OUR WORK
Traditional Home Remodel in Ann Arbor
A charming 1912 home with few modern conveniences became a classic family home that works for everyday life.
THE STORY
What the homeowners wanted, and what we found.
WHAT THEY WANTED
This family of five loved the character of their 1912 Ann Arbor home, but it was short on modern function. A previous kitchen remodel had left the kitchen dated and disconnected from the rest of the house, the back door dropped everyone into the eat-in area, and closet space was tight. Upstairs, the primary bath and closet were too small for a busy family, and the long, narrow primary bedroom sat in an older addition that never matched the original house.
WHAT WE FOUND
The kitchen had dated cabinets, flooring, lighting, appliances, wallpaper and fixtures. It lacked natural light and was closed off from the rest of the house. The island didn't work the way the family wanted, the mudroom had little storage and the sliding doors to the deck were hard to use.
HOW WE DESIGNED IT
We reworked the back entry and kitchen so the first floor flows, and turned a spare bedroom into a true primary bath and closet.
THE INSPIRATION
Classic, with modern comfort built in. The family wanted every new space to look like it had always been part of the house. A clean white and warm brown palette, a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets and era-appropriate crown molding keep the kitchen true to 1912, while built-in appliances do the modern work quietly.
THE PLAN
We expanded and reoriented the mudroom so the back entry lands in a real landing zone instead of the eat-in area. The kitchen was rebuilt in white and warm wood with a large island, a farmhouse sink and glass-front cabinets, with modern appliances built in to protect the historic look. In the living room, new built-in bookcases follow the home's original lines. Upstairs, a secondary bedroom became a two-person primary bath with a freestanding tub and tiled shower, and the primary bedroom was reconfigured around a walk-in closet with custom built-ins and bookcases.
THE OUTCOME
How it turned out
The family comes in through a bright mudroom with a bench and storage, and cooks in a kitchen that finally feels connected to the home. The living room built-ins hold the books and keepsakes that make the house theirs. Upstairs, two people can get ready at once in a bath that looks original to the house, and the closet has a place for everything.
FINAL PHOTOS
The finished space.
AT A GLANCE
A Marriage of Classic and Modern in Ann Arbor
A kitchen, mudroom, living room and primary suite remodel.
Ann Arbor.
Reoriented mudroom, white and warm-wood kitchen with farmhouse sink, living room built-ins, new primary bath with freestanding tub, walk-in closet with custom built-ins.
THE FLOOR PLANS
What changed, and why.
We reworked the back entry and kitchen so the first floor flows, and turned a spare bedroom into a true primary bath and closet.
BEFORE
AFTER
WHAT MAKES IT WORK
Three details that carry the design.
FEATURE 01
The kitchen was rebuilt in a clean white and warm brown palette with a large island, a farmhouse-style sink and glass-front cabinets. Era-appropriate crown molding and built-in appliances keep the historic look while the kitchen works like a modern one.
FEATURE 02
Built-in bookcases in the living room follow the home's existing architecture, and the original crown molding was replaced to match. The room feels like it was always meant to hold the family's books and keepsakes.
FEATURE 03
The mudroom was expanded and turned to face the back entry, with slim paneling, cross-hatch windows, warm wood and white paint. Everyone now comes in to a bench and real storage instead of the eat-in area.
THE PROJECT
A Marriage of Classic and Modern in Ann Arbor
AT A GLANCE
A kitchen, mudroom, living room and primary suite remodel.
Ann Arbor.
Reoriented mudroom, white and warm-wood kitchen with farmhouse sink, living room built-ins, new primary bath with freestanding tub, walk-in closet with custom built-ins.
THE STORY
This family of five loved the character of their 1912 Ann Arbor home, but it was short on modern function. A previous kitchen remodel had left the kitchen dated and disconnected from the rest of the house, the back door dropped everyone into the eat-in area, and closet space was tight. Upstairs, the primary bath and closet were too small for a busy family, and the long, narrow primary bedroom sat in an older addition that never matched the original house.
HOW WE DESIGNED IT
We expanded and reoriented the mudroom so the back entry lands in a real landing zone instead of the eat-in area. The kitchen was rebuilt in white and warm wood with a large island, a farmhouse sink and glass-front cabinets, with modern appliances built in to protect the historic look. In the living room, new built-in bookcases follow the home's original lines. Upstairs, a secondary bedroom became a two-person primary bath with a freestanding tub and tiled shower, and the primary bedroom was reconfigured around a walk-in closet with custom built-ins and bookcases.
