By Melanie Radzicki McManus | Photography by Shanna Wolf
When Katie and Dave Cappozzo moved into their 4,300-square-foot home on Lake Waubesa in 2014, they were thrilled to be living on the water. There was just one problem, and it was a big one.
The home was built in the 1960s as a cabin. Since then, it had undergone seven additions, with the seventh done in the 1980s. So, the home had an unusual layout and was outdated. It was also too big for a tear-down and rebuild.
“Remodeling was an overwhelming prospect, because where do you even start?” says Katie.
The couple began by updating the home’s exterior, installing new windows and siding. Then, in 2021, they tapped Mojo Home Interiors, a Monona interior design and remodeling firm, to tackle the home’s second floor.
The project went so well, with the work done on time and on budget, that they returned to Mojo when it was time to remodel the home’s main floor. This was more of a challenge, in part because the main level was laid out in a nonsensical manner, Katie says. The couple wanted a better flow to the space, fewer walls and a larger kitchen.
Rather than stressing about the details, as the couple had done during the upper-floor remodel, the Cappozzos turned over the entire project to Mojo — namely, Jodie Amerell, vice president and senior interior designer.
“All I did was pick out the lights and the door handles for the cupboards,” Katie says.
The results far exceeded the couple’s expectations. The home’s entry, once a compact space lacking amenities for a family of five, is now equipped with coat hooks, a bench crafted from a backyard tree they had removed and a cabinet for stashing quick-grab items. The old, cramped kitchen now includes a butler’s pantry, where the family hides bulky kitchen appliances. The new, spacious kitchen features a striking black island and many other amenities.
But the most stunning part of the remodel is the dining room, which features a massive stone fireplace. The stones were once shades of red, yellow and gold — warm tones that clashed with the home’s updated palette of black, gray and white. So Amerell suggested painting the stones black to masterfully blend the fireplace into the new aesthetic.
“Everybody said, ‘Do what?!’” Amerell says. “But after we painted it, then added the light fixture and other elements, we were like, ‘Holy, moly!’ The room sang so much you could hear it hum.”
“We were so happy with the entire project,” Katie says. “It all turned out way better than we expected.”
Designer Directives
If your budget allows, hire an interior designer to help with your home remodel, says Jodie Amerell, vice president and senior interior designer at Mojo Home Interiors. And she doesn’t say this out of self-interest.
“Interior designers can always see things better and greater than what you can envision for yourself,” Amerell says. “They’re good visionaries who are able to create a plan and then stick to it.”
Whether or not you end up tapping an interior designer for your next project, Amerell offers three pieces of advice for those planning a home renovation:
- Pick the mood or feeling you want to create first, then select colors and textures to support that feeling.
- Select a focal point to build your room around.
- To create a cohesive look, repeat three elements, such as a shape, color or material.
