When the owners of Flynn Landing purchased a home on a lake in Waukesha County, the first thing they were drawn to was the flat lake shore and the view across the lake. The home sat across from a nature preserve where no homes will ever be built. The home would not accommodate their blended family, so they had to decide whether to renovate and add on to the home or to tear it down completely.

After consulting with Colby Construction, and looking at conservation laws that would impact their options, the decision was made to stay on the footprint of the original home and do a major renovation, addition, and gutting the house completely. This way they could also keep the detached garage that sat at the top of the property.

View the “before” of the garage on the left and the “after” on the right below:

There were several challenges to make this happen, including excavating between the original home and the detached garage. The architect had to redraw the plans several times in order to come up with a design that worked for the homeowners, the builder and the county. A section of the roof would need  to come off the home in order to add an attached garage and second story bedrooms. Once the design was approved, the challenging process to create a custom home on the footprint of the original A-frame house began.

View the “before” image on the left and the “after” image on the right below:

The goal was to create an open concept space on the main floor that would include a roomy, open ceiling kitchen, living room and dining space. The family wanted a large island that would serve as the focal point of the space. A modern home with a clean white backdrop was desired, but warmth of natural wood would add a rustic feel to the space. Wide plank hickory floors, stained to a dark hue created extra warmth to contrast the white beams in the ceiling. Other must haves for the couple included the master bedroom facing the lake with sliding doors out to the expansive deck, that included an ensuite bathroom and his and her closets. They also wanted the laundry on the main floor, making the home large enough for their blended family, but creating a main floor that is a perfect space for the couple, as the older kids are already off to college and younger ones are not far behind. 

The second floor houses 3 large bedrooms, two  that are ensuite and a third large bathroom with a double vanity and separate bathing space, creating plenty of room for everyone.

A walk out lower level allows for a perfect space for a covered patio and a hot tub, and the beautiful views of the lake and the nature preserve. The final result of the new home was exactly what the owners desired: a custom lake home that works for just the two of them as well as their entire blended family.