Julie Kardatzke Architect, LLC
608.588.7105
  • About
    • Design Philosophy
    • sustainable building
    • MY STORY
  • Portfolio
    • NEW HOMES
    • Additions / Remodels
    • Non-Residential Buildings
  • THE DESIGN PROCESS
    • GETTING STARTED
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • Contact

Soldiers Grove Hillside Home

10/2/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Screen Porch Fireplace Adds a Dramatic Vertical Element to the House
It's been a while since I've posted to my blog.  It's been a very busy spring and summer, and I only had the chance to photograph one of my completed projects.  The home was designed as a second residence for a couple living in Waukesha, who own property in a beautiful valley between Soldiers Grove and Gays Mills in Crawford County, Wisconsin.  It was important to my clients to have outdoor spaces where they could enjoy their beautiful property, and so there is a large deck and a screen porch on the main level.  Also on the main level are the great room and master bedroom suite.

The walkout basement contains utilities, a guest bedroom, office, exercise room and additional bathroom.  Unfortunately my photos don't do it justice.

Not long after the house was finished, my clients decided to sell their Waukesha home and make this their full time residence.

The general contractor for the home was Kickapoo Homes, Inc. of Viroqua.

Picture
The Screen Porch, Looking Toward the House
Picture
The Screen Porch, Looking Toward the Fireplace
Picture
The Screen Porch Has Views in Three Directions
Picture
A Glimpse of the Kitchen from the Foyer
Picture
The Kitchen Has a Bank of Windows Overlooking the Entry Drive
Picture
The Dining Area Connects to the Screen Porch and the Deck Beyond Its Windows
Picture
The Sitting Area Has a Vaulted Ceiling and Overlook of the Stair to the Lower Level
Picture
A Wall of Books Marks the Transition to the Master Bedroom Suite and the Stair to the Lower Level
Picture
The Master Bedroom with Its Own Balcony
Picture
The Master Bathroom, with the Large Shower Reflected in the Mirror above the Double Vanity
Picture
A Night View Taken By the Clients
0 Comments

Madison Ranch Conversion

4/3/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
I'm currently working on this remodel of an existing ranch-style home near Madison.  The three additions - a family room and a laundry room on the back side of the house, and the addition of a second story containing three bedrooms and a bathroom - will almost double the floor space and completely transform the exterior appearance of the house.

The laundry room sits directly behind the existing garage and serves as a mud room as well as a laundry.  The family room will have a vaulted ceiling, a large sliding door facing south toward the new patio, and a gas fireplace as a focal point at the east end.

The second story addition will be located above the existing kitchen, dining room and living room, and will contain three bedrooms plus a full bath.
Picture
3D FLOOR PLAN OF THE FAMILY ROOM AND LAUNDRY ROOM ADDITIONS
Picture
3D FLOOR PLAN OF THE NEW SECOND STORY
I'm illustrating three alternatives for the new second story roof.  The first has a relatively low pitched gable facing the street, and reflects the mid-century vibe of the existing neighborhood.

The second has a steeper-pitched roof running parallel to the length of the house and gives it a more traditional appearance.

The third has a steep roof with shed dormers on the front and back to create head room for the bedrooms and bathroom.

All three versions make a dramatic change to the look of the house.
Picture
THE EXISTING HOUSE
Picture
A MID-CENTURY LOOK
Picture
A TRADITIONAL LOOK
Picture
A STEEP ROOF WITH DORMERS
0 Comments

Lake Wisconsin Remodel

11/27/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Vacation home on Lake Wisconsin - a rendering of the new lake-facing elevation
Here is a recent project that is currently under construction.  This vacation home sits on the south side of Lake Wisconsin near Lodi, and was purchased last spring by a family from the Madison area.  The home had some quirky features - such as cedar roof shingles and rock walls used in the living room, and second-floor decks on the front and back that continued as narrow overhangs on the sides of the house. 

The first floor was divided from front to back by a central bearing wall which created a long and narrow living room.  The kitchen had little connection to the living room, and the space opposite the kitchen was poorly utilized as a dining area, with a lot of wasted space.

The new owners chose to move the kitchen to the north (lake) side of the house, where it would be adjacent to the living area, and a dining area was incorporated into the new kitchen.  The shape of the new great room has nicer proportions and gives the public spaces of the house better views of the lake.  

The master bedroom moved to the south (street) side of the house and gained a walk-through closet and private bathroom.  The space previously utilized for the dining table and basement stair became a laundry room and 1/2 bath.  

On the second level, the three bedrooms were re-configured and expanded to include part of the lake-facing balcony.

