Where the Wild Things Are

In a hot Minneapolis real estate market, Randy and Michelle made offers on four different homes before finally having an offer accepted. The rollercoaster ride was worth it, though, because the family found a great home in the neighborhood they wanted near Dowling Elementary School.

Their new house was a bit too small for their family, so they soon made plans to expand. Their 1000 square foot, two bedroom, one bath home has been transformed into a four-bedroom house with about 2000 finished square feet. And it will soon have the second bathroom completed. It's a good thing they expanded their house because their family has expanded from two kids to three!

The former attic is designed around the great kids' book Where the Wild Things Are. It has are great reading nooks, a built-in desk ,and built-in beds.The girls love playing upstairs. Randy and Michelle have found that the toys are much better contained these days.

Q: What other improvements have you made to the house?

A: All of our additional space took place within the envelope of the current house, for the most part. We wanted to maintain the architectural integrity of the house. There was one very small dormer added over a built-in desk. We finished the basement and the attic space. We added extensive decks, a playhouse, prepped for a second bath and a small kitchen expansion.

Q: How was the work financed?

A: Randy is a “stay at home and work on the house dad”. He did most of the work himself(slowly) with no need for additional money.

Q: What advice do you have for first time homebuyers?

A: Neighborhood is the most important thing for your own happiness. Look for the neighborhood features that you really want. You can change many things about a house, but it's hard to change the neighborhood. For those looking to expand, unfinished space is nice. Empty space can be better than previously finished space that is not to your liking. It is not much fun to undo work!

Q: How did you maximize space to make it more usable?

A: It's easier with kids to use the low headroom areas. I used all of the space that I could. I made reading nooks and built-in beds. Built-ins really save on space. I also added some floor space over the stairwell to reclaim some of that space.