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February 14, 2023 by Advantage Design + Remodel

Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel Helps Family Love Where They Live!

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented itself to Jeff and Lori when they planned to relocate during their Elmbrook whole home remodel. They chose to wait until construction was complete to see the transformation of their 1950s Brookfield home, including the kitchen, breezeway, three-season room, and bedrooms.

Since they purchased their home six years ago, Jeff and Lori were unhappy with their floor plan and selections. The tiled countertops in the kitchen collected dirt and grime. The soffits brought the ceilings down, and the cramped floor plan prevented them from utilizing the kitchen simultaneously. The breezeway was a landing zone for clutter, and the three-season room was cold, making it only suitable for seasonal use.

They loved their neighbors, the Elmbrook School District, and the City of Brookfield community, so it was time to remodel instead of move.

They needed to find the right partner for their whole home remodel. 

They were searching for a company that understood their desires and what could be done. They wanted to work with a team invested in their family, not just treat their remodel as "another transaction." From their first meeting with Greg, Jeff knew something was different," there was a personal and honest connection. They didn't feel like their home was just another project."

Greg understood the complexities of their Elmbrook whole home remodel. Prior to engaging in the design + construction services, he wanted to confirm this would be their forever home before they made this monumental decision and financial investment.

Jeff & Lori's goal was to live in this home for the rest of their lives, so they began the partnership to create the perfect space for their family of four to come together, entertain, and create memories for years to come.

The first step was to finalize the floor plan and determine what structural changes were necessary to create a seamless layout. 

During the design and development process, Jeff and Lori worked closely with our in-house design team to reimagine the interior floor plan and finishes as well as revamp exterior elements to enhance the curb appeal. It was essential to determine what structural changes were necessary to create a seamless floor plan between the kitchen and breezeway, which previously had a clunky step-down. They wanted the three-season room to be a space that felt like part of the home and used all year round.

Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel previous floor plan. The previous floor plan needed to be reworked to create one space between the kitchen to breezeway and the living room to breezeway. The three-season room felt disconnected from the home. It was time for their Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel so they could finally love where they live!
The old floor plan was not condusive to their family and lifestyle. It was time for their Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel. By removing the wall between the kitchen and living room to the breezeway and raising the floor, we were able to bring up the lower breezeway floor area with framing and subfloor to match the heights of the main home. Structural framing was completed to remove the load-bearing wall and replace the existing dropped header. The kitchen layout was reworked to remove the peninsula, soffits, and corner sink. The front of the home was reworked to create a larger bedroom for their daughter while removing the front door. The three-season room was reframed for new windows and doors and the ceiling was flattened to help things flow better.

Once the floor plan was finalized for their Elmbrook whole home remodel, it was time to make selections. 

Jeff & Lori were looking for materials that fit their Elmbrook community and showcased their family's unique personalities! The design process was a collaboration of possibilities and determining the best option. They loved seeing what the rooms would look like before any construction began through 3D-colored renderings and physical samples.

A design they both fell in love with was the final result! "It was an easy and painless process," Lori stated during their pre-construction interview. The proposed plan had them excited about coming home every day and entertaining!

Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel Before Image and Proposed Rendering. Before image of the kitchen with original floor plan on the left. On the right is the 3d design rendering portraying what the space will look like after construction is completed. It accurately represents the finishes selected by the homeowner and design department.
Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel Before Image and Proposed Rendering. Before image of three-season room with original floor plan on the left. On the right is the 3d design rendering portraying what the space will look like after construction is completed. It accurately represents the finishes selected by the homeowner and design department.

A solid plan was in place and it was time to begin construction! 

After months of preparation, Jeff and Lori were ready to transform their forever home. They expressed their excitement for different parts of the house on demo day.

  • Jeff was excited to see the four-seasons room as it would be the perfect entertainment space.
  • Lori was excited to have the kitchen space for her family to enjoy, the freedom to entertain, and love where she lives finally.
  • Their son was excited to be in the sunroom for more than two months out of the year without freezing and to have a space to hang out.
  • Their daughter was excited to have a larger bedroom with storage for all her toys!

To mark the start of the renovation project and the last time they would be in their house until construction was complete, the family worked together to take down the wall between the living room and the daughter’s bedroom.

Jeff holding their daughter as she pulls off the drywall between her bedroom and living room.
Lori hammering the drywall between her daughter’s bedroom and living room.
Son hammering the drywall between his sister’s bedroom and living room.
Elmbrook family excited for construction to begin on the first-floor of their Brookfield home.

