Top: Provided by DreamHouse DreamKitchens, Middle: Provided by Madison Liquidators, Bottom: Provided by Spray-Net
additional photographs
Dane County Humane Society, DreamHouse DreamKitchens, Garden Search and Rescue, Madison Liquidators, Spray-Net
Watch for the next issue MAY-APRIL 2025
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from the PUBLISHER
Spring in Wisconsin is a time of awakening and rebirth. We begin our move to the outdoors and let it into our homes through open windows and doors. It is also the time we begin cleaning out the old and bringing in the new through renovations and repairs, yard updates, indoor and outdoor furnishing considerations, and more.
DreamHouse DreamKitchens shares a client project that will surely give you some ideas. You can also go to our online archives to see more. Each project shares the contact information of local experts to go to for help bringing your ideas to fruition.
Spray-Net not only gives the exterior of your home an updated color and look, it also helps you inside with fresh new colors for your cabinets.
Karina Mae from Garden Search & Rescue continues to amaze us with her expertise and ideas for our outdoor spaces. This issue, she informs us on how to incorporate bulbs into our landscapes so we may enjoy multiple seasons of beautiful color.
A pop-up feature from Rubin’s Furniture talks about American Leather alongside images of some of what you can find in their store.
We are grateful for Dane County Humane Society’s Wildlife Center discussing positive coexistence with wildlife living in or near the outdoor spaces of our homes and how they enhance our living experiences.
I leave you with a wish for a beautiful spring season and the time to enjoy all it has to offer.
Amy Johnson
Old Bones
MAKE THE BEST HOME
BY KYLE JACOBSON
When these homeowners moved from their lake home in Shawano to an over-100-year-old house in Madison, they were expecting to do some updates. What was not on their minds was living through a gut job as something truly apropos of their lifestyles was created around them. Thanks to the vision and experience of DreamHouse DreamKitchens, the wait and results were worth it.
Though the job had windows replaced throughout, most of the focus was on the back end, where a previous
addition had become an inspection nightmare and a walk on the second-floor deck meant “you were taking your life into your own hands,” says Rachael Parker, designer at DreamHouse DreamKitchens. “Everything really needed to be updated. The kitchen was not even really usable; the powder bath needed updating. It needed life put into it and a lot of sprucing.”
In addition, over the short time the homeowners lived at their new residence, they realized they needed a primary suite. Instead of rebuilding the deck, they would extend the upstairs portion of the house to accommodate a bedroom and walk-in closet. An Arts & Craft–inspired home, the theme and integrity could remain alongside some updates in flow and function.
Blake Hebert, designer at DreamHouse DreamKitchens, says of the restructuring, “Doing construction to a house of this age, once you take the lath and plaster off and expose the structure, you are like, ‘Oh, that is not supposed to be there.’ We had to take the whole bathroom floor out and reframe everything because it was undersized. ... Some specific engineering had to be done to add the room on top. It was not just building a room on top of that old deck; it was ripping all that off and reengineering it so we could do our cantilevers—we could tie to the existing house.”
After construction, a stunning reimagining of the existing and new spaces provides a breath of fresh air. The rear entryway leads into the kitchen, where the
mudroom has been converted into a cozy breakfast nook. Moving the refrigerator, disguised with matching cabinet faces, morphs the room into an “L” shape. And a butcher block countertop provides a workstation, so two people can comfortably prepare food at the same time.
White quartz countertops round over to an undermount
Kohler Whitehaven apron-front sink. Asymmetry being a hallmark of Arts & Craft design, the sink sits off-center of the window run. “We did center it on just one pane of the window versus the whole window,” says Rachael. “It gives you more of a visual purpose because you can see through it. The homeowners are not looking into a mullion.”
The kitchen also introduces a lighter wood element to add texture to the house’s darker wood motif. The wooden range hood, underlit floating shelves, and butcher block countertop act visually as highlights, transitioning from the darker trim.
