Grutkowski and Stewart Leftow had considered moving from their two-story Havertown home to Phoenixville to be closer to their jobs, writes Sally Downey for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Now thanks to some fine-tuned renovations, they have no intention of going anywhere.
Both work at Phoenixville Hospital. Leftow, 61, is chairman of the department of anesthesia. His wife, 63, is a nurse anesthetist .
They married in 2004 and bought the house.
One challenge was a steep forest ravine that left them no backyard.
They added a retaining wall 15 years ago and built a sunroom and slate patio. Now there’s two grills, a smoker, a hot tub and a koi pond.
Grutkowski now has her “dream kitchen” after expanding and updating the space. It now includes a built-in wine cooler and coffee station.
The kitchen won a 2019 Contractor of the Year award from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
Leftow convinced contractor Jack Gardner to install the old kitchen cabinets in the finished basement. A fridge, sink, microwave, and butcher block countertop were also added.
“I told Jack, ‘You didn’t know you were going to have to do two kitchens,‘” said Leftow, an avid griller.
Read more about Maria Grutkowski and Stewart Leftow’s Havertown home in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
_________
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on DELCO Today in July 2020.
