There’s nothing more exciting than a full-home remodel, especially when tasked with completely updating a home while keeping the original footprint. This two-story Elkhorn, Wisconsin lake home with a walk out basement was in desperate need of some love and a new vision, but its location near a rare bird sanctuary and the lake came with some strict renovation rules.
The custom whole house renovation we were tasked with included opening up the floorplan, finding a way to take full advantage of the view, and combing the comfort and familiarity of the modern farmhouse aesthetic with the accessibility and clean lines of a lake house, without building a new addition.
REMODELING THE ENTRYWAY
The original three bed, two-bathroom home had a closed off floor plan and an obstructed layout that made moving throughout the house difficult and cumbersome. We started our remodel by moving the main entryway from the side of the home to the front, so the homeowners and guests no longer had to enter the home through a cramped stairwell.
We reconstructed the entryway façade, extending it by four feet to create more space and adding custom cedar brackets and beams to create a functional covered porch. We finished the porch with a modern cable railing system to complement the new white board and baton siding and black trim.
CREATING AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN
Inside, the newly renovated floor plan includes an open, welcoming foyer with a custom bench and storage closet. The room opens to a fully remodeled new bath, with custom glass shower, tile floor, decorative vanity, and champagne bronze fixtures. Moving into the interior, you’re greeted with a completely renovated and newly open kitchen, complete with a custom island, luxury appliances, custom cabinetry, and white oak flooring with a view of the bird preserve on one side and the lake on the other.
The kitchen and great room share an open space and a full wall of windows that let in an incredible amount of light. To the left, two large glass patio doors open to a generous deck with a black railing system to match the window trim and front porch. Custom built-ins set the stage for chic and easy entertaining while newly milled, open stairs with custom white oak treads and black risers and stringers make a modern, eye-catching statement.
THE ULTIMATE MASTER SUITE REMODEL
Updating the entryway façade and adding the new front porch created extra space upstairs to open up the master bedroom. The new remodeled bedroom includes a private balcony, spacious layout, a custom walk-in closet, and a full bathroom. We installed new marble flooring, a custom tile shower with marble niche, and a built-in custom vanity in the bathroom.
TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE VIEW
The original home only had two windows facing the lake, but we wanted the new homeowners to enjoy a full view. We outfitted the whole home with new windows and added a series of six extra tall windows facing the lake directly from the great room in our remodel.
We brought in an engineer and completely reconstructed the original, DIY three-seasons room to bring it up to code and to create a beautiful focal point on the lake-facing side of the home. The three-seasons room was originally built on a water table and was not engineered to withstand that type of environment. The new room includes custom built-ins, a direct gas fireplace, full wet bar with beverage center and ice maker, and two large picture windows framing the large glass patio doors, just steps away from the deck. Learn more about our custom home remodeling and whole house renovation services by contacting us today.
