Green Lake Second Story Addition

The narrow width of this home, the fact we didn’t want to move the stairs, and the height limit required by the zoning code meant we needed to carefully arrange the plan so we could have the head height we needed in each space. This could have been easily resolved with a low-slope gable roof, but while that would have allowed an easy layout for the interior, the house would have looked awful from the exterior. The modern gable aesthetic on a skinny home required a steeper-sloped roof.

With the bedrooms moved off the main level, we opened up the formerly-compartmentalized main floor into a “great room” with the kitchen, dining room, living room, and den flowing from one to the next. From the living room at the front of the house, you can now see all the way into the backyard. Though the floor plate did not expand, the space feels much larger. To integrate the isolated split-level entry and stairway with the main level, we designed a screening wall of wood slats to replace the solid wall between the entry stair and the living room.

For the materials and finishes inside the home, the homeowners wanted a fresh, contemporary look that was still warm and welcoming. Essentially, it’s a clean, modern aesthetic augmented with warm textures and subtle traditional elements to add character throughout the home. The finish palette was left neutral to allow for accent pops of color to be sprinkled throughout with art, accessories, and furnishings. The design aesthetic is carried between all floors and rooms so the home feels unified as a whole.