a storied home’s new chapter
LOCAL BUILDER BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO A HOUSE MEMORIALIZED BY A BELOVED ISLAND AUTHOR
Words by Alorie Gilbert
Photos by Jane Foster Photography
Bainbridge Island has no shortage of homes with history and character, but few have a story as celebrated as this enchanting property tucked away on a quiet lane near the end of Eagle Harbor. Its previous owner, the late author Ann Combs, memorialized the house in her charming and witty chronicle of 1970s island life, Once Upon a Two by Four. The novel centers on the Combs family of six as they tackle a DIY remodel of their dilapidated home.
Now, five decades later, the house has once again been lovingly restored, this time by professional builders Mike and Dariia Bicer of Bainbridge Custom Homes. The couple purchased the property from Combs’ children last September, completed the project with remarkable speed by March and sold it to new owners in May.
Although the home had once again fallen into disrepair, the Bicers were captivated by its story, its prime location near downtown Winslow and its beautiful bay views. They had experience renovating homes in Baltimore and Annapolis, where they lived before relocating in 2021, and were up for a challenge. With a level lot and an indoor pool as a "cherry on top," the 1951-built home seemed like the perfect project. They secured permits quickly, and by October were ready to begin what they thought would be a modest update.
“We weren’t going to do a lot of work,” Dariia recalls. But a home with a history always holds surprises. The first sign of trouble was the wood rot found in a downstairs wall. Pulling back the layers revealed a story of neglect not initially apparent: chewed wires, missing insulation, and an infestation of rats andtyyo squirrels. Through its various iterations, the house had become structurally out of square, with bowed floors and failing crawl space footing. The project’s scope changed overnight. “We got to open everything and do it right,” Mike says.
The light-filled kitchen with bay views is a standout feature of the home and was a focus for the renovation team, who added solid white oak floors, new cabinetry, Thor kitchen appliances and an inviting reading nook with windows overlooking the bay.
Their new mission was not just to repair but to resurrect, while improving the home’s flow and function. They added extensive new footing in the crawl space and replaced all the insulation, plumbing, ductwork and electrical systems. New roofing, siding and decking fortified the exterior, while inside, they raised the upstairs ceilings and removed walls to create a more spacious feel.
The building team addressed two major structural hazards. They demolished an awkwardly placed fireplace, located “halfway in the kitchen, halfway in the living room,” and replaced it with a cleverly disguised butler’s pantry. Behind another wall, they discovered a decommissioned chimney weighing several tons, precariously sitting on 2x6 blocks. They removed that too. To create the expansive, modern living space they envisioned, they brought in a structural engineer who helped eliminate obstructive beams and columns, transforming the main floor.
Throughout the process, the couple was committed to high-quality restoration with superior finishes, which is evident in every detail—from solid white oak floors, marble tile and Thor kitchen appliances, to a storybook dutch door and an inviting reading nook with windows overlooking the bay. Mike, a carpenter by trade who started his own construction business in 2009, acted as the general contractor. He personally tackled the challenging tasks of kitchen installation, detailed trim work, and a complete stairwell rebuild. His respect for materials is profound. “I’ll just get on my knees and do it,” he says of laying the entryway tile. “It makes me happy.”
While Mike fortified the bones of the house, Dariia, a ceramicist and artist, added a unique, creative touch. Inspired by a photo on Instagram, she created a stunning, hand-painted tile backsplash depicting Mount Rainier in shades of forest green. Working in her studio, Dariia painted each raw tile with underglaze, layering the colors like watercolor before firing them in the kiln. The result is a standout piece of functional art, a personal signature on the heart of the home. “I hope people talk about it in 50 or 75 years,” she says with pride.
Despite the extensive overhaul, the couple was determined to preserve the home’s original spirit. “Our goal was to keep the home as traditional as we could to honor that story,” Mike explains. They preserved several upstairs windows and skylights and kept the kitchen in the same light-filled location facing Eagle Harbor. Ann Comb’s son Robert affirmed their efforts when he visited. While acknowledging its dramatic transformation, he felt the home’s essence remained.
After months of sleepless nights and relentless work, the renovation was complete. The first family to tour the finished home, a couple from Connecticut with three daughters, fell in love instantly. Watching the children run through the rooms “like they already lived here,” the Bicers knew the house had found its rightful new stewards. The property that six Combs children grew up in seemed destined for a new family.
This project, Mike says, will be the “last old house that we’re fixing.” The stress of uncovering decades of decay was immense, a burden you “take into your soul.” In the future, they plan to focus on new builds. But the experience has left them with an unforgettable story of transformation, having breathed new life into a piece of Bainbridge history and prepared it for the next chapter.
REMEMBERING ANN COMBS
More than any other bookseller over the years, Ann was the heart and soul of Eagle Harbor Book Co. I had the delightful pleasure of working alongside her for many years, and was regaled weekly with her hilarious stories of Bainbridge Island’s past. A crowd of her “regulars” came in every Sunday to check in with her, share the latest island news, hear her corny and often spicy jokes, and get recommendations for their next read. It was as if the bookstore was the place where she held court, and her admirers always showed up.
She and Island Treasure John Willson, with the help of author and educator George Shannon, founded the hugely popular Bainbridge Island Limerick contest that ran for several years. She was also an active participant and huge fan of the annual Scotch Broom Parade, a weird but charming tradition on the island. Ann left her friends and fans with many moments of hilarity to reminisce on, and it’s still a rare week when her name doesn’t come up at the bookstore. She was indeed legendary.
Once Upon a Two by Four continues to sell well in our local author section. It provides a slice of history from a distinct time on the island, told by a master storyteller, and is the perfect book to read to understand this wonderful community of ours. Not only that, it’s a charming read. / Jane Danielson, owner of Eagle Harbor Book Co.
