A 1970s Home Remodel For A Retired Couple

Due to its closed-off floor plan and outdated features, Dan and Nancy, a retired couple residing in East Madison, sought to remodel their home. The kitchen and dining areas were separated, resulting in a dark atmosphere, while both the primary and master bathrooms suffered from dysfunctional layouts. Despite contacting a different design company, the couple was dissatisfied with the proposed designs and required our professional assistance to transform their home into a brighter, more efficient living space. We took on this 1970s home remodel and built the house they desired.

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Designing The Open-Concept Kitchen

A primary objective was to merge the kitchen and dining rooms into a single, spacious area with an island. To achieve this, the wall separating these two rooms was removed, and an existing dining room window was significantly widened, becoming the kitchen sink window and enhancing natural lighting.  A temporary wall was constructed to support the rafters during this widening process, followed by the installation of a new header.

In the main area, walls that enclosed the stairs were removed, fully opening up the kitchen and dining space. To remove the center load-bearing kitchen wall and create the open floorplan, a large beam was installed in a concealed location in the attic, providing a continuous ceiling from the living area through the kitchen. The new stairway design featured modern wood railings, newel posts, and black iron balusters, transforming the previously functional stairway into a striking design element of the newly opened space.

The Bathrooms Get a New Layout

Further down the hall, a reasonably sized main bathroom was revamped to accommodate a washer and dryer, fulfilling one of the clients' goals to relocate laundry facilities from the basement. By repositioning the toilet and sink and removing the bathtub, sufficient space was created for a closet housing a stackable washer and dryer. This modification then allowed for a custom-sized shower, maximizing the value of the bathtub-to-shower conversion, and was complemented by a custom glass shower door for an elegant finish.

The original layout of the master bathroom was likewise unorthodox, with a small shower positioned oddly around a corner and a compact vanity and toilet occupying the remaining wall space. The renovation involved relocating the shower to the back wall, making it a focal point upon entering the room. This change allowed the vanity to be slightly enlarged, with the former shower space used for the vanity and toilet.

Both bathrooms featured narrow, 24-inch doors, which were replaced with wider, 36-inch pocket doors. This upgrade improved aging-in-place accessibility and added visual appeal.

Our Clients Loved The Result of this 1970s Home Remodel

After the remodel, Dan and Nancy's home now embodies a bright, modern, and functional design, meeting their needs for an updated living environment.