Next to the kitchen is the powder room, which features a penny tile floor that helps set the space apart from the kitchen while paying “homage to the age of the house,” says Rachael. “Then we went with a decorative wainscot paneling with wallpaper above.” As the tastes of the homeowners are reflected in the wallpaper, the boardand-batten wainscoting is meant to marry their style to the design of the home. New paint on the radiator accentuates the home’s graceful age.
Above the kitchen and powder room is the newly framed primary suite. Since the bathroom was part of the existing structure, the layout was also reimagined. “This is the only bathroom that could fit on this level of the house,” says Rachael. “So it was really important to get two sinks, the toilet, linen storage, and a full walk-in shower.” A sleek black frame around the mirror is subtle, yet classy; the penny tile shower ties in with the powder room; and the spa-blue shower brings a fun and relaxing energy to the space.
The bedroom fits right in with nods to the age of the house, like the brick on the fireplace matching the entryway, while keeping with the homeowners’ love of blue. Given this room is entirely new to the house, there were a lot of layout options. “With city lots, views are at a premium,” says Blake. “There were a couple ways we could have oriented the windows, but we really wanted to focus our view into the neighbor’s backyard.”
Rachael and Blake were quick to note how patient the homeowners were living in the house throughout construction. As excited as the homeowners were to get to the end of the project, ensuring time is taken to get everything done correctly was paramount. Their reward is something part history, part them, and all home.
Jacobson is a writer living in Sun Prairie
Photographs provided by DreamHouse DreamKitchens.
5117 Verona Road Madison, WI 53711
608.204.7575 dream-kitchens.com
Kyle
DreamHouse DreamKitchens
Modern Life, WELL FURNISHED
American Leather’s stationary furniture collection features modern styles, hundreds of configurations, and over 400 upholstery options. Each fabric and leather allows you to customize the perfect piece for your home. Whether you are looking for an accent chair, a custom sofa, or sectional, American Leather has the next centerpiece of your living room.
The designers at Rubin's believe that a covering is much more than something you choose for a new piece of furniture. It is a reflection of style, life, and your home rolled into one. American Leather searches the globe to bring the most fashionable, durable, and beautiful leathers and fabrics to its retailers. A wide array of color and texture options ensure that you will find the perfect solution for your home.
American Leather's Comfort Sleeper is the most versatile and comfortable custom sleeper sofa available. With over a dozen styles available, from transitional to modern sleeper sofas and sectionals, you are sure to find a style to fit your needs. The Comfort Sleeper redefined the custom sofa bed industry, elevating it to a new level of comfort. Stop into Rubin's to see what American Leather has to offer for your home.
BULBS!
BY KARINA MAE
Spring flowers bring joy and awaken dormant senses with delight. When the snow finally fades and the dreary state of winter melt has set in, the sight of greens breaking ground, even under snow, is a sight that breathes life. There are many forms of spring flowers blooming in all shapes and sizes, with some arriving before the thaw and others carrying on until summer takes the stage.
Earliest blooms come from the crisp white snowdrops bursting up through those last few inches of snow, with their precious buds bowing in a glow reminding us that the earth is alive. Then the purple, yellow, and white hues of crocus poke the surface and shine their stunning color, lasting several weeks even in the freeze and rain. Daffodils quickly rise in a plethora of yellows, oranges, and whites, filling garden gaps in amazing happiness and feeling like sunshine themselves. Tulips and hyacinths color the latter stages of spring, dazzling us in their stunning palette choices and different stages of bloom; from early to late, they are a true sight of spring. Alliums, with their proud purple globes, are the last to join the bulb dance, but are often blooming when little else is. They fill the space between spring bulbs and early summer perennials, all sturdy and uprighteous purple.
Bulbs are most stunning when planted in groups or drifts a bit denser than the label says with a possible preference to shifting drifts, where one pallet mixes with another slightly. Organic shapes to the drifts look most natural, but sometimes just wedging them in anywhere between perennials can produce a fantastic show. Planting time is very late fall, often November the last few seasons, to set their cycle to the ground freeze. If
planted too soon, they could grow or rot prior to finding their rhythm. Bulbs are perennial, but not all reproduce (best to inquire if that is your desire). Most will bloom reliably for three to five years, with our happiest gardens seeing a small bulb addition each or every other year. Cutting bulbs encourages them to rebloom next season, so no fear to fill a vase.