The first floor was extensively remodeled to make it look brand new.

Walls were moved/removed, ceilings and the floor raised, and significant structural work was performed to give Jeff and Lori the look their home deserved. The front door was eliminated to provide space for the larger bedroom and patched in utilizing brick salvaged from the three-season room. The front entry was relocated to the old breezeway entrance to improve the traffic flow when entertaining.

Windows were replaced in the living room, three-season room, and kitchen with windows from the Marvin Elevate Collection. New high-performance insulation was installed at exposed walls and throughout the attic. A dual-zone ductless system was installed in the three-season room and dining room to ensure that every part of their home would be cozy, no matter what the Wisconsin weather brought them.

Photo of kitchen after construction took place in their Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel. Walls were moved/removed, ceilings and the floor raised, and significant structural work was performed to give Jeff and Lori the look their home deserved. Recessed LED light fixtures were installed to brighten up the rooms, along with specialty light fixtures in key areas and Häfele under cabinet lighting for task lighting. Plumbing and HVAC were updated to ensure the new fixtures and spaces performed as intended. Red oak hardwood flooring was installed and carefully laced in to connect the kitchen and adjacent areas, creating a warm and inviting open concept.

Recessed LED light fixtures were installed to brighten up the rooms, along with specialty light fixtures in key areas and Häfele under cabinet lighting for task lighting. Plumbing and HVAC were updated and relocated to ensure the new fixtures and spaces performed as intended. Red oak hardwood flooring was installed and carefully laced in to connect the kitchen and adjacent areas, creating a warm and inviting open concept.

New drywall was installed, along with expert patching, to blend the new and the old seamlessly. The entire home received a fresh paint color using Sherwin-Williams paint selections. Jeff & Lori's master bedroom became Uncertain Gray, their son's bedroom was painted Dorian Gray, and their daughter's bedroom transformed with a fun shade of Impatiens Petal. The kitchen, living room, hallways, and foyer walls blended nicely with Worldly Gray with an accent wall, in the dining room, using Gray Matters. It was complimented by Repose Gray in the four-season room and the barn door separating the two spaces was stained to match the walnut kitchen hood. Throughout the entire first floor, the base and trim became Snowbound and the ceilings were painted Bright White. The exterior doors were accentuated using Sea Serpent to compliment the siding and brick.

The kitchen and four-seasons room were outfitted with custom cabinetry by Custom Wood Products and capped by the beautiful and timeless look of Cambria quartz countertops.

In the kitchen, various cabinet finishes were expertly coordinated, featuring Pacifica & Soft White paint colors with stained Mink accents in the custom wood hood and floating shelves. Details and high-end material created a unique and one-of-a-kind space. Craftsman glass doors, Cambria Sutherland countertops, antique copper farmhouse sink, Venetian bronze cabinet hardware, Brizo Artesso pull-down faucet, oil-rubbed bronze plumbing accessories, copper penny gooseneck sconces, and Amadora Basma porcelain backsplash tile by Tilebar were all beautifully incorporated.

Cabinet accessories were carefully planned to make the kitchen not only beautiful but functional as well. A three-drawer base corner drawer was used in the peninsula to maximize the space typically lost with corner cabinetry. The garbage was no longer out for everyone to see but instead placed in a double waste pull-out drawer to the right of the sink. Utensil dividers were placed to the right and left of the range. A spice pull-out rack was installed to the left of the sink in a narrow cabinet that could have been wasted space. A pop-up mixer shelf was hidden in the hutch cabinet, and the pantry cabinet housed the microwave to allow our clients to have clean countertops with minimal effort or heavy lifting.

Photo of kitchen after construction took place in their Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel. Cabinet accessories were carefully planned to make the kitchen not only beautiful, but functional as well. A pop-up mixer shelf was installed in the hutch cabinet to allow our clients to have clean countertops without the heavy lifting.
Photo of kitchen after construction took place in their Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel. Cabinet accessories were carefully planned to make the kitchen not only beautiful, but functional as well. A 35-Qt double waste pull-out was installed in the cabinet to the right of the sink to hide the garbage can. A spice pull-out rack was installed to the left of the sink in a narrow cabinet that could have been wasted space. The idea was to provide designated areas to keep the countertops clear.
Photo of kitchen after construction took place in their Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel. Cabinet accessories were carefully planned to make the kitchen not only beautiful, but functional as well. A three-drawer base corner drawer was installed in the peninsula to create designated storage solutions.

