Award-winning entire residential home remodel; Oostburg, Wisconsin: This sprawling lake house belongs to two siblings who plan to use it as a year-round vacation home for their families. The owners loved the property, which sits right on Lake Michigan, but it needed updating and improving. Ideally, the brothers each wanted a private wing of the home for their family with a communal kitchen and open entertaining areas.
Timber Innovations:
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Replaced all the windows and siding.
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Added two dormers to the south wing to create a second primary bedroom suite.
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Changed the front entry to give it more presence by constructing offset stairs that “waterfall” over the large river rocks, providing visual impact while allowing for a gentle climb and descent.
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Opened the lakeside kitchen wall with an expansive Marvin Multi-slide entry, inviting the beauty and sounds of the lake into the house.
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Partially opened the roofline to provide a private balcony with floating deck to the north end primary suite.
Shingle-style Lakehouse: Year-round family estate
Family gathering spaces
The homeowners wanted to have multiple areas for friends and family to gather, but also each has their own personal areas to spend private time with their respective family.
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As the central gathering place, the kitchen was reorganized, creating a more attractive and efficient work/informal dining space. On the south side it connects to the larger living room, dining room and the front entry.
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The north end has intimate sitting and dining spaces with a primary bedroom suite above that is accessed by a staircase in the communal kitchen.
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The south end has a large formal dining room and living room with a second primary bedroom above, accessible from a staircase off the living room.
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Challenges:
Managing a remodel of this size was challenging; effectively organizing and scheduling multiple teams and activities ensured the success of this project.
A support column where the kitchen, south dining and living rooms conjoin interrupted the flow of the space and blocked the view of the lake. Removing it meant replacing it with an engineered beam to support the roof.
Adding a floor-to-ceiling dual sliding glass door required adding a support beam above the installation.
Dormers added to the loft area at the south end of the home created a smaller primary bedroom with en suite, and walk-in closet space behind the bed. This kept the home within the original footprint, while still providing enough space for two people to relax comfortably in the room.
Designed with large family gathering spaces as well as small areas for intimate moments, the entire home was updated inside and out to accommodate a multigenerational family. We took a rustic house that was a bit neglected and created a home that will last for generations as a family estate.
This project won the following award and recognitions:
2020 NARI Milwaukee RotY Gold Award for Entire House over $1,000,000
Featured in the 2024 NARI Milwaukee Directory, Renovate Magazine, "6 Ways to Improve Curb Appeal"
Featured in a multi-page spread in the September 2021 issue of MKE Lifestyle Magazine, Home and Garden, Remodeler's Notebook: "A Perfect Partnership"
To view photos and learn more about the remodeled kitchen in this Shingle-style Lakehouse, visit the Modern Lakehouse Kitchen webpage.
Private spaces
"The solution to accommodate two families put added pressure on the designer and remodeler. They really did a nice job improving nearly every aspect of this home. Congratulations."
2020 NARI Milwaukee RotY Award Judges