Bulbs can be cut back as they fade, but it is best to let the greens turn yellow first; this is the time for the bulb to replenish for next bloom. We often tie up or bundle and wrap daffodil greens into knots so they can do their cycle without interrupting perennial growth in the garden. It also makes cutting them down later much easier. Some bulbs reproduce via seed, so leaving that seed head can be beneficial. Avoid overwatering at any time of the season, as it can contribute to rot and low flower production.
Rodents can always be a challenge, but there are some tactics. The whole tulip is edible, while daffodils are toxic to ingest. Crocus flowers seem to get eaten, but the bulbs are often left alone. And alliums are essentially onions that bloom at a time when the garden is full of good eating. Burying bulbs as deep as they need is key—three times as deep as the bulb is tall at minimum. Firmly pressing the earth after planting is helpful to make any rodent digging more challenging, and water well to set the soil around the bulbs. Another trick is to stir the garden in other areas to confuse them, as they know where you have been. Small chunks of chicken wire placed a few inches above the bulbs is helpful where chipmunks and squirrels dwell in bounty. If the bunnies won’t leave you a flower, then there is the old-fashioned garden cloche.
Spring bulbs fill a space and time in the garden that struggles to be filled by any other plant specimens, and with the long Wisconsin winter, they are truly a welcome sight like no other. They do require a bit of cold-weather groundwork, but when the bloom arrives, you will have forgotten November and embrace spring.
Karina Mae is the designer and team leader at Garden Search and Rescue.
Photographs provided by Garden Search and Rescue.
Garden Search & Rescue
Madison, WI
608.438.9571
gardensearchandrescue.com
HOME OFFICE: ORGANIZATION
BY KYLE JACOBSON
Working from home comes with the opportunity to create a home office that works for you. With thoughtful organization, whether an IT professional, masseuse, artist, or writer, it is important to create a relaxing environment that promotes efficiency. And in order to stay organized, you will need to put some time into thinking about your layout and furniture needs.
A good place to start is reducing the overall amount of furniture in your home office by purchasing multipurpose organizational pieces. For many, having clients over or meeting with peers is not a common occurrence, so even though having extra chairs is nice on occasion, it doesn’t warrant the clutter. This is where a lateral file cabinet with a cushioned top can be the perfect solution. Kelly Niesen of Madison Liquidators says, “This type of cabinet acts as a storage unit, but also is a great piece if somebody needs to have a quick impromptu meeting at their desk.”
There are also pieces that work as a combination of different types of storage. Something as simple as a cabinet with a hutch helps to make use of vertical space and can be strong enough for loads of important reference books. Since hutch shelves are generally open, they’re also great for displaying photos or art pieces.
For a small home office, a tall wardrobe cabinet might be all that is needed outside of a chair and desk. Kelly says, “This style of cabinet, when people are limited on budget, gives you a twodrawer filing cabinet. The tall door is a wardrobe, so you can hang a coat or purse. And there are three shelves in here, so it gives you a whole bunch of different storage options all wrapped into one; whereas if you wanted to buy the shelf, the wardrobe, and filing cabinet separately, you are probably looking at $2,500 worth of storage.”
As with any piece of furniture, it is important to get the right quality for your needs. Nick Niesen of Madison Liquidators says that you really can’t go wrong with laminate, metal, or wood, but get something that’s hardy. On the shelving available at Madison Liquidators, “If you wanted to load it with books or records, you could do it and trust that the thing is not going to fall apart. ... When people buy bookcases for their house, it is so often coming from a place where it is a cheap product and not really a piece of furniture. Everything we have here is furniture, and it is heavy duty. You could load almost as much as you want on a shelf without any bowing or worrying that the whole thing is going to collapse.”
