From Tree Top
to Stove Top: Renewing
an Older Home 
The space was good, but it could have been better.  This classic Burns Park home has beautiful lines, but its original floorplan no longer met the needs of its occupants.

Add to that a previously poorly handled renovation, aging plaster, tired wallpaper  and overused wood floors, it's easy to see that it was time for a change. Older homes always have a few surprises to spring and it oftens takes a lot of detective work to determine what can and can't be altered. We faced a number of challenges:
  • How to update the home and yet respect the classic style of the original architecture.
  • How to best deal with old wiring and structural systems.
  • How to transform a dark attic into an inviting room that could be used year-round.
  • How to add a shower and enlarge a closet in the master bedroom without stealing space from the adjacent bedroom or absorbing too much area from the master room.
  • How to connect the kitchen to the dining and living rooms while maintaining important storage space and some privacy for cooking activities.

As always, we worked closely with our clients to realize their dreams--from the design stage through construction and completion. In this project, the owner had well-developed ideas of what he wanted which we incorporated into the final plan. Our Design Center, featuring hundreds of ceramic tile, cabinetry, countertop and decorative hardware samples, provided a convenience resource for making these selections. During the building stage, the owner appreciated having a Washtenaw Woodwrights project manager specifically assigned to his project from start to finish, with whom he could confer regularly.