The existing one-story home with a finished walk-out basement is situated in an affluent, established neighborhood, where tear-down projects are prevalent. The site slopes considerably from side to side and has several mature trees.

The owners wished to improve the flow of the first floor and add a full second floor to accommodate a new master suite and an in-law apartment. The owners are active advocates within the disablility community and hoped to make the entire house accessible; both to enable aging in place and to provide an accommodating environment welcoming to their physically challenged friends.

Additionally, the owners were interested in a site-specific design solution, which would produce a more sympathetic home rather than the massive replacement houses being built throughout the neighborhood.

The renovation features a new second floor, entry porch, and first floor rear addition. The interior remodel removes two existing fireplaces and converts four small, enclosed first floor common rooms into three larger, more open spaces, while accommodating a new elevator.

The home is designed in the prairie style, inspired by the owners’ Midwestern roots and their desire to connect their house to the landscape.

Accessibility features are incorporated into the design throughout the house, including a new elevator, low threshold doorways at exterior entrances, an open accommodating floor plan, and curbless showers. The kitchen and bathrooms on all levels of the house have been improved to be more accessible.

A new centralized fireplace is the heart of the main floor and is visible from all of the adjacent common rooms.