It is also important to consider if your shelving needs will change over time. Adjustable shelving guarantees a piece will be useful over the course of its life. The same goes for portability. A filing cabinet with wheels could be a huge timesaver if you work out of multiple rooms.
There are also specialized types of storage, such as pieces that can store a safe and fireproof storage to keep fire out or in—for the woodworker, having a place to put oil-soaked rags is a must. For those who need it, specialty storage is key to staying organized when working from home.
One of the cleanest ways to incorporate organization into your home office is optimizing your desk by outfitting it with drawers, cabinets, and a hutch. For many working from home, the desk is where the majority of their time is spent, and having everything within arms’ reach is essential.
Working with a professional is the best way to ensure you are getting the most out of your home-office investment. You do not want to miscalculate and end up buying something that only gives you 12 inches of walking room between pieces; the standard is 30 inches—a common width of an interior doorway. Kelly says, “Any of our salespeople have great ideas on how to layout an office, even a home office or small space, to really get the most
out of it. They know all the options available for how we can get all your stuff stored and out of the way so it is a comfortable space to work in. It makes a big difference to work with a professional.”
A home office is not one size fits all. Building one that truly fits your needs will make work that much easier. Whether you already know what you want in your layout or are just getting started, there is always a benefit to working with a professional who knows what is out there.
Kyle Jacobson is a writer living in Sun Prairie.
Photographs provided by Madison Liquidators.
Madison Liquidators
2224 Pleasant View Road, Suite 6 Middleton, WI 53562
608.831.1012
madisonliquidators.com
LIVING with Wildlife
BY JACKIE SANDBERG
Spring means it is time to break out the gardening gloves and get back to maintaining yards and natural areas around homes. Spring also marks the arrival of breeding season for many wildlife species in Wisconsin. Sometimes, the two events can clash with each other. Dane County Humane Society’s (DCHS’) Wildlife Center has tips to keep young wildlife safe and with their parents as humans emerge from hibernation to play in their yards and gardens.
“Wild parents do the very best job of raising their young,” says Paige Pederson, wildlife operations supervisor at DCHS’ Wildlife Center. “It is vital to keep healthy young with their parents and to reserve rehabilitation for only
those truly injured or orphaned. I suggest taking a walk around your yard to check for nests before you jump on that lawnmower or break out the shovels to work in the garden to avoid disturbing a nest.”
Eastern cottontail rabbits are right at home nesting in urban environments. Nests are dug into the ground and are very unobtrusive. Cottontails may build nests along the edge of a fence or building, or they may choose a spot right in the middle of the yard. A key indicator of a nest’s presence is discovering the rabbit fur that lines a nest or seeing an adult returning to the same area each morning or evening. To not draw the attention of predators, a mother cottontail will only visit the nest twice a day—at
An example of an eastern cottontail nest against the side of a building.
dawn and dusk—to care for her young and keep them safe.
“Since cottontails grow so quickly, they can be easy to work around for the short term,” says Paige. Infant cottontails become independent after only four weeks. To avoid disturbing them, work in a different area of the yard away from the nest or postpone yardwork until they have grown and left.
Two infant eastern grey squirrels admitted at DCHS' Wildlife Center in March 2022.
Don’t just check the ground for nests, look up into trees in your yard. Both mammal and avian species utilize trees for food, protection from the elements, and to raise their young. Grey squirrels are some of the earliest mammals to have their young, while great horned owls are among the first avian species to have already nested. Not far behind will be a plethora of native bird species using nests in a variety of bushes and trees.
If tree trimming is necessary, take a thorough look through the branches for nests. Many species, like woodpeckers and eastern screech owls, are cavity nesters, so be sure to check hollowed branches and tree trunks. Should you find active mammal nests, DCHS’ Wildlife Center recommends postponing any tree removal or trimming until the fall. If you spot an active bird nest, the majority of which are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, most species will fledge and leave within three to four weeks from hatching, so postponing yard work helps protect them.
