ALakesideRetreatWhenMarkandPambuiltanewhome20yearsago,theywantedaplacewheretheywouldcreategreatmemorieswiththeiryoungfamily.Overtheensuingyears,thathome,builtonagorgeousbluffover-lookingRileyLakeinChanhassen,didjustthat.Theylandscapedthehillsidedowntoalittleprivatelakeoasiswithfirepitanddock.Andwithjustanoccasionalupdateorrepairinside,friendsandfamilyalikemadethisafavoredgatheringplace.Fastforwardto2006.Theiroldest,Katie,wasoutonherown,LaurawasingraduateschoolwhileJohnhadjustayearorsoofhighschoolleftwhentheydiscoveredsomemoistureproblemsattheirlake-viewpicturewindow."Wehadmoisturetestingdoneanddecided,whatbettertimeRenovatingDreamstheirYouloveyourneighborhood...andyourneighborsaren'tsobadeither.Butyourhouse...itjustdoesn'tfityourlifestyleoryourfamilyanylonger.Whatdoyoudo?Youremodel.SeewhyandhowtheseTwinCitiesfamiliesrenovatedandturnedtheiroldhousesintotheirnewdreamhomes.ByWendyDanks

www.paradeofhomes.orgParadeofHomesSM|7thannowtocombinetheneededrepairswithourdreamtoupdateourhome,"saysPam.Markagreed."Likemosthomeowners,wehadtalkedforyearsaboutwhatwewouldwanttodoifweremodeled.Wedecided,OKaslongasthisisallgoingtotakeplace,whydon'twegoaheadandmakethishappen."Thusbegantheiradventureinremodeling."Westartedwithacon-cept,"explainedMark."Weknewwhatthescopeoftheprojectwouldbeandwehiredanarchitectandthenhadthreebuilderstakealookatourplans."Theremodelingincludedtheentireexteriorwithanadditiononthemainleveltocreatetheirnew"lakeroom"forTVandrelaxing.Muchofthemainlevelwastoberedoneaswellastheiroutdoorlivingspaces.AMEKCustomBuildersgotthejobandbeganworkinearlyApril."Theywerereally,reallygood,"saidMark."Creativethinkers,forsure,buttheywereverysensitiveaboutourbudgetneedsandevery-thingelse,too.Wethoughttherewasanicebalancethere."Pamwasimpressedwiththeirdesignideasaswellastheirattentiontodetail.AtonepointPamandAMEK'sco-ownerMattSchmidtwereoutsidediscussingthepatioplans."Wewerelook-ingatthisspaceandhowtodrawpeoplein,"saidPam."Mattstartedtyingthearchesintotheoutdoorfireplacedesign,andwow.SoItalkedtoMarkabouttheidea."Helikedittoo,andintheend"itwasoneofthebestdecisionswemade."Thattrustpaidoff.Their"new"dreamhomeistrulybeautiful!SeeitthisfallduringtheParadeofHomesRemodelersShowcaseSMat#R36byAmekCustomBuilders,Inc.,9381KiowaTrail,ChanhassenandvisitAmekonlineatwww.amekinc.comR36????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????MATTSTARTEDTYINGTHEARCHESINTOTHEOUTDOORFIREPLACEDESIGN,ANDWOW.SOITALKEDTOMARKABOUTTHEIDEA."HELIKEDITTOO,ANDINTHEEND"ITWASONEOFTHEBESTDECISIONSWEMADE.«CONTINUEDTOPG21»CONTINUEDTOPG19