Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Sand castle
BETHANY BEACH, Del. — Last Thanksgiving, three generations of Bobbs filled a party bus headed to Bethany Beach in Delaware for the day to see the progress on their new beach house. The crowd of 20 walked gingerly around the just-framed home as family member and designer Jodi Bobb Macklin pointed out everyone’s bedrooms. After a pit stop at Nicola Pizza in Rehoboth Beach, they headed home, fingers crossed that they’d be back there six months later, playing cornhole, layering shell gardens and kayaking.
Today, the two-story oceanfront house is cool and modern. A large basement has storage, laundry and direct beach access. "Everything had to be indestructible," says Jodi, a designer whose work includes Georgetown’s historic Evermay mansion. She headed the project with brother Daryle Bobb, who has experience in home building. "Twenty people had to fit in multiple areas. It was a challenge," she says. The 10-bedroom house has four master bedrooms, two bunk rooms, four guest rooms and 11 bathrooms. There are two 13-foot-long kitchen islands and three outdoor showers.
The story of Camp Bobb starts with Sandy, now 75, and Stanley Bobb, now 81. They always took their kids, Jodi, Tammy and Daryle, for an annual vacation by the ocean. In 1992, they built a house in Bethany Beach with a breezy screened porch and five bedrooms. The three Bobb children married and each had four kids of their own. After 25 years of fun, Camp Bobb was looking rather weather-beaten and bursting at the seams.
Sandy and Stanley were getting older, too. In 2012, the couple passed Camp Bobb on to their kids. "Our options were to sell it, rebuild or keep it as is," says Tammy Bobb Mendelson. "Our kids loved it so much, we figured if we can make it work we should rebuild." The cousin crab feasts and Yahtzee games would continue in a bigger house on the same lot, where Sandy and Stanley could now be guests, not hosts.
Jodi says, "At least we knew the views and neighbours would be the same."
Jodi, 52, would do design, and Daryle, 46, would supervise construction. Tammy, 50, was happy to leave most decisions to her siblings. "I had complete confidence in them," she says. "I knew whatever they did would be fabulous."
Last Labor Day weekend, everyone gathered to toss 25 years of Tupperware and rusty beach chairs. They kept mattresses and a shell mirror, plus hundreds of family photos. It was emotional. Says Jodi, "I had a knot in my stomach as I drove away."
Things moved swiftly. On Memorial Day weekend, the 7,100-square-foot house opened for the season with 60 bath towels, 44 pillows and 640 rolls of toilet paper. Everything was chosen with an eye for wear and tear. "We were very concerned about maintenance. With the sea mist, everything rusts and fades quickly," Daryle says.
The main floor is light and bright. As you walk in, a playful rattan sea urchin pendant lamp leads you down the hall toward the living area and the ocean. The heart of the house: a 24-by-27-foot screened porch with a large sectional, two powder-coated aluminum dining tables that seat 20, retractable Phantom Screens and retractable storm shutters. "It’s the everything room: breakfast room, living room, lunch room and lounging room," Daryle says. At dinner, party lights make it sparkle. The room is adjacent to the kitchen, with the two work islands and restaurant-style ice machine. In the pantry is a chest freezer for ice cream. The living room has a gas fireplace, lots of seating and a custom table made from a slab of wood.
All the bedrooms were designed with the same concept: Don’t bring a lot of stuff, and don’t leave it lying around. Jodi installed bedside tables with no drawers, and there are no dressers. (The family members stash their things in walk-in closets.) Dash & Albert cotton rugs and print coverlets complete the look. "I wanted uncluttered spaces so the focus would be out there," Jodi says, pointing to the ocean.
Communication on comings and goings and everything else is usually through Google Calendar and a Camp Bobb group chat. A large chalkboard features an ongoing shopping list: Plungers and toothpicks were recent notations. A Roomba robot vac picks up sand that’s been tracked on the white oak floors.
How can 20 people who live minutes from one another want to spend weekends together? "We have our grandparents to thank for teaching us about family," says Oliver Macklin, 22, son of Jodi and her husband, Rodd, 53. "We all have to help with the dishes and take out the trash. And we all have to stick together." The beach house is part of the glue. "We spent a lot of time with the kids and still do. They all look out for one another," Stanley says. "I don’t water the roses anymore, as there is a sprinkler system. I don’t have to go buy bags of ice." Sandy can make onion dip but doesn’t have to plan dinner for 20 and can play a game with a grandchild instead.
On Memorial Day weekend, Jodi was curious to see how everyone adapted. "The first morning I woke up and passed the girls’ bunk room. They had all made their beds," she says. "I was happy." Later, she found her father on the screened porch napping on the sectional, in approximately the same spot he used to relax in the old house.
"My parents created a wonderful beach house for all of us," Jodi says. "And we turned around and did it for them."
— The Washington Post
Renovation & Design
Homemade play dough fun and easy to make
Question: I am opening a brand new preschool in my home. Do you have a really good recipe for play dough? Cindy
Answer: Congratulations on the new preschool. Here’s my favorite play dough recipe: Bring to a boil: 2 cups water, 1/2 cup of sea salt and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When salt is dissolved, remove the pot from heat. Add food coloring, 2 tbsp. cream of tartar and 2 cups of flour. Stir well and cool. Slip on rubber gloves and knead the dough until pliable. You can dye it with food colouring. Store in a sealed plastic bag.Question: I am wondering if you know how I can remove a dog urine stain off my laminate flooring. My daughter brought her spaniel over to visit my condo and she was so excited that she urinated on the flooring. I threw a towel on it and swirled it around thinking I would wash the floor after they left and of course I forgot. No matter what I try I cannot get the white colored stain out of the panels of flooring. Please advise if you know of any remedies that might help me remove the stains. Thank you, Deborah
Answer: Although I don’t know which cleaners you used on your floor, I am assuming you tried; laminate floor cleaner, water and ammonia or water and vinegar and have had disappointing results. Typically laminate flooring is tough and almost anything can be cleaned with little effort as long as it is done fairly soon after a spill. However, in this case it sounds like the dog’s urine may have slightly bleached the floor finish. Since you probably don’t want to replace the boards and no amount of cleaners is going to clean a bleach stain, you are best off taking a trip to your local hardware store. Bring a piece of laminate with you and color match the floor to a wax stick or touch-up pen.
Question: Is it possible to store crushed garlic so that it is ready-to-use? Shauna
Answer: You can store minced garlic in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Although the most active sulfur compound diminishes within a few hours, refrigeration will slightly slow the process. Use refrigerated garlic as soon as possible. Some people are tempted to freeze garlic, but this is not recommended because its texture changes, as does its flavor.
Question: Our leather chair has a dark spot where my head rests. Is there a way to clean it? I have heard I should not use saddle soap as it is too strong for leather furniture. Once cleaned, is there a daily ritual I should follow to keep our chair clean? Thanks. Louise
Answer: I agree saddle soap is a little too harsh for regular leather cleaning but once in a while saddle soap is a smart choice. This stain may fade over time if you place a cloth onto the spot. I once removed a grease stain on leather furniture with the following tip: smooth on a dry paste of baking soda and water to soak up the grease mark. Leave for one hour. Remove paste by scraping with a plastic putty knife, brushing, or vacuuming. Repeat until the grease is completely gone. Rinse with water, (do not soak leather) let dry. Alternatively you can purchase leather cleaners where leather furniture is sold. Persistence is the key. As for regular cleaning either vacuum or wipe leather with a damp cloth.
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
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