Case Study · Whole-Home Renovation
A 1987 lakeside home reimagined for a multi-generational family — sixteen original rooms reorganized into a connected core, with a 1,200 sq ft addition shaped to the water.
The Brief
The clients had owned the home for twelve years and raised two children there. They didn't want a teardown — they wanted the same house, but better. Higher ceilings, real daylight, and a layout that finally pointed at the lake.
The original 1987 floor plan was sixteen compartmentalized rooms, none of which acknowledged the water. The renovation kept the foundation, the structural shell, and the spirit. Almost everything else was rebuilt.
Scope
Before
The original plan was a 1980s-typical sequence — small windows, low 8-foot ceilings, a kitchen with no view, and a great room that pointed away from the lake. The structure was sound; the priorities had aged out.
After
We removed three load-bearing walls (the structural engineer's drawings are a thing of beauty), raised the great room ceiling to 11 feet, and aligned a 28-foot lift-and-slide door with the longest lake axis. The kitchen now sits at the center of the public space — and looks straight down the dock.
Hard Problems
Structural
Code
Sequencing
Materials
White oak floors, handmade glazed tile from Round Top, lime-washed plaster walls, and blackened steel fixtures. Materials chosen to pick up character with use rather than lose it.
Documentation
Timeline
Jan 2024 · Site documentation, structural assessment, scope agreement.
Feb – Jul 2024 · Concept through construction documents.
Aug – Sep 2024 · Approved on first submittal.
Oct 2024 – Jul 2025 · Addition first, then main renovation while family lived in completed addition.
Considering a renovation?
We'll walk the home, look at the structure, and give you an honest read on what's worth keeping and what isn't.