Family Rooms

Family Room Case Study:
Functionality and Design to Accommodate an Active Lifestyle

The clients wanted to remodel their lakeshore home to fit a busy lifestyle. Their hearts were set on having a large, open family room/entertainment area, including a kitchen that could host and serve up to 15 people at a time, a craft room for their two daughters, and a dual-purpose room that could serve as both an office and a guest room when needed. Being tri-athletes, the clients wished to incorporate existing workout equipment into an exercise room with views of the lake. Also, with the close proximity of the lake and the family's passion for water sports, they required a changing room, a wet gear storage room, and durable flooring that would stand up to water and tracked in sand from the beach.

Equally important goals were to improve the home's traffic flow while maintaining a high level of quality craftsmanship and keeping the project on budget.

To achieve the desired openness of the family room/entertainment area, four vertical posts were replaced with one 28' steel 'I' beam. This not only increased entertaining space and smoothed traffic flow, but also opened up fabulous views of the lake. Other features were added, including built-in rustic alder cabinets, a full home theater with 60" DLP TV and a stone surround fireplace with hearth. Both natural and artificial lighting were increased in the area by installing glass doors and additional recessed lighting.

Improvements to the kitchen area included a larger seating area, beverage center, stone-faced surround bar, and nearly 2-foot deep Cambria countertops that lent easily to the buffet-style functionality desired for entertaining. Stamped concrete flooring throughout the kitchen and entertainment room allowed for a durable, yet aesthetically pleasing solution that would stand up to the elements of the beach.

When confronted with the dilemma of how to provide a guest room without losing usable space, the perfect solution was to install a Murphy bed in the office. The desks and workspaces were redesigned to allow space for the guest bed, and also to include a family heirloom, an 80-year-old marble top table that was incorporated as an end piece for the new office nook.

A storage area for towels, swimsuits, and water gear was added beside the bathroom nearest the exterior doorway leading to the beach. The flooring was textured to ensure safety for wet feet. Due to the presence of water and wet gear, a stone hearth was added in lieu of a less durable wooden bench.

The new exercise room included rubber floors for durability in instances of dropped weights and for less wear and tear on the knees and bodies working out in this area. The exercise room and storage area were both equipped with a custom dehumidification system designed to remove moisture and control odors.

The craft room contained an abundance of great workspace with sinks, laminated countertops, specialized drawers for scissors and other craft supplies, dedicated lighting over the workspaces, and a corkboard wall to display the created masterpieces.

Personal touches abound in this newly remodeled space, and evidence of quality craftsmanship is visible in all facets of the project, including moldings, woodwork, cabinetry, countertops, tile, stone and masonry. Installation of 400 square feet of 4" x 5/8" Bead Board at a height of 5 feet added continuity and flow to the space, while use of thicker material (standard is 3/8") enhanced durability and appearance. Uniformity was achieved by using the same stone pattern throughout several areas of the space, including walls, two columns and the fireplace. Each of these stone pieces was individually cut and fitted on site. Color-stamped, concrete overlay flooring was meticulously cut into 2' x 2' diamonds, while new, taller-base molding was precisely matched to the existing molding.