A Whole-Home Remodel in Madison's Nakoma Neighborhood

Older Madison homes have a character that's worth protecting, and in Nakoma's historic neighborhood, this remodel was executed entirely around that idea. Every decision, from the first energy audit to the last piece of handmade tile, was guided by the homeowners' clear creative vision and a shared commitment to honoring what made the house special in the first place. The renovation touched nearly every major living space - the kitchen, living room fireplace, two bathrooms, a powder room, a sunroom, and the basement, and the result is a home that feels cohesive and true to its character from top to bottom.

Starting with a home performance audit

Before a single wall came down, we brought in a specialist to run a full home performance audit. The results pointed to several areas where cold air was sneaking in: around the attic hatch, through the old gas fireplace, and in the basement. Addressing these issues wasn't just a comfort upgrade; it was the responsible first step before renovating, and it shaped decisions made throughout the rest of the project.

A kitchen and fireplace update with artisan tile

One of the most unique elements of this remodel is the tile. True to their creative vision, the homeowners chose handmade ceramic tile from Motawi Tileworks, an artisan studio in Michigan that makes tile pieces entirely by hand. Our team worked directly with Motawi’s designers to create a custom layout that fit our client’s vision.

The tile, along with some beautiful hand-painted accent pieces, creates connection points between the kitchen backsplash, the fireplace surround and the main-floor bathroom.

In the kitchen, we updated the electrical layout - outlets moved beneath the upper cabinets to keep the tile uninterrupted, switches consolidated and converted to antique push-button style, and the range hood upgraded with a new Wolf remote blower system.

The same Motawi tile carries into the living room, where the fireplace was rebuilt from scratch - framed out, lined with traditional firebrick veneer, and finished with oak trim stained to match the home's existing woodwork. The homeowners supplied a cast iron dragon panel for the firebox interior, which Chads cut to size, sandblasted, and painted matte black.

Two bathroom remodels, two approaches

The first-floor powder room was refreshed with new Motawi tile flooring, a new vanity, and updated lighting - a smaller scope, but one that creates connection between the entire first-floor design.

The downstairs bathroom was a different story entirely: a full gut-and-rebuild with a redesigned layout, new drain lines cut through concrete, and floor-to-ceiling tile from Fireclay Tile in a braided picket pattern that flows seamlessly from the floor up both side walls. The remaining two walls run all the way to the ceiling in a white rectangular tile, creating a room that feels enveloping at every angle. A Kohler digital shower system, linear drain, heated towel bar, and white oak vanity with quartz top complete the space.

Honoring the character of Nakoma

This wasn't a cosmetic refresh - it was a structural, mechanical, and design overhaul of a Madison home that clearly meant a great deal to its owners. The recurring use of artisan tile ties the spaces together visually, while the energy work underneath it all ensures the home performs as well as it looks. Every detail elevates the home while honoring the historic character of the Nakoma neighborhood.

The kitchen received a full backsplash transformation, with 42 square feet of Motawi tile installed by a specialty tile contractor. The range hood was also pulled out, the ductwork corrected for better airflow, and a custom stainless steel grease trough was fabricated to solve a persistent problem with the existing hood.

Beyond the tile, we updated the electrical layout: outlets were moved from the backsplash wall to beneath the upper cabinets to keep the tile uninterrupted, and the light switches were consolidated onto a single wall and converted to antique push-button style to match the character of the home. The range hood was customized with a new Wolf remote blower system for better performance.