Old meets new in Craftsman remodel

Before: Dining room

Ericka McConnell boldly banished many interior walls of her 1900s Craftsman in Oakland, Calif. Now this dining space is part of a combined kitchen, dining area, living space and home office.

"I love that we can entertain with kids in the breakfast nook and grown-ups in the dining area or living room," McConnell says. "It works for everybody. It's not just a grown-up house."

• MSN Lifestyle: 8 things you didn't know about decorating
  
  
• Twitter users: Get the latest updates from MSN Real Estate
  
  
• Bing Cube: View more dining room makeovers

Before: Exterior

The family decided to build a second story to the home while maintaining the architectural style of the neighborhood. "We didn't want to be a crazy modern house in a traditional-looking area," Ericka McConnell says.

• Video: Building new, 'old' homes
  
  
• Sunset.com: 60 inspiring kitchen designs

Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring.

Raising the roof

With the addition of a story, the home now has space for two bedrooms, a bathroom and a playroom upstairs.

• MSN Lifestyle: 8 things you didn't know about decorating
  
  
• Twitter users: Get the latest updates from MSN Real Estate
  
  
• Video: Tips to save on remodeling

Old meets new

The Douglas fir subflooring was uncovered during the remodel and refinished. "I love its character and sense of history," Ericka McConnell says. "The idea of new flooring felt too uniform." The steel staircase is new, of course, but it has a weathered, industrial look.

• Video: Building new, 'old' homes
  
  
• Sunset.com: 60 inspiring kitchen designs

Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring.

Before: Living room

Despite a lot of tight spaces in the original home, the family saw potential. "It was really important to me to find a home with good natural light," Ericka McConnell says. "And the weather here can't be beat."

• MSN Lifestyle: 8 things you didn't know about decorating
  
  
• Twitter users: Get the latest updates from MSN Real Estate
  
  
• Bing Cube: View more living-room makeovers

After: Light-filled living room

Filmy white shades diffuse sunlight through the sitting area, helped by pale fabrics and rugs.

• Video: Building new, 'old' homes
  
  
• Sunset.com: 60 inspiring kitchen designs

Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring.

Room to grow

In addition to the second floor's two bedrooms, a third area serves as daughter Flora's playroom. "I've never had an extra room. It feels so luxurious," says Ericka McConnell, who imagines turning it into a library or painting studio someday.

• MSN Lifestyle: 8 things you didn't know about decorating
  
  
• Twitter users: Get the latest updates from MSN Real Estate
  
  
• Bing Cube: View more playrooms

Guest house provides breathing space

A small guest house, complete with a mini loft, sits in the backyard. "We left behind a big community in New York," Ericka McConnell says. "But here we can host people, something that wasn't as easy to do in an urban East Coast home without any bonus rooms or outdoor space."

• Video: Building new, 'old' homes
  
  
• Sunset.com: 60 inspiring kitchen designs

Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring.

Before: Floor plan

Before the remodel, the home was just a single story with a footprint of about 1,200 square feet. The space was broken up into small, walled-in rooms.

• MSN Lifestyle: 8 things you didn't know about decorating
  
  
• Twitter users: Get the latest updates from MSN Real Estate
  
  
• Video: Tips to save on remodeling

After: Remodeled floor plan

Now the home is two stories and a total of 2,345 square feet. The ground floor promotes communal living, while the second floor allows for privacy.

• Video: Building new, 'old' homes
  
  
• Sunset.com: 60 inspiring kitchen designs

Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring.