J&J Contractors
This expansive first-floor remodel included two additions, totaling 500 square feet, to create the ultimate dream home for this family. Having traveled extensively throughout their marriage, they finally found the location and home to create their forever home…it just needed a few modifications. They may have settled across from Lake Michigan, but they desired a home that reflected the beach homes they remembered growing up in on the east coast.
Although Wisconsin hardly has summer weather year-round, these homeowners wanted their home to feel as if it did!
Their must-have list was bright natural light, open flow between the rooms, additional space for a first-floor mudroom and dog bath, replacing the sunroom with a larger addition that could be used year-round, and create a home that felt as if they were mere miles from the coast.
This entryway begins the light and airy feeling that fills the first floor. While white is characteristic of the coastal style, these homeowners played with soft, warm neutral shades as opposed to sticking to bright white to add depth to the space. Crown molding and high‐profile baseboards were run throughout the first floor to add character and detail. The doorway beneath the stairway was removed and opened up to flow into a more open desire for the home. Since the dark doorway was removed, a white banister was added to cohesively tie both the upstairs and the new downstairs staircases together.
This home office was reimagined as a coastal retreat that emphasized not only the design the homeowners were looking for but also maintained the bright and open feel. Maintaining the functionality of a semi‐private office while not being too closed off from the rest of the first floor was a challenge in the design of this room. It was solved by widening both entryways into the room. The larger doorways allowed the room to feel cohesive with the surrounding rooms, but also maintained some elements of privacy that removing an entire wall would not have. The walls were finished in a distressed shiplap style that is reminiscent of driftwood, this provides a neutral warmth to the overall space. The bright white ceiling is offset by the warm 5‐inch cherry wood flooring that is carried throughout the entire first floor.
A defining characteristic of coastal homes is light; something that was emphasized in this home office both naturally and with additional focused lighting. The front windows were replaced with Marvin Integrity windows and were taken as large as the room could go to completely maximize the light and the beautiful lakefront views. Additional lighting was added with can lights to brighten the entire room as well as softer ambient lighting on side tables and the desk.
Combining form and function was key throughout this remodel. Not only are the cherry hardwood floors beautiful, they are also soundproof. A soundproof underlayment was added before the flooring installation. Beams were added to the room to visually break up the newly enlarged living area as well as add more character to the room. More natural light was achieved through enlarging the windows, and additional can lights were added throughout to ensure that day or night the room would be filled with light.
Marvin integrity windows replaced the drafty non-energy-efficient windows, the white grids were added for dimension and updated to seamlessly blend into the soft walls. Custom statement trim was added to frame the windows that give them a high end feel as well as mimic the crown molding and baseboard that runs throughout the first floor. The window size was also increased to let in more natural light.
The previous fireplace felt more like an outdated and overlooked feature of the room as opposed to the focal point it could have been. This fireplace was remodeled to be a stylish and cozy feature it always should’ve been. The gas fireplace was updated with a classic arched style that framed by dark granite, to visually anchor the front against the softness of the room. A floating birch mantle with statement corbels was added and smooth river rocks were laid within the fireplace to feel as if they were picked from an earlier walk on the beach.
One of the two additions to the home removed the existing sunroom and enlarged the previous sunroom area as well as the adjoining dining room. This created a larger sitting and music room off of the main living room. This part of the home was previously dark and used mainly for storage. By removing the sunroom and adding space on to the first floor, this has become one of the favorite areas for the family! Now, instead of hidden junk piles, the area is an additional place to gather and spend time together. The area also has larger, Marvin windows to allow ample light to fill the space and can ensure they can use the room day or night.
The adjacent dining room, in addition to gaining more space from the addition, also had an existing doorway removed and widened to encompass almost an entire wall. The doorway was finished with high profile trim to flow with the rest of the first floor, and a painted custom built maple cabinet was installed in the dining room. This built‐in features full height upper cabinets with glass doors to display the homeowner’s unique collection of family treasures.
