A Much-Needed Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel

A new open kitchen and aging-in-place bathroom remodel for a Brooklyn, Wisconsin couple.

John and Pat are empty nesters living in a 1970s Brooklyn, Wisconsin, transitional home with farmhouse influences. They came to us seeking a kitchen and bathroom remodel. Their house had not been updated since it was built in the late 1970s. The kitchen was closed off, small, and no longer met their needs.

They had a good idea of what they wanted. Their goal was to update the kitchen, open it up to the main living space, increase the usable storage, update the appliances, and create a comfortable and more easily cleaned living space. In the bathroom, the main goal was to remove the tub/shower combo and create a low-threshold shower to accommodate their plans to remain in their home as they age.

See how we met John and Pat's goals and gave them the perfect home for aging-in-place.

Before Kitchen Remodel

After Kitchen Remodel

Before Kitchen Remodel

After Kitchen Remodel

Opening Up the Kitchen

The existing kitchen was outdated and isolated from the living space, typical of 1970s homes. It featured laminate countertops, dated oak cabinetry, and sheet vinyl flooring. It was not functional and badly needed a refresh. To meet their goal of an updated, more open kitchen, we removed the wall dividing the kitchen and living area to give them the open concept they wanted.

The original kitchen had soffits above each of the upper cabinets. Removing the soffits allowed us the room to install ceiling-height Amish-made custom cabinets handcrafted in Wisconsin, giving the homeowners plenty of additional storage. These new taller cabinets accentuate the ceiling height. We also created a new pantry for extra food storage. The all-new base cabinets feature additional storage solutions. We made space for new appliances within the cabinets that helped bring the updated kitchen to life.

Finishing Touches and a Stunning Visual Focal Point

To complete the kitchen update, dated laminate countertops were replaced with a Linnstone quartz countertop in Mistyville, an elegant light gray color. The countertops and light gray walls give the updated kitchen a light, open feeling.

View The Project Page For This Kitchen

Opening the space allowed us to include a large island in our design. From the beginning, John and Pat knew they wanted to include a locally sourced, natural wood element in the kitchen. We installed a locally sourced, floating, live-edge cherry wood slab mounted at table height on the island. This unique element adds an eye-catching visual focal point to our functional and aesthetically beautiful design!

Before Kitchen Remodel

After Kitchen Remodel

Before Kitchen Remodel

After Kitchen Remodel

Updating the Main Level Flooring

We replaced the vinyl sheet flooring in the kitchen with luxury vinyl tile. To add a cohesive element to the main level, we removed the existing carpet and sheet vinyl, replaced it with luxury vinyl plank flooring, and used LVP as the new flooring to give the home an updated look. The floor color we chose compliments the existing woodwork and the stairs that come up from the front entry. LVP is a product that meets one of the couple's primary goals. It is easy to clean and does not require much maintenance other than basic cleaning, making it perfect for John and Pat.

The Bathroom Remodel

Before Bathroom Remodel

After Bathroom Remodel

Around the corner from the pantry is the only bathroom on the main level. This bathroom is the one that gets the most use. This was a typical 1970s bathroom featuring a tub/shower combo, standard-height vanity, and laminate flooring.

To keep the bathroom remodel affordable, we took a “pull and replace” approach with the bathroom remodel. A pull and replace means we removed all the existing fixtures, leaving the plumbing in place. This helps to keep the bathroom remodel more affordable. Once we removed the tub/shower combo, we started the bathroom remodel by installing an Onyx shower system and a custom frosted glass shower door. This gave the couple a low threshold walk-in shower perfect for aging-in-place. It is not only now user-friendly, safe, and comfortable. John and Pat chose a light color luxury vinyl tile for the flooring.

View The Project Page For This Bathroom

We incorporated a custom-made Amish vanity that stands 36 inches tall with a quartz countertop to finish off the space. It creates a clean, fresh look for the bathroom, well within the project budget.

The Result Of This Kitchen and Bath Remodel

With their new open and more functional open-concept kitchen with stunning new flooring throughout the main living space and an aging-in-place bathroom remodel, John and Pat now have the open and functional kitchen and bathroom they sought. The couple can now remain in their home and age-in-place safely and comfortably for many years to come!

Are you considering a home improvement project on a limited budget? Let us help you design the perfect space to meet your needs! 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 are always available and 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.