Underachieving to Amazing – Before & After the Renovation
Modern Dellwood Transformation
In a housing market where moving often feels impossible, more homeowners are asking: What if we didn’t have to move at all? What if the home we’re in could become the one we’ve always dreamed of?
The owners of this project, had a home in a location they loved, but with an exterior and finishes they did not. The owners came to Chris Doehrmann Architect with a vision — not for simply more space, but for a more dynamic home that fit their lives better. One that felt open, connected to the environment, and designed uniquely for them. Today, we will explore how this home went from underachieving to amazing, showing the before & afters of the renovation.
Reimagining the Flow of Daily Life
When Chris first visited the home, it was clear: these owners loved their neighborhood and wooded site — but not its appearance or layout. The exterior was dated and nondescript, the kitchen was cut off from the living space, the natural light and views were underutilized, and the entry lacked the presence they desired.
What they needed wasn’t a teardown. It was a new vision of what they already had.
Working collaboratively, Chris helped the owners create a design that opened up the main level and expanded the roof lines and windows to create a bright and modern home. The result is spaces that flow with the rhythm of everyday life: cooking, gathering, relaxing, recharging — all under one intentionally designed roofline.
“It was the best decision we could have made.”
The homeowners didn’t choose Chris lightly.
“Before choosing Chris we looked around quite a bit. We visited architects’ work, we met with different architects, and there were several aspects of working with Chris that we really liked. The first of which is that we just felt a kinship with him right away. He was the type of person we could be friends with — and that made us feel like we would be able to communicate properly.”
That relationship of trust and communication became the foundation for everything.
“At the end of the day it was the best decision we could have made. Chris was both an incredibly wonderful person to work with and an incredibly talented person to work with. The results speak for themselves — and those results are because he knew what he was doing, not because we did.”
Where Creativity Meets Constraints
As with many real-world projects, the budget is always a consideration. Chris helped the owners refine their vision and adjust their wish list. Exploring creative solutions that helped them to achieve both their project and financial goals.
The final design is proof: when you work with an architect who listens first, you don’t feel like you are making compromises. Instead, you have all of the information you need to make the decisions that are right for you. It’s just all part of the process of creating the home that is uniquely you!
Architect-Guided, Owner-Dreamed
One of the special things about this project was how collaborative it was. Chris worked closely with the family to find out how they truly wanted to live. Many homeowners aren’t sure what they need – so Chris listens deeply, asking the right questions, so he can shape the design around their vision and their life rather than his preconceived style.
“My goal isn’t to make it ‘my’ design,” Chris says. “It’s to help people live more fully in the spaces they already call home.”
See More on the 2025 Homes by Architects Tour
The Dellwood project is just one example of the power of transformation. Coming this fall, you can experience another in person! — the Modern Ramsey Transformation as featured in the 2025 Homes by Architects Tour.
Follow along as we continue sharing before-and-after stories in the lead-up to the tour, and then come walk through a renovated home that proves you don’t need to move to have the home of your dreams.