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.

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The original kitchen was outdated and closed off from the rest of the living space.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.

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.