With the additional space in the dining room, the small casement windows were replaced with French doors that featured full sidelights on each side. The elegant doors were finished in matching high‐profile trim to become a statement piece in the room, as opposed to just an entrance to the patio. The full paneled French doors and sidelights let in the maximum amount of light for the room and the grid design subtly repeats the windowpane patterns from the rest of the first floor. Crown molding and the same high profile baseboard ensures the rooms flow together.
One of the biggest challenges during this remodel came during the excavation phase of the process. Shortly after excavation began on the home the weather took an unexpected turn, and we were hit with weeks of on and off heavy rainstorms! Flooding and water became a constant problem and issue to over‐come. Additional masonry work, water removal, and drying out became the norm until the weather shifted and we were able to continue on with the next steps.
This kitchen was reimagined as the true heart of the home. The dark and dated cabinets were replaced with custom maple cabinets, painted a warm shade of white to carry the fresh and airy coastal vibes throughout the home. Topped with neutral granite countertops that have just enough pattern to keep the kitchen interesting, without being overwhelming. Chrome Kohler fixtures and a farmhouse sink complete the look. The previous kitchen layout was angled and made the space feel disjointed, but by opening up the floor plan and changing the orientation of the kitchen, the space was able to integrate into the adjoining dining room much more seamlessly than the previous small entryway did.
The previous kitchen layout was clunky and closed off. By removing walls and existing soffits the homeowners were able to achieve the kitchen of their dreams‐ bright, open, and plenty of room for both storage and guests. Additional lighting was added throughout the room, as well as a wet bar!
The main focal point of this kitchen is the custom island. Built to be oversized, with plenty of space to entertain family and friends, this island was custom finished to mimic driftwood. The homeowner wanted to feel as if the island itself washed up on the shore and found a place in her home. The island features extra storage space as well as seating and is offset by natural textures to further enhance the coastal style. The oversized blown glass pendants provide focused lighting without detracting from the sightlines within the kitchen.
One of the challenges in opening this first floor up was support. In addition to two large additions that were added on to the home, every wall except one, were taken down to the studs and opened up to allow for as large of windows as possible because these homeowners wanted to maximize every inch of available space for natural light and lake views. These desires together created a support issue and were compounded during the pre‐construction meeting when homeowners also expressed their desire for a future remodel of adding a third floor to the home. The challenge then became how to ensure that there was enough, while not hindering the aesthetics of the space, as well as the need to add more support than anticipated, so that they would be ready for their future remodel.
To solve these support issues, five headers were installed to accurately support the existing home and additions. While steel beams were added within the walls for the future home expansion, eliminating the need to redo or add support down the road.
By changing the orientation of the kitchen, it allowed for a better flow of traffic to move into the second addition on the home. This addition was able to satisfy the last of the homeowner’s wish list. Create a mudroom that provided plenty of storage for the family, a sink large enough to give their beloved dog a bath; all while flowing into the home without feeling like it was an addition and not part of the original layout.
The mudroom was finished off with the same custom maple cabinets as the kitchen, as well as granite countertops, to seamlessly tie the spaces together. Travertine tile was laid in a Versailles pattern in matching neutral tones. The space was filled with light through the addition of can lights as well as Marvin windows, trimmed to match the rest of the home.
The addition is also home to the first floor’s relocated half bath. This bathroom showcases the homeowner’s personal style with a custom mural of Lake Michigan as well as a vanity, crafted from a piece of the family’s furniture. The light stone backsplash is reminiscent of smooth beach stones and the new sconce lighting not only adds a soft light to the room but also is a subtle nod to the coastal décor of the home. Can lights were added for additional lighting, and the travertine tile is carried throughout this powdered room as well.
Additional supports were added to the front porch for both aesthetics as well as in preparation for the future third floor remodel. The first floor, as well as the additions, were finished off with Hardie plank siding, and continue the bright coastal color scheme of the home’s inside decor. The additions and the original home flow seamlessly together and give another view of the ample natural light that floods this family’s remodeled home.
