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BEFORE – Click photos to view larger.
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With an outdated 50’s look, their main concern was to update the home.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Dark shadows, unfinished concrete, exposed mechanical equipment and outdated paneling made the lower level gloomy with an almost sinister feeling.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. 
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