From Rental to Refined

The Results

This remodel turned a dated rental into a warm, functional home tailored to its owners. The new kitchen and dining space became the heart of the home—bright, open, and built for connection. Smart updates like the custom mudroom entrance and laundry room, cohesive cabinetry, and refinished floors added both everyday function and long-term value. Outside, new siding, windows and doors, and a refreshed entry portico gave the home a clean, durable look that fits the neighborhood. Every change was intentional, resulting in a home that’s not just more beautiful, but more livable in every way.

Project Goals

Kitchen + Dining Area
The homeowners wanted to combine the kitchen and dining room to create a central hub for cooking, gathering, and everyday living. Their goal was to achieve an open, light-filled layout with improved flow, increased storage, and a cohesive design. They also wanted the kitchen to feel timeless but functional, with high-quality finishes that would stand the test of time.

Laundry Room & Mudroom
A small, underused nook off the kitchen was reimagined as a laundry and mudroom. The goal was to create a practical, organized space that supported daily routines without feeling very cramped—complete with a new washer and dryer, folding space above, and smart storage, all while keeping the design in sync with the rest of the home.

Exterior Updates
Improving curb appeal and durability were top priorities. The homeowners wanted to replace aging vinyl siding with something more attractive and long-lasting, upgrade the front entry with a new portico for a more welcoming feel, and replace the old windows for better energy efficiency and aesthetics.

Whole-Home Consistency
Beyond individual rooms, the homeowners sought a unified look throughout the entire home. This included refinishing original wood floors, matching new flooring where needed, and updating trim and finishes to bring cohesion and flow from room to room.

Project Challenges

Transforming a former rental home in a beautiful Ann Arbor neighborhood into a refined, long-term home came with its share of challenges. Years of wear and a layout that needed to be opened up meant Meadowlark had to rethink the home’s flow without starting from scratch. Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room was key to creating an open, functional space, but it also required careful structural work to ensure stability and seamless integration.

One of the more creative challenges was turning a small nook off the kitchen into a practical laundry and mudroom space—every inch had to work hard without feeling too cramped. Matching new wood flooring to the existing material in tone and grain also demanded a high level of precision to keep the interior cohesive.

Throughout the project, our team at Meadowlark Design+Build worked to strike the right balance between updating the home and preserving its character, making design decisions that honored its original charm while bringing in modern comfort and style.

Working with a professional design-build company like Meadowlark means gaining insight you might not have considered on your own. Our in-house design team looks at the bigger picture, finding creative ways to rearrange spaces for better flow, function, and overall efficiency.

Product Selections

At Meadowlark, we use trusted, high-quality brands to ensure lasting results and a finished home our clients can count on.

For this project, our selections included:

• Kitchen: 
  
  • Black honed Soapstone along the kitchen perimenter
  • Blue Dune granite in a brushed finish on the island
  • BLANCO Undermount Single Basin Silgranit Kitchen Sink
    Pfister Neera Single Handle Pull Down Kitchen Faucet
  • Crystal Cabinetry Encore Frameless cabinetry with Danbury style doors.
  • Backsplash from Encore Ceramics - Imagine Precocious Glaze 
    
    

• Mudroom Passage + Laundry
  
  • Top Knobs Channing Pull in Ash Gray
  • Blue Dune Brushed Granite
  • Wow Cottage Tile in White
    
    

• Family Room: 
  
  • The new fireplace surround used leftover Soapstone material from the kitchen countertop installation. 
  • Kozy Heat Chaska fireplace

• Throughout the ground floor
  • All wood flooring was refinished with new wood laced-in, where needed.
  • Duraseal "Weathered Oak" Stain was used on the wood flooring.
  • Wood vent grilles were used to provide a seamless look.
    
    

• Exterior and Garage Updates 
  
  • Anderson 400 Series Windows with finelight grilles between the glass.
  • Timberline shingles in "Weathered Wood." 
  • Monument Shutter Company Compsite Flat Panel Shaker Style Shutters
  • Canyon Ridge^® Carriage House (4-Layer) Overhead Garage Door by Clopay.
  • James Hardie, Hardie Plank Lap Siding with a 7" exposure.
  • Therma-Tru Fiber-Classic Mahogany Shaker Style Door