A “first things first” approach is often essential with an old house. So when Victoria and Keith Cowan bought their 1935 Tudor in Milwaukee, WI, they replaced the roof, renovated the flood-damaged basement, and completed a host of other major repairs in between. “We focused on necessary upgrades before getting serious about our wish list,” Victoria says.
Finally—nearly 25 years later!—the couple could take on the flow, function, comfort, and aesthetics of their ground floor, where the layout didn’t adequately serve their needs. Designer Karly Mandell of Story Hill Renovations helped reimagine the space, factoring in age-in-place additions so that the Cowans could enjoy their home for the rest of their lives.
Phase One: The En Suite and Powder Room
While the master bedroom was already on the first floor, the bathroom sat on the other side of the hall. “It wasn’t private, and sharing it with guests was a hassle,” says Keith, who admits he’s had to “make a strategic dash to the bedroom wearing only a towel” on more than one occasion when folks arrived early on holidays.
Fortunately, the fix was simple: transform the sitting room adjacent to the bedroom into an en suite bath. “We never sat in there, except to put our shoes on. The chair was otherwise a dumping ground,” Victoria says. The new bathroom, at about 104 square feet, boasts sumptuous amenities and safety features, including a zero-entry shower, heated floors, and a double vanity that holds loads of supplies. The existing bathroom was portioned off into a powder room and a laundry closet. Moving the washer and dryer up from the basement meant no longer having to scale stairs with a laundry basket.
Phase Two: The Kitchen
At 164 square feet, the Cowans’ kitchen was a decent size, but its poor flow, limited storage, and outdated appliances hindered everyday meals and special occasions. Removing a doorway to the hallway allowed Mandell to bump the wall back a bit, opening up the space. A pesky peninsula that blocked traffic and cabinet access got scrapped as well. These moves eased gridlock and made room for an island to increase the amount of storage space and work surfaces.
As for the beautiful red oak cabinets, some are brand new and others original. “Solid wood with inset doors tend to be pricey,” Mandell says. “The Cowans saved about 60 percent on cabinetry costs by keeping much of what they had.”
The Big Finish: Adding a Sunroom
The final piece of the first-floor redo involved the sunroom located off the kitchen. “We’d used it as a mudroom and a home office, which was great when our son was growing up—he’d be close at hand doing homework while we prepped dinner,” Victoria says. These days, however, the Cowans enjoy entertaining their large extended family, so they built in bench seating on one side of the room and a buffet on the other. Continuing the checkerboard flooring from the kitchen lends continuity.
Overall, the renovation has a period-appropriate vibe yet brings in ample up-to-the-minute conveniences. So while Keith says, “The new layout makes it feel like living in a new house,” Victoria points out, “We were still able to honor the design features of our almost 90-year-old home.”Seems like the best of both worlds was well worth waiting for!