By Melanie Radzicki McManus | Photography by Shanna Wolf
For four years, a Des Moines couple enjoyed the 1920s-era when COVID hit, and they retreated there with their three sons, daughter-in-laws and six grandchildren, it was clear they needed more space. So they tore it down and tapped Delavan’s Hummel Construction to build a larger one.
The resulting new home is perfect for their needs, the homeowner says. The kitchen is a great example. Once a cramped spot, it’s now a spacious room featuring an expansive blue island with six stools. A sitting room is located just off the kitchen, complete with a coffee bar.
“One son had the idea to plumb in the coffeemaker so you don’t have to run back and forth to the kitchen for more water,” the homeowner says. “We probably spend 80% of our time here.”
The other major change is the sprawling bunk room that sits atop their new, three-car garage. The space contains six beds for the grandchildren, along with a couch, television and three-foot-tall door leading to a tucked-away playroom.
Much of the home’s design and decor can be attributed to the homeowners. The wife planned the ceiling treatments in each room, for example, and sketched out various built-ins.
“One of my grandfathers was a carpenter who was really creative,” the wife says, “so the interior design was my fun part.”
Virtually all of the home’s lighting came from Caravelle Lighting in Richmond, Ill., while most of the furniture was sourced from Paper Dolls, a home furnishings and interior design business in Lake Geneva. But not everything in the home is new, as the couple favors a mixture of old and new pieces.
“The white drum table was my grandma’s and I’ve had it forever,” the wife says. “I painted it and put it in the cozy room,” which is a few paces from the dining room and overlooks the lake. While the couple’s primary home is still in Des Moines, the family now spends a significant amount of time here. And they couldn’t be more thrilled with their new digs.
The home’s coffee bar is the perfect spot to relax with a cup of joe or a cocktail. 
The primary bathroom features rattan window coverings and wrapped sconces, brass fixtures and luxury vinyl plank flooring for a warm feel. 
The den’s ceiling sports horizontal wooden beams and rattan shades. 
The owner purchased a gently used chair for the primary bathroom’s makeup table, painting it blue and reupholstering it with a colorful mix of floral and polka dot fabric. 
An eye-catching rope chandelier from Caravelle Lighting in Richmond, Ill., dominates the upper floor landing. 
The highlight of the new kitchen is the walk-in pantry next to the range. 
The fireplace mantel in the great room and the wooden accent on the kitchen’s range hood were both crafted from reclaimed lumber by Elkhorn’s Heritage Beam & Board. 
Each bed in the spacious bunk room over the garage is tucked between privacy walls to afford each of the grandkids a little space of their own.