The four-seasons room featured a fabulous three-light linear chandelier, Soft White custom cabinetry, floating shelf, Cambria Wisley countertop, and COREtec Plus Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring, creating the perfect space for entertaining all year round. The new windows and doors also provide tons of sunlight, making the area light and airy.

Photo of four-season room after construction took place in their Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel. Walls were created to create a defined room and brick was removed, saved and reused. The windows and doors were replaced to give Jeff and Lori the look their home deserved. The four seasons room had a three-light linear chandelier installed for the modern pool player, Soft White custom white cabinetry, floating shelves, Cambria Wisley countertop, and COREtec Plus Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring to create the perfect space to entertain all year round.
Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel before image, 3d rendering, and photo after construction was completed. On the left is what our client's home looked like before construction began. The three-season room felt dated with the beams and paneling on the ceiling and the wall cladding. The space was cold leading to limited use which was not ideal for a family who wanted to maximize every inch of their home. The center image was a 3d rendering created during the Design + Development process. It accurately represents the new floor plan and finishes selected before any construction began. On the right is the final image of their four seasons room. Walls were created to create a defined room and brick was removed, saved and reused. The windows and doors were replaced to give Jeff and Lori the look their home deserved. The four seasons room had a three-light linear chandelier installed for the modern pool player, Soft White custom white cabinetry, floating shelves, Cambria Wisley countertop, and COREtec Plus Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring to create the perfect space to entertain all year round.

The result of the renovation exceeded Jeff and Lori's expectations, and they could not be happier with how their home evolved! Despite their initial concerns about the unknowns of remodeling an old house, they knew that our team had their best interests at heart.

Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel before image and after construction was completed. On the left is what our client's home looked like before construction began. The soffits brought the ceiling down. The original floor plan made the kitchen feel cramped and didn't allow our clients to utilize the kitchen at the same time. The built in oven was dated and would need to be replaced in the near future. On the right is the final image of their kitchen. Walls were moved/removed, ceilings and the floor raised, and major structural work was performed to give Jeff and Lori the look their home deserved.
Whole Home Remodel before image, 3d rendering, and photo after construction was completed. On the left is what our client's home looked like before construction began. The kitchen was cramped not allowing our clients to use the space at the same time. The soffits brought the ceiling down and the corner sink was not ideal for washing dishes. The center image was a 3d rendering created during the Design + Development process. It accurately represents the new floor plan and finishes selected before any construction began. On the right is the final image of their kitchen and newly created dining room where the breezeway once was. Walls were moved/removed, ceilings and the floor raised, and major structural work was performed to give Jeff and Lori the look their home deserved. The various cabinet finishes featuring paint colors: Pacifica & Soft White, along with the stained Mink used in a few key areas looks amazing. Details and high-end material featuring Craftsman glass doors, custom wood hood, floating shelves, Cambria Sutherland countertops, antique copper farmhouse sink, Venetian bronze cabinet hardware and plumbing accessories, copper penny gooseneck sconces, cabinet accessories, and Amadora Basma porcelain backsplash tile by Tilebar created a truly unique and one of kind space. The center image was a 3d rendering created during the Design + Development process. It accurately represents the new floor plan and finishes selected before any construction began. On the left is the final image of their kitchen and newly created dining room where the breezeway once was. Walls were moved/removed, ceilings and the floor raised, and major structural work was performed to give Jeff and Lori the look their home deserved. The various cabinet finishes featuring paint colors: Pacifica & Soft White, along with the stained Mink used in a few key areas looks amazing. Details and high-end material featuring Craftsman glass doors, custom wood hood, floating shelves, Cambria Sutherland countertops, antique copper farmhouse sink, Venetian bronze cabinet hardware and plumbing accessories, copper penny gooseneck sconces, cabinet accessories, and Amadora Basma porcelain backsplash tile by Tilebar created a truly unique and one of kind space.
Elmbrook Whole Home Remodel before image and after construction was completed. On the left is what our client's home looked like before construction began. The breezeway was undefined and a landing zone for clutter, and the three-season room was cold, making it only suitable for seasonal use. On the right is the final image of their kitchen, dining room, and 4 seasons room. Walls were moved/removed, ceilings and the floor raised, and major structural work was performed to give Jeff and Lori the look their home deserved.

After six years of dreaming about what their home could be, Jeff and Lori finally love where they live.

If you’re ready to love where you live, let's schedule a time to discuss your vision!

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Filed Under: Design & Build, Homeowner, Kitchen Remodeling, Planning a Remodel, Whole Home Remodeling

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