Houghton, Michigan · Renovation

Full House Renovation

They left a large house in Chicago for a smaller one near their son's college, close enough to support him.

Size

1000 SF

Design fee

$5,800

Household

A family of four

This house was built in 1900 and had already belonged to miners. By the time the work began, a previous owner had taken it down to the studs, shored the structure, and prepared the wiring and water so the finish work could start. The wood floors were still in place, along with a refurbished stained-glass window. Outside, the white siding and roof showed every year of Upper Peninsula weather.

Weathered two-story white house before renovation in Houghton, Michigan — As found: a compact mining-era house, gutted and structurally ready, waiting for a new plan and a finished interior.

The family had left a large house in Chicago. They needed a smaller home near their son's college—close enough to support him—that fit this stage of life instead of the one they had outgrown. About 1,000 square feet had to work for four people, not as a temporary fix, but as a finished house they could live in with dignity.

The plan

The layout was redrawn around how they live now. A mudroom catches the entry. Laundry sits where daily life needs it. The main floor holds living, kitchen, a bath, and one bedroom so the house still works when someone wants to stay downstairs.

Furnished main-floor plan with mudroom, living, kitchen, bath, and bedroom — Main floor: mudroom and laundry at the entry, open living and kitchen, and a bedroom that keeps the house flexible for everyday use.

Upstairs, three bedrooms and a shared bath share a simple hall. The stairs stayed only because they already connected the two floors—everything else was planned for this next chapter.

Furnished upper-floor plan with three bedrooms and a shared bath — Upper floor: three bedrooms and a bath arranged for a family of four, without wasting the small footprint on leftover space.

The rooms

Inside, the design keeps the mining-era feeling of the house. Rooms stay quieter and moodier—dark wood, stone, brass, and warm light held in each space instead of washed across every wall.

Moody kitchen and dining with dark wood cabinets, stone backsplash, and brass pendant — Kitchen and dining were opened as one room: dark cabinetry, stone at the sink wall, and a single pendant that keeps the table intimate at night.

The baths were treated as small retreats rather than leftover closets—textured tile, warmer metals, and light that stays low and intentional.

Dark spa-like bathroom with fluted wood vanity and warm sconce light — One bath leans darker and quieter: fluted wood, stone-like walls, and a single warm sconce instead of bright overhead light.

Warm bathroom with copper-toned tile, wood vanity, and brass fixtures — The other bath stays warmer—copper-toned tile, light wood, and brass—so each floor has its own calm finish language.

The primary bedroom gets the quietest treatment: built-in wardrobes, a recessed niche for the bed, and soft brass light against the darker wood.

Primary bedroom with built-in wood wardrobes, cane door panels, and brass sconces — Primary bedroom: built-ins frame the bed, cane panels soften the cabinets, and the room reads as finished storage rather than leftover furniture.

They received a renovation design and a permit set the city could review before the builder starts.

“Beatriz and Monica provided a beautiful design for my renovation project and helped me with the permit set with the city.”

Arthur · Houghton, Michigan

See the design plans

The drawings and presentation for this project.

View the plans

See your home before it’s built.

A renovation should be seen before the walls come down again. We help homeowners reshape an existing house through thoughtful layout, interiors, and realistic visualization—so you can decide with a clear picture before construction begins.

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The consultation fee is credited toward the first design installment if you move forward.