Right At Home
A thoughtful remodel transforms a house into the perfect place for retirement
Some retirees choose snowbird life. Some downsize to a condo. Some decide to travel. Henry and Rhoda had different plans.
The couple decided to find a quiet home in Billings surrounded by greenery, with room for their friends and family, plus plenty of space for the hobbies they each enjoy.
“When you reach retirement age,” Henry says, “you know what you want, what you like and what you can live without.”
Mowing and maintaining an acre of land for a number of years, Henry decided he could “live without” a lot of yard work. So, as a couple, they put a lot of thought into what would make them happy in this chapter of their lives.
They knew they wanted a real sense of peacefulness and a true Montana feel to their everyday surroundings.
THE PROCESS
After finding the perfect existing home with up-close backyard views of a well-established golf course, Henry and Rhoda made a decision. They would camp out in their new home for a few months before deciding exactly what they wanted to remodel.
“When we decided that this was ‘the one,’ we knew there were going to be things that we definitely wanted to change,” Henry says.
The couple quickly realized the wood floors were warped. The appliances were worn and unreliable and both the kitchen and master bath layouts weren’t up to par.
They’d seen the 31-year veteran contractor Jeremy Freyenhagen’s work numerous times when visiting friends and family. Being impressed with what they saw and heard about his portfolio, Henry and Rhoda knew they wanted Freyenhagen Construction in charge of giving their new home a facelift.
THE VIBE
They wanted a modern look and feel to their home, but not ultra-modern.
Angie Freyenhagen, Jeremy’s wife and the main designer for Freyenhagen Construction, brainstormed ideas to keep some of the old while adding new touches to bring a contemporary vibe to the home.
“Working with the Henry and Rhoda was a pleasure,” Angie says. “They had a strong sense of what they liked, which gave us a great starting point.”
The Freyenhagen design team spent time walking through finishes, materials and color selections with Henry and Rhoda, really listening to how they wanted the space to feel.
“We begin with layout and functionality, then refine those ideas, bringing everything together into a cohesive, transitional design with clean lines and warmth, rather than anything overly trend-driven,” Angie says. “I’m so grateful to work alongside our design team, Jody and Stephanie, who help bring each project to life.”
Angie also suggested leaving touches of the original wood, such as the window framing in the kitchen, which adds warmth to the space.
They also took Angie’s advice to replace the outdated wooden stair railing and replace it with a bit of black iron for a polished, geometric look. The new railing was added to all the railings both inside and out.
WARMTH & BEAUTY
The fireplaces, both on the main floor living area and the basement family room, had been brick and previously painted a dark, foreboding blue. All told, two tons of fireplace brick were removed from the home.
“Using shiplap,” says Jeremy, “we designed the new fireplaces and painted them taupe, creating a modern focal point.”
New gas fireplace inserts from Billings Fireplace Showroom/White Heating and Air Conditioning added efficiency. A wood mantel surrounded by black marble gave the new fireplace a sleek feel. The fireplaces now fit in beautifully with the overall atmosphere of the home, becoming a compelling feature in the living area and the basement family room.
Luxury vinyl flooring, new paint and ceilings throughout and new windows and frames put the finishing touches on this contemporary, stylish home.
THE HEART OF THE HOME
Originally Rhoda felt the kitchen was too small, and the longer the couple used it prior to the remodel, the more they realized they needed a little extra elbow room.
The Freyenhagen team was able to reduce the size of the existing laundry room and remove an outdated powder room just off the original kitchen in order to double the size of the kitchen.
“I love having the big Island,” Rhoda says. “This is a great space. It’s perfect for entertaining.”
The lights above the Corian-topped kitchen island are statement pieces. They not only help give the kitchen a rustic warmth; they contain Fresnel lenses designed to concentrate and soften light.
The wood Angie suggested retaining around the kitchen window, along with the wood on the floating shelves next to the pantry, give the kitchen a comfortable and cozy feel. The result is a spacious, warm and bright kitchen with lots of windows which flood the area with natural light.
THE MASTER BATH
The couple knew they wanted to freshen up their master bath, but Rhoda was hoping for a little something extra.
“We previously had a master bath with a pocket door for the commode, and we really wanted one in this home, if possible,” Rhoda says.
The Freyenhagen team made it happen by replacing a large soaking tub with a new ceramic tile walk-in shower. That gave the team the ability to move the master bath doorway to accommodate Rhoda’s wish.
A PLACE CALLED HOME
Henry and Rhoda had previously been impressed by Jeremy and his work, and now they have their own story to tell.
“Jeremy told us the remodel would take exactly three months, and it did,” Henry says. “He gave us a budget, and it was the amount he said it would be. We are not only impressed with him, we trust him.”
The same can be said of Henry and Rhoda, as far as Jeremy is concerned.
“They were great to work with. They were trusting and open to suggestions during the design process and decisive when they needed to be,” Jeremy says. “They really seemed to appreciate that we were organized and followed along with our shared construction schedule daily.”
Henry and Rhoda are now happily nestled in their newly remodeled, modern home with a stunning view of beautiful trees and sloping green grass, just the way they imagined it.
