An Award-Winning, Modern Mountain Industrial Makeover for this 1980s Madison, WI Contemporary Home

We recently completed a major home remodel for Adam and Britney, doctors completing their residency on the West Coast and preparing to return to Madison, where they both grew up. They were coming home to settle into their careers and were ready to commit to an amazing home with our help. 

They chose a big, beautiful, 1980s contemporary in the Arboretum neighborhood of Madison. They came to us with an extensive wish list after a recommendation from their realtor. They wanted a complete home remodel and interior design makeover of the home. Their goal and vision were to create the feeling of a large modern, mountain, industrial home, like a Utah mountain home, but not like a typical cabin. 

This was a complete home remodel encompassing two and a half bathrooms, the kitchen, and reconfiguring the flow and functionality of the space. They also wanted to repurpose two screen porches, update the rarely used solarium off of the master, and basically touch every room within the home, including paint and flooring for the lower priority bedrooms. The goal was to update the dated 1980s interior to improve the functionality and aesthetic appeal, bringing it up to modern living standards. 

In this blog post, we'll look at the challenges and changes we made to this classic home.

Pandemic Challenges and Innovative Solutions

The young doctors wanted to come home to Madison and establish their long-term careers in their hometown. However, when we first met, they were still living on the west coast, completing their medical residency. 

While here at Degnan, we have been set up doing video meetings for several years. Shortly after our first video meeting together, the world was shut down because of the coronavirus. We understood that this would make the situation more challenging but, our clients were moving back to their hometown no matter what, with dreams of creating the perfect home.

All of the design and contract negotiations happened remotely. We were scheduled to meet in person for interior design and product selections; however, COVID caused their flight to be canceled, and they were not able to reschedule a time for this in-person meeting. As a result, all of our selections and interior design happened remotely. While it's now commonplace for companies to conduct video meetings, these clients were one of only two jobs where we never met in person until the job was underway! A great deal of trust and preparation is needed for a successful remodeling experience like this.

They desired the feeling of a modern mountain industrial home, something like you'd see in the Utah mountains. The long sloping rooflines of this home were perfect for that feeling, ensuring that the interior and exterior would be integrated when the project was complete. 

The homeowners had a goal to let the home speak for itself in its design and functional elements. They felt that those should be the focal points of the interior design. They requested that we use and incorporate natural materials and bring outdoor materials indoors like stone, wood, and metal. Additional inspiration for the home is their love of plants and everything natural. As you can see from the photos, plants are a part of nearly every room in the house. From the living room to the solarium, plants are present. 

Home Remodel First Step: Opening The Space

Adam and Britney wanted to improve functionality while incorporating the clean lines of the original design. To achieve this look and functionality in the home remodel, we opened up the space. We removed half walls in the loft and stairway creating a more modern and open floor plan. By connecting the once disjointed and dark kitchen to the adjacent dining, media, and living rooms, the space became more open and light-filled.

In the master bedroom, the seldom-used solarium carefully became a direct extension of the master bedroom bringing in light, views, and comfort that were not previously present. In addition, the floor plan was opened to also include an indoor-outdoor living space (the fabulous dining porch) to create the feel of a contemporary Utah Mountain home.

Creating a Modern Functional Kitchen

The kitchen was dark and isolated from the main living areas. So after opening up the floor plan, we set about redesigning the kitchen to meet the needs of 21st-century living. We started by replacing the original 1980s cabinetry with Northern Classics cabinetry from Wisconsin Building Supply. 

For the base cabinets, we chose Maple cabinets stained a dark Java with modern slab doors. The countertops art a stunning walnut butcher block with an edge grain in a natural finish from The Southside Workshop. 

For the upper cabinetry, we chose Northern Classic Maple cabinets. The glass doors giving the room a more open feel. The cabinet hardware is Amerock Collection, Rochdale, in graphite and satin nickel. The backsplash is Color Wheel Classic, 3x6 glazed ceramic subway tile in Arctic White. It is installed in an offset brick pattern with Bostik charcoal black grout create a stunning contrast and a subtle, elegant look in the kitchen. 

To complete the kitchen, we brought in all high-end appliances by Thermador. The appliance package includes French Door Bottom Freezer Fridge, 30-inch Pro Harmony Dual Fuel Range, Emerald Dishwasher, and built-in microwave drawer.

Remodeling the Bathrooms

The home's two and a half bathrooms each received a complete makeover in this home remodel. However, we kept to the overall style of clean lines and a minimalist approach. 

For the powder room, we kept the design simple. We included a vessel sink that the homeowners provided and a floating vanity from Northern Classics in maple stained Driftwood, with slab doors. 

The guest bathroom got a new look which featured a Northern Classics vanity with slab doors in the Nautical stain. We included a Holcam, frameless sliding glass door for the shower in matte black. We chose Amerock Matte Black accessories, including towel rings, toilet paper holder, and matching towel bar. 

An All-New Master Suite

The master suite was completely updated. To create more of a private sanctuary, we incorporated the adjacent seldom-used solarium into the design. It became a direct extension of the master, bringing light, views, and comfort that were not previously present. 

We remodeled the master suite to provide better closet space, straighter walls for furniture placement. The bathroom received a new floor plan to accommodate a luxurious shower and his-and-her cabinetry by Northern Classics. His and her floating vanities in natural cherry with slab doors create a warm feel, while the Silestone Calacatta Gold countertop completes the vibe. We also separated the vanities with a drawer bank and medicine cabinet from Northern Classics in a contrasting Java stain to continue the dark cabinetry design seen throughout the house. 

Adding Warmth, Upping Functionality, and Preserving Character

We worked carefully to preserve the best parts of the home's original design into the home remodel, making it look like it was part of the newly designed interior. At the same time, we introduced new finishes. Seamlessly integrating them into the existing design of the home and creating the design motif the clients desired. For example, a new gas fireplace was installed while preserving the existing limestone surround and the cedar wall feature. In addition, Java stain was used on the mantel and surrounding bookshelves to better connect the newly opened living space with the kitchen and dining area creating a powerful combination of natural wood and dark tones so popular today.

Adam and Britney requested that we use natural materials and bring outdoor materials into the interior design like wood, stone, and metal. A cherished piece of quartzite was used to create a stunning piece of art in the media room. Further inspiration for the home is the client's love of plants. As you can see, plants are a part of nearly every room in the house. From the living room to the solarium, plants are present. In addition, the windows of the home show off and bring in the beauty of the Arboretum.

The perfect combination of indoor and outdoor living space, soaring ceilings, inspiring views, natural materials, and high-end finishes fit together perfectly, creating the spectacular home Adam and Britney were dreaming of!