Second Story Home Addition Project in Riverside Park Lansing, MI

Remodeling Project Overview:

Project Date: March, 2025
Service Provided: Second Story Home Addition and Remodeling
Location: Riverside Park Neighborhood, Lansing, Michigan

Kate and Brent loved the character of their longtime Lansing home, but the second floor had gradually become one of the least functional areas of the property. The sloped ceilings, awkward layout, and limited usable space made the upper level feel more like unfinished storage than a comfortable extension of the home.

Rather than moving, the couple partnered with Custom Built Design & Remodeling to completely reimagine the second floor into a peaceful, highly functional retreat that better supported their lifestyle while preserving the charm and personality of the original home.

The Challenge: Transforming an Underused Second Floor Into Livable Space

The existing second floor presented several structural and layout limitations that restricted comfort and usability. Short ceiling heights and sloped rooflines created awkward transitions throughout the space, while the lack of storage and organization made the upstairs difficult to use efficiently.

To create a more functional and comfortable retreat, the project required several major improvements:

• Improved Ceiling Height: Rework the roofline to increase usable headroom.
• Built-In Storage Solutions: Add cabinetry and seating that maximized every inch of available space.
• Better Temperature Control: Improve comfort throughout Michigan’s changing seasons.
• Enhanced Natural Light: Introduce brighter, more open-feeling spaces.

The homeowners wanted the remodeled second floor to feel calm, timeless, and intentionally designed while still preserving the cozy character of the original home.

The Solution: A Customized Second Floor Designed for Comfort and Character

To fully transform the upstairs, the Custom Built team removed and rebuilt the existing roof structure, allowing the second floor layout to be completely reconfigured for better flow, comfort, and usability. What had once been a restrictive limitation became one of the project’s defining design features.

To create the warm, functional retreat Kate and Brent envisioned, the remodeled second floor incorporated several customized elements throughout the space:

• Custom Built-In Cabinetry: Added practical storage while complementing the home’s architecture.
• Cozy Reading Nook: Created a dedicated relaxation space filled with natural light.
• Integrated Bench Seating: Maximized functionality while enhancing the room’s character.
• Mini-Split HVAC System: Improved year-round comfort and upstairs temperature control.

Construction required partial roof removal, framing modifications, and careful coordination to maintain the integrity of the existing home throughout the process. The result is a completely transformed second floor that now functions as a bright, organized, and highly livable extension of the home rather than unused storage space.