ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF THIS PROJECT WAS ITS TIMING. Pandemic-related hurdles like soaring material costs and manufacturing delays led to considerable redesigns. Through creative and tactful solutions, we successfully brought our clients’ vision to life. The renovation goals included modernizing the interior and exterior finishes, creating a brighter and more open first-floor plan, capturing unfinished basement space, and enhancing the curb appeal.

The existing site, diminutive in area, had a modest two-story cabin and detached garage that blocked the home from the street.  The garage was razed, re-oriented, and re-positioned to the setbacks to create a more open and appealing approach to the home.  Our design resulted in only a slight increase in the cumulative footprint of the two buildings but significantly improved both the function and aesthetic of the property.

The front of the home now features a distinct front entry with a covered porch, seating area, and gardens.  The entry court, framed now by stone retaining walls and rock-faced granite steps replaced drab PT wood stair as a means to descend from the driveway level to the first floor of the existing residence.  From an open front door, there is an impressive view through the house to the lake beyond.

To achieve the goals for the first-floor living space, the dining room wall was pushed out and the existing screened porch was turned into a 4-season breakfast nook or evening game table with bar.  Expansive windows were added to the lake-facing elevations, dramatically improving natural light and expanding the westerly views of the lake.

Only minor adjustments were made to the second-floor plan.  It has three well-appointed bedrooms which share a luxury bath.

In the basement, transom windows were cut into the lakeside wall, and the lattice was removed from the deck to let natural light into the newly finished game room.  An exterior door and lakefront mud room were added to provide easy access to the new patio and backyard.  The mudroom provides storage for wet suites, towels, and water sports gear.

The re-envisioned garage now has a second-floor guest suite and a private office with a narrow view of the lakefront. 

The house has remained modest in scale but is filled with high-end finishes, creative built-in storage solutions and maximizes every square inch of space.  This was a highly successful renovation that rejuvenated an aging home to meet the needs of modern living.