Small Home Remodels Are the Modern Answer

Homeowners are finding their smaller homes may need a little remodeling work in order for them to have a comfortable fit, a well-designed usage of space, and distinct sense of belonging. That was the goal for Robert Drake and Deborah Lenz. They bought their tiny North Park home in 1989. It was 740 square feet on a very small lot.

“My wife was the one who said ‘We’re better off putting money into this house and getting it fixed up. Why don’t we just look into it and see what it would cost?’ So we did and it made the best financial sense to just invest in this house, especially in light of what has happened to the housing and mortgage market,” says Drake.

Now, after 80 percent of their home was renovated by Marrokal Design and Remodeling, it’s turned into a comfortable, flowing floor plan. By adding a second floor, the home nearly doubled in square footage to 1,300 and increased from two bedrooms and one bath to three bedrooms and two baths.

“I like to say that now it feels adult-size. It’s just the two of us and two dogs. It feels spacious, yet it’s not big; it feels like a really good fit for us,” says Drake.

Often, envisioning how a small home can be turned into a right-sized fit for homeowners can be challenging. Marrokal Design and Remodeling recently completed several remodels of bungalow homes, including the Drake/Lenz remodel, in North Park and University Heights areas. Davies own home, a modernist bungalow, was also remodeled.