An Aging-in-Place Remodel for a 1970s East Madison Home

A new kitchen, more open floor plan, and two aging-in-place bathrooms turned this dated East Madison house into Dan and Nancy’s forever home.

Dan and Nancy are a retired couple living in East Madison, Wisconsin. They came to us seeking a remodel for their 1970s home. It was closed off, and an update was seriously needed. Typical of the era, the front kitchen and dining room were separated and dark. The two bathrooms were unattractive and had dysfunctional layouts.

They had first approached a local company looking for a new design, but they were dissatisfied with the drawings and ideas they were presented with. They came to us seeking professional guidance to help them create a bright, functional home as they aged.

Learn how we provided them with the light, open, well-functioning space they knew their home could become.

Before Kitchen Remodel

After Kitchen Remodel

Opening the Living Space

One of the top priorities was to open up the kitchen and dining room to function as one space with an island. We began by removing the wall that separated the kitchen and dining room. The dining room had an existing window that we chose to widen to flood the space with natural light. To expand the window, we first had to build a temporary wall to support the trusses while we widened the window. Next, we installed a new header to replace the original load-bearing wall.

Click Here To View This Remodeled Kitchen

A Kitchen Update

The original kitchen was outdated and closed off from the rest of the living space. With laminate countertops and linoleum floors, it seriously needed updating. Dan and Nancy were ok with their original hickory cabinets but wanted a reinvention of the layout and space. We were able to use several of the existing hickory cabinets. Additional Amish custom-painted cabinets were handcrafted to match the existing cabinetry doors. Reusing the old cabinets also helped keep the project within the couple's budget. Dan and Nancy had already selected backsplash tile and countertops, so we incorporated their choices into our design.

The kitchen flooring was an extension of what was already being installed throughout the living space, so we carried it into the kitchen. This worked perfectly since they were working with a flooring company, one of our subcontractors.

Expanding the Open Concept

In the main living area, the stairs were previously enclosed. By removing the walls, we enhanced the openness of the kitchen and dining area. We also added contemporary wooden railings, newel posts, and black iron balusters, transforming this once-concealed staircase into a striking focal point in the open-concept design.

Two Bathrooms Get an Aging-in-Place Upgrade

Moving down the hallway was the main bathroom. It was a decent size but had an awkward and dysfunctional layout. One of Dan and Nancy’s goals was to bring the washer and dryer upstairs from the basement. This seemed like the perfect space to function as the main bathroom and the laundry room.

By making some adjustments in the layout, like switching the locations of the toilet and sink and removing the tub, we created enough space for a laundry closet that would hold a stackable washer and dryer. The remaining portion of the wall was the perfect space to place a custom-sized and shaped walk-in shower. Ensuring the couple gets the maximum value from their tub-to-shower conversion. We finished the look with a custom glass shower door. The perfect finishing touch.

A New Aging-in Place Master Bathroom

The original master bathroom had a strange layout. Rather than being a focal point, a small shower was tucked around the corner from the entry door. The tiny vanity and toilet filled the rest of the wall space, locating everything on one side of the space. First, we move the shower to the back wall, so it is the first thing you see when you enter the space, creating a focal point in the design.

Before Bathroom Remodel

After Bathroom Remodel

Before Bathroom Remodel

After Bathroom Remodel

Click Here To View The Remodeled Bathrooms

Moving the shower allowed us to widen the vanity slightly. Next, we moved the vanity and toilet to the original shower space, adding an aesthetically pleasing and functional feature to our design.

In order to have our bathroom designs support aging-in-place, we needed to widen the doors. The original doors were only 24 inches wide. We had to widen them to 36 inches to accommodate any future need for a walker or wheelchair. We installed 36-inch wide pocket doors in both of the bathrooms. This not only eased the entry into the bathrooms, it added an aesthetically pleasing feature.

The Result Of These Aging-In-Place Upgrades

Our clients now have a bright, modern, well-functioning, and beautiful home with their new open-concept main living area, open, visually appealing staircase, and remodeled bathrooms. The new low-threshold showers, wider doors, grab bars, and other aging-in-place features we included in the bathrooms mean that Dan and Nancy can stay in their home safely and comfortably as they age.

Are you planning a remodeling project? Let us help you create a new look and design perfect for aging-in-place! If you live in the Greater Madison area, call the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel at (608) 846-5963. We can take your home to the next level of comfort, design, and function! Are you ready to learn more? We're always happy to answer your questions.

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An Above the Garage Master Suite Addition Remodeling Project

We recently completed an addition for our clients, John and Amy, a professional couple with young children living in the Blooming Meadows neighborhood in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Their home featured three bedrooms on the second floor. The existing master bedroom was outdated and impractical for modern living, and with three young children, two needed to share one of the two remaining bedrooms, and all three kids shared the second-floor bathroom. Another problem the family needed addressed was that John needed a private home office, and the one they currently had was a shared space that did not work well for his job.

Let's take a look at our creative solution for this young family!

A New Private Bathroom for the Adults!

One of the major elements on John and Amy's wish list was a private bathroom space just for them. They wanted plenty of space to get ready in the morning, away from the kids, and we delivered! The bathroom features a handcrafted Amish custom double vanity with a tower cabinet in alder wood, stained Carbon Gray. The contrasting Linnstone Quartz Calcutta pattern countertop brightens the space and ties in visually with the elegant tile work in the spacious walk-in shower. We added custom alder wood framed mirrors stained in the same Carbon Gray as the cabinets to complete the vanity. Over each of the mirrors, we installed Quoizel 2 light vanity fixtures to provide plenty of warm light.

In the shower, the 21st Century Tile 12x24 floor-to-ceiling tiles in Tivoli Silver give the room a bright and modern feel, and the low entry shower makes entering the shower safe and easy for the couple. We included a helpful niche in the shower for shampoo and other toiletries and, for contrast, used a beautiful hexagon mosaic accent tile. The glass doors give the space an open feel, making it bright and inviting. The Arbor Hills luxury vinyl plank flooring in timber adds a warm feel, giving the room a natural look with the benefit of waterproof LVP.

The Result

The final result of this second-floor master suite addition is a home that fits John, Amy, and the kid's needs and lifestyle perfectly. John now has the perfect private office space. Since John and Amy now have their private master suite, and each of the kids has their own bedroom giving them their own space to grow as they grow, their home is more comfortable and functional. And on the exterior, you can't even tell there's been an addition!

Are you considering an addition or other home improvement project? Let us help you design the perfect finished space! If you live in the Greater Madison area, call the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel at (608) 846-5963. We can take your home to the next level of comfort, design, and function! Ready to learn more? We're always happy to answer your questions.