The existing low-slope roofs were replaced with steeper ones to give the home a less squat appearance, transforming the exterior look of the house.
Picture
The original street elevation of the house - the low-pitched roofs gave it a squat appearance
Picture
The original lake-facing elevation of the house
Picture
The street elevation of the remodeled home will have steeper roofs, transforming the appearance.
Picture
The existing living room felt long and narrow, with quirky stone and wood shingle ornamentation.
Picture
The new first floor layout combines the kitchen and living room into one better-proportioned space with large doors facing the lake.
Picture
The new layout of the second floor gives more room to the bedrooms by incorporating space from the former balcony.
0 Comments

Boscobel Country Home #1

7/15/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
Exterior View of Custom Home near Boscobel, Wisconsin
This project is titled "Boscobel Country Home #1" because it is, by coincidence, one of two homes that I've designed for two separate clients, who have properties in the same development outside of Boscobel Wisconsin.  The two clients both contacted me in the spring of 2014, within a month of each other.  

The clients for this project are from the Chicago area, and construction of their home was completed in 2017.  The general contractor for this project was Richard Kinney of Knapps Creek Builders in Blue River, Wisconsin.

The clients requested a home inspired by a famous fishing shack in Rockport, Massachusetts called "Motif No.1", shown below.  I hadn't heard of it, but according to the New England Historical Society, it may be the most-painted building in the United States.

This will be a vacation home and eventual retirement home for my clients.  They purchased most of their cabinets from Ikea, and many of the furnishings for the home were acquired from thrift stores.
Picture
Motif No. 1 in Rockport, Massachusetts, the inspiration for this project (photo by the New England Historical Society)
Picture
View of kitchen with band of windows and minimal wall cabinets
Picture
View of kitchen with pantry cabinets and wall-mounted barn lights
Picture
View from the kitchen to the living and dining rooms
Picture
View from the dining room to the living room and kitchen beyond
Picture
The living room is oriented to the woods on the north of the property.
Picture
A wood-burning stove in the living room provides supplemental heat.
Picture
The master bedroom is simply but beautifully furnished in keeping with the style of the home.
Picture
All three bedrooms are on the north side of the house, with view of the wood beyond.
Picture
The exterior is inspired by "Motif No. 1" as well as Wisconsin agricultural buildings.
1 Comment

Readstown Contemporary Hillside Home

1/25/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
I am currently working on construction drawings for a new home near Readstown, Wisconsin.  My clients will soon be empty nesters, and this will become their full-time home after they retire in a few years.  

On this site, the best long distance views and sun exposure throughout the day are to the southeast, and so all of the public spaces, including the screen porch and deck, as well as the master bedroom, are lined up along that side of the home.  

The garage is tucked under the house in order to make use of the site slope and also to reduce the amount of basement space.  With the exception of the guest entry / mud room, all of the living spaces are on the upper level.  A covered patio on the opposite end of the house from the garage is sized so that it could be used as a single-car carport in the future if the clients find that walking up and down stairs becomes too difficult.
Picture
The 3D floor plan below shows the arrangement of the public spaces and master bedroom along the southeast side of the house.  A den, guest bedroom, second bathroom and laundry occupy the northwest side of the house.  

The living room includes a 10' ceiling and large window grouping flanked by built-in shelving and a window seat.  It is divided from the kitchen by a partial wall which helps to define the two spaces but allows some visibility between them.  In place of a formal dining room, there is a dining nook with built-in seating, which is given a sense of separation by a partial wall and a 7' ceiling height.
Picture
The long 3D section through the house, shown below, clearly illustrates how the utilitarian spaces (garage and basement) sit below the main level of the house.  It also illustrates how the ceiling is highest in the center of the house (the living room) and steps down towards either end.
Picture
0 Comments

FROM SPEC TO SPECTACULAR

9/25/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
My client, Erin, was kind enough to share photos of her recently completed home makeover.  I originally began working with Erin and her husband Jeff in 2014.  They purchased their home years ago as a spec home but were ready to make an investment to turn it into their "forever home".  

Their first idea was to build an addition to the front of the house in order to expand the kitchen and dining area, (see "Lancaster Addition" post on 5/18/14) however they were not able to get a variance to extend the house into the front setback.

Next we looked at expanding the house upward, adding a second story and moving most of the bedrooms upstairs.  That was going to result in a much larger addition and a much bigger deal, since it meant taking off the existing roof.

The final concept was to add on to the side of the house, moving the guest bedrooms to the addition so that the kitchen, dining room and entry could expand into the former bedrooms.  This is the idea that was actually constructed.
​
The result is a home that has gone from a plain Jane spec house to a spacious Craftsman-style home.  Erin did an excellent job of bringing the Craftsman theme throughout the added and remodeled areas. Erin's vision was expertly carried out by her general contractor, Jon Pickel Construction Inc. of Cuba City, Wisconsin.  The real stars of the house are the incredible cabinets and woodwork by Broihahn Custom Woodworks of Lancaster, Wisconsin.

