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BEFORE – Click
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CLIENT
TESTIMONIAL & SLIDE SHOW
WHOLE HOUSE RENOVATIONS
Our
clients were looking for a “cottage”
with lake frontage to use for family recreation.
They found a beautiful lot on Big Cedar Lake,
but the home was…well…awful! That’s
when they contacted us. The question they posed
was: tear down the home and rebuild or remodel
the whole thing? The home had potential and was
structurally sound so, after thoughtful consideration,
they decided on re-design and remodel.
With an outdated 50’s
look, their main concern was to update the home.
Abhorring the brick exterior and dark, confining
interior they wanted an entirely new look –
from roadside to lakeside. Our primary challenge
was to design and build essentially a new home
within the same space. Looking for bright, spacious
rooms with expansive lake views was number one
on the owner’s wish list. Moving and removing
walls on the upper level, installing new windows
and replacing the old, transformed cramped quarters
into open and elegant living space. Removing a
wall between the main entrance hall and the stairs
to the lower level resulted in a large foyer with
an open stairway, creating the warm inviting entrance
our clients desired. Another wall, separating
a cold, darkly paneled “sunroom” from
the living room, was also removed and patio doors
to the deck were installed, meeting another requirement
by the owners. In the master bedroom, patio doors
leading out to a “private” sitting
area on the grand deck replaced the bedroom’s
west window. During this process, our skilled
crew carefully removed and saved the exterior
brick that would be needed elsewhere during the
remodel. Small by today’s standard’s,
the new master bedroom, with a spectacular lake
view, has a much larger feel, despite not adding
any floor space. Larger, brighter, more functional
bathrooms were included in the renovation.
Dark shadows, unfinished
concrete, exposed mechanical equipment and outdated
paneling made the lower level gloomy with an almost
sinister feeling. Entirely redesigned, the new
lower level features a full kitchen and recreation
area with dramatic etched concrete flooring carried
over to the patio area beneath the grand deck.
Patio doors on the NW corner of the lower level
were removed and replaced with a window in the
newly constructed bedroom; one of several areas
we used the carefully saved exterior brick. A
new hallway between the new bedroom and new mechanical
room leads to a lakeside entryway. Upper and lower
levels of the home feature custom birch and oak
cabinetry, especially impressive around the fireplaces.
Our clients’ dream
of a grand deck was realized with a stunning wrap
around deck extending from the SE corner to the
NW corner of the home. It features two large octagon
sitting areas and a magnificent lakeside staircase;
perfect for entertaining or enjoying a sunset!
Constructed with Ipe Brazilian hardwood deck boards,
cedar railings with pre-finished aluminum balusters
and cedar wrapped posts, the grand deck creates
an imposing exterior view.
The owners were impressed
with how the exterior brick took on an entirely
new look. With an altered design, a new roof and
new windows, the exterior brick looks like brand
new siding. In less than six months, a drab lake
home was transformed to a showcase property fulfilling
the dreams of two very happy homeowners.  |
