Creating a Functional Indoor/Outdoor Flow in this 1980s Contemporary in Madison, WI

Our clients Adam and Britney chose this big, 1980s contemporary in the private Arboretum neighborhood in Madison precisely because they love the beautiful natural surrounds of this exclusive neighborhood. We were tasked with undertaking an extensive whole-home remodeling that took the home's surrounding into account when we created our designs.

Adam and Britney had a vision for their home. Their goal was to blend interior and exterior to create a unified indoor/outdoor living experience featuring the best interior design and outdoor living. Ultimately, they desired to create the feeling of a modern mountain industrial home like you might find in the Utah mountains.

They requested that we use natural materials and bring outdoor materials indoors like wood, stone, and metal. Further inspiration for the home is their love of plants and everything natural. Plants play a part in nearly every room's design, from the living room to the solarium. The home's windows show off the beauty of the Arboretum in all seasons.

We had several spaces within the home to work with, including two screened porches that we converted into three-season rooms. We opened the kitchen up to the new Dining Porch by installing a 9-foot Andersen Outswing Patio Door.

Bringing the Outdoors In With Natural Materials

We created our design to meet our client's request to incorporate natural materials in the design, tie the outdoor and indoor spaces together, and create a natural flow. Some design highlights include the natural edge-grain walnut butcherblock countertops from Southside Workshops in Chicago. We used them throughout the kitchen and the powder room to tie the main level living space together. We also incorporated natural cedar on the ceilings and a feature wall and used natural soapstone in the guest bathroom.

Before Porch Remodel

After Porch Remodel

We replaced the fireplace with a Mendota Hearth DVX35 high-efficiency gas unit. We kept the beautiful original limestone surround, cedar feature wall, mantle, and bookshelves. The mantle and bookshelves were redesigned and stained dark Java to match the kitchen cabinets and bring in the black tones used throughout the home – in the metal railings, the cabinetry, and the fireplace itself.

The cabinet doors were removed in favor of open shelving. The beautiful combination of the original oak, cedar, and limestone connects seamlessly with the new wood and tile floors. We also used a cherished piece of Rainforest quartzite to create a stunning custom art piece for the media room.

Creating A Master Suite Oasis

Another home remodeling element was creating a fabulous master bedroom suite for the homeowners to capitalize on the views. We completely updated the design and created a more private sanctuary. We incorporated the adjacent seldom-used solarium into our master bedroom design.

The master suite was remodeled to provide better closet space and straighter walls for easier furniture placement. By opening the room to the solarium, it became a direct extension of the master bedroom. It brings floods of natural light, spectacular views, and a relaxing comfort that was not previously present.

During Porch Remodel

After Porch Remodel

The glass solarium brings in a relaxing vibe framing spectacular views of the Arboretum. When opened, it offers a cooling breeze. With the addition of plants, the solarium blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor living spaces.

Creating Beautiful Outdoor Living Space

A significant element of the whole home remodeling was converting two screened porches into a three-season living space connecting and flowing from the indoors to the outdoor living space. The space referred to as the Dining Porch offers an indoor/outdoor dining space.

View All Of The Images From This 1980s Home Remodeling Project

The kitchen formerly had a single door leading to the screened porch located off the kitchen. We opened up the wall added a 9-foot Andersen 3-panel Folding Outswing Door. When it's open, it creates a truly seamless indoor/outdoor living experience for the homeowners.

The second porch is now called the Conversation Porch, which sits off the right side of the house. It is connected to both the front deck and the main living room. The new conversation porch boasts cathedral ceilings, spectacular views, and its knee walls provide privacy from the street.

Our clients tasked us with creating spaces within the design that combined the best features of both indoor and outdoor living. We accomplished their goals through our design, craftsmanship, and use of natural materials.

By creating the perfect combination of indoor and outdoor living space, featuring soaring ceilings, inspiring views, natural materials, and high-end finishes, our design fits together to create the spectacular home Adam and Britney were dreaming of!

If you live in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area and are planning an outdoor living project, give the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel a call at (608) 846-5963. Their award-winning design team is ready to help you realize your creative vision. Call today and arrange a free consultation to discuss your upcoming project.

Additional Three-Season Remodeling Projects

Award-Winning Project: We are proud to announce that this remodel has won the 2021 NARI Madison CotY award, and the NARI Regional Award, in Residential Interior $250K - $500K.

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.