​

Picture
The front of the house "before"
Picture
The front of the house "after" - the addition of roof gables, replacement of the skinny porch posts with beefier Craftsman-style posts, higher quality siding materials and better detailing give the home tremendously more curb appeal than the original house had.
Picture
The original kitchen was too small and rather plain.  Most of it was turned into a new mudroom / laundry room, a space which was absent in the original house.
Picture
The new kitchen is situated in what was previously the bedroom wing.
Picture
Craftsman-style details are carried throughout the house, including in the range hood.
Picture
The tall cabinets in the kitchen conceal the refrigerator (right) and the passage to a hidden walk-through pantry (left).
Picture
A wet bar sits to the side of the dining room.
Picture
The entry foyer includes storage cabinets and a message center . . .
Picture
. . . as well as a built-in bench.
Picture
The back side of the bench is a china cabinet.
Picture
The existing living room was enhanced with new Craftsman-style trim, a new color scheme, new windows and door, replacement of the carpeting with hardwood flooring and an improved fireplace and mantel.
Picture
New bedrooms in the addition replace those that were repurposed for the kitchen and dining room.
0 Comments

One Master Bathroom Expansion - Four Options

2/19/2018

0 Comments

 
Master Bathroom Remodel
I'm currently working with a couple in Grant County Wisconsin, near Potosi.  They built a log-sided vacation home in the countryside in 2002.  As they prepare to make this their full-time home, their goal is to enlarge the original master bathroom in order to expand the 3' x 3' shower and add a large bathtub with a window above it (overlooking the surrounding woods).  I determined that the best option is to expand the bathroom into the existing walk-in closet and build a small addition containing a new walk-in closet.  Because they don't need any more space in the basement, the closet addition will be built on posts, like a deck but with insulation.  Expanding the bathroom into the existing closet keeps all of the plumbing within the original basement. I presented four options to my clients.
Picture
The floor plan above shows the home's original master bathroom and closet.  The new plan is to incorporate the closet into the bathroom and add a new closet.
Picture
Option #1, above, requires the least amount of alteration.  The existing doors and walls remain, and a new bathtub and window are added to the original closet.  To get to the new closet, the owners would walk through the new tub room.  One advantage to this arrangement is that the owners don't need to walk through the main part of the bathroom to get to the closet. ​
Picture
Option #2 also maintains a separation between the bathtub and the rest of the bathroom, but the plumbing fixtures are rotated 90 degrees to allow room for a longer shower and vanity.  The downside of this arrangement is that the space between the vanity and shower is narrower.
Picture
The floor plan above shows option #3, which removes the wall between the existing bathroom and closet to make one large bathroom.  The toilet is easily accessible from the bedroom and is walled off for privacy.
Picture
The final option, which is the one chosen by the owners, also creates one large bathroom.  The path through the bathroom to the closet is more direct than in the previous option.
0 Comments

Viroqua Passive Solar Home

1/15/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is a project I'm currently working on - a passive solar home for a rural site in the Town of Viroqua.  The 8-acre property is one of six parcels which make up a community of organic farming estates.  Owners of these farmettes agree to grow or produce organic food for sale or their own user and to use their land in a way that enhances natural diversity for humans and wildlife.  

Most of the 2,000 square foot home will be slab on grade, although there will be a small basement for utilities, storage, a hobby room and a root cellar.  The long face of the home is oriented 15 degrees west of south.  This orientation was arrived at as a compromise between a due south orientation for maximum solar gain and the southwest orientation of the site's contours.  The concrete slab floor will absorb heat on sunny winter days and release it at night.   The main rooms - dining / living room, 2 bedrooms and screen porch - are on the south side of the house.  The stair, bathrooms and laundry room are on the north side.  The kitchen borrows light and heat from the living and dining room.

The site is gently sloping, and the north and east sides are partially bermed into the hill to work with the natural slope.  The west side and half of the south side of the house are completely above grade.  
Picture
A separate 2-car garage to the west of the house will include a workshop and storage area.  The plan includes future solar panels and a cistern for rainwater collection.
Picture
0 Comments

Lake Wisconsin Cottage Transformation

10/30/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
The remodeled entry facade has a more cottagey look.
Located on the north shore of Lake Wisconsin, near Merrimac, this vacation cottage was originally designed in a half-timber chalet style.  The owners' goals were to change the exterior style, expand the kitchen, add a bedroom and 3-season room and replace the flat-roofed garage. 