If you enjoy watching nature and want to attract more wildlife to your yard, after surveying your area and ensuring you’re not disturbing any nests, plant native plants. Flowers can provide food for hummingbirds and insects, which attracts birds. Fruiting bushes also offer a variety of food options for numerous wild species.
For more tips and information on what steps to take should you find an orphaned or injured wild animal, visit giveshelter.org/wildlife.
Jackie Sandberg is the wildlife program manager at DCHS’ Wildlife Center.
Photographs provided by Dane County Humane Society.
Dane County Human Society 5132 Voges Road Madison, WI 53718 608.287.3235 giveshelter.org/wildlife-center
Infant cottontails, about two weeks old, with their eyes still closed.
Coats for CABINETS
BY KYLE JACOBSON
Almost every home falls victim to design trends. Whether tomorrow or decades from now, a morning comes when you walk into your kitchen and ask if it is time for a facelift. The good news is giving your kitchen an entirely new feel does not mean investing in an entirely new kitchen.
This may seem like another article on why painting your kitchen or bathroom cabinets is oftentimes the best decision you can make to revive your living spaces, and it is. There really is not much that compares to paint’s ability to transform a room so stunningly and immediately. SprayNet’s Dale Tomalin walks us through the most important things to consider before putting brush to board.
Choosing the right colors might just be the hardest part because it feels the most permanent. This choice is going to define the room you will be experiencing for years to come. Hardware and paint stores have swatches you can use to start visualizing your space, and these swatches often indicate complementary colors to highlight and frame the room. Some retailers even have a click-and -paint option on their website, where you can upload a picture of a room and use their color pallet to create a more complete representation of the impact various colors will have.
After determining a color scheme, you will need to decide whether you are doing this yourself or hiring a professional. It is not just a matter of cost versus time, but also one of cost versus quality. “It is crucial to use a painting professional who specializes in cabinet painting rather than a general painter,” says Dale. “Cabinets require specific techniques, materials, and expertise to ensure a durable and flawless finish. Doing it yourself or hiring a general painter can lead to costly mistakes and risks that compromise the final result.” Are you confident in your abilities, or would you find more comfort knowing it was done by a professional?
Regardless of the direction you take, you will be saving money. For those looking at various upgrades or additions to a room, choosing to not buy and install new cabinetry might mean a nicer stove or new countertops. Maybe you have been wanting to get rid of a chandelier and switch to canned lighting or vice versa. “By being more cost effective and using what is there, you can focus on other elements to enhance the overall refresh,” says Dale.
Part of the vision might be incorporating an island into your kitchen. Finding a paint that matches your existing cabinets is nearly impossible, but repainting your cabinets and those on your new island creates the illusion that it has always been there. Even if the island is more of an accent piece, paint is a great way to marry it to the space, adding to the wow factor.
If you are looking to just paint, you are also significantly shortening the time you will be without your kitchen. “Where [Spray-Net] shines is a full kitchen remodel can take weeks and months, but our process only takes days,” says Dale. “We are able to complete transformations effectively.” If you work with a professional, you will also stress much less on the logistics of the project. SprayNet even provides free color consultations—ideal for a family on the go.
Another benefit to using a professional painter versus a general handyman is guaranteeing you are using a highquality paint. Unsurprisingly, a lot of people try to save a buck by going with a cheaper paint that can get the
Before
job done, but nobody wants to walk into a room a few months after painting it and notice chipping or peeling. Higher-quality paints are also easier to clean, which is essential in a room prone to food and grease stains.
The best consumer-grade products certainly have a lot to offer, giving the do-it-yourselfer something that will last until the next paint job. The added benefit of going with Spray-Net is receiving a factory finish. “Our cabinet coating is a 2K catalyzed product,” says Dale. This equates to unmatched durability, meaning cabinet
doors banging into each other through normal use is not going to result in the scratches and dents expected with other paints.
Now is the best time of year to think about that last interior project before the warmer months arrive. Take a moment to sit in your kitchen and determine whether it is time for a change. Appreciating every room in the house is one of the main perks of homeownership, and as Dale says, “The kitchen is the heart of the home.”