My clients' original idea was to add a bedroom suite above the garage, but I showed them how a new bedroom could be tucked under the kitchen addition instead, resulting in a smaller overall addition and eliminating the need to run plumbing and heating to the garage.

The "before" picture below shows the half-timber chalet style, reflected in applied trim boards and Swiss-style railing.  A deck wrapped around all four sides of the cottage, but only the lake-facing side was ever used.  The flat roof above the garage on the left side appeared to be designed as an outdoor seating area but had fallen into disrepair.  

The "after" picture above shows the style transformation that occurred by eliminating most of the wraparound deck, replacing the original railings with cable railings and changing the original stucco on the upper level of the house to lap siding and shakes.  The new exterior color scheme of french blue with accents of white and pale gray gives a more nautical feel to the house.

Picture
The original entry facade looked dated and worn.

The original kitchen was small and cut off from the living / dining room.  The west addition more than doubles the size of the kitchen and creates a new dining area with tall windows wrapping around two sides.  The new kitchen extension has 9' ceilings.  The original exterior wall of the kitchen has been replaced with strategically located posts and beams, making the kitchen and dining extension very open to the living room.  




Picture
The original kitchen was very small.
Picture
The updated original kitchen has been given more character with a beadboard ceiling and rustic beams; glass-front cabinets replace the original soffits.
Picture
The addition (left and middle of photo) more than doubles the size of the kitchen.
Picture
The dining area was initially part of the living room.
Picture
The new dining area is within the addition and has tall windows on two sides, giving it lots of sunshine and great views of the lake.
Picture
Here is a closer look at the original chalet style.
Picture
Engineered lap siding and shakes, crisp cable railings and a new color scheme gives a whole new look to the house.

​Lowering the grade between the house and the garage placed the entry walkway at the same level as the back patio, eliminating the need to walk up a set of stairs to get from the back patio to the entry stair.
​

Picture
Before the grade change, flow between the front and back of the cottage was obstructed by an exterior stair (seen on the right side of the photo).
Picture
The new posts supporting the deck have a more formal style. The scallops between the posts conceal an under-deck drainage system.
0 Comments

Dubuque Farmhouse Remodel and Addition

8/29/2017

0 Comments

 
Kitchen remodel with Mexican white shaker style cabinets, flower tile backsplash, hardwood floor and vintage light fixtures.  Farmhouse kitchen
I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Dubuque to photograph a remodel / addition project that I designed.  The home previously belonged to the grandmother of my client, Cathy, and has been in her family for over 100 years.   Although it had a lot of charm, the home needed a more functional kitchen and dining area, a larger living room, an updated bathroom and a dedicated office for Cathy, who works from home.  Cathy also requested a large open space where she could teach yoga.
​
Picture
The original farmhouse has been in the family for over 100 years.
Above is the original house.  Below is an "after" photo with the addition on the left and the original house on the right.  The new yoga studio is on the lower level of the addition, and the living room is above it.  The addition utilizes the same proportions, roof pitches, siding, roofing and window styles as the original farmhouse.
​
Picture
The addition blends in with the original house.

The new living room includes a cozy reading nook with built-in bookshelves, drawers, lighting and a custom cushion.
Picture
The southeast corner of the new living room
Picture
The built-in reading nook

The living room also includes a wood-burning stove, shown in the two photos below.
Picture
The west wall of the living room holds a wood-burning stove.
Picture
The new wood stove

​Below the living room is the yoga studio.
Picture
The yoga studio is open and bright.

Below are "before" and "after" photos of the east wall of the kitchen.  The existing kitchen was in a small nook off of the dining room, containing the sink, counter and cabinets.  The refrigerator and range were located in the adjacent dining room.  

In the remodel, the dining table was moved to another room.  To create more wall space for appliances, cabinets and counters,  the basement stair was relocated, a door was eliminated, and the window sills were raised.  The sink was relocated from the small nook to the former dining room, creating a more functional work triangle.

Picture
The east wall of the kitchen "before"
Picture
The east wall of the kitchen "after"

The next four photos show before and after pictures of the former kitchen, set back in its little nook.   With the kitchen sink relocated, the space becomes more of a pantry, offering supplemental work and storage space.
Picture
The former kitchen, shown in the right half of the photo above
Picture
The former kitchen is now a pantry
Picture
A closeup of the kitchen "before"
Picture
After the remodel, the former kitchen serves as an open pantry
0 Comments
<<Previous

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Essentials
    Good To Know
    Projects
    Working With An Architect

    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Remodeling and Home Design
 © 2015  /  Julie Kardatzke Architect, LLC  /  408 W. Leeson Street, Spring Green, WI  53588   /   608.588.7105  /  julie@jkarchitecture.com