Driftless Home and Garden: Decorah family takes on dream home renovation

Adam and Hannah Hemesath of rural Decorah embarked on a significant home renovation project, aiming to meet the unique needs of their growing family — seven in all.

Adam, a Decorah native, met Hannah, who haled from Mt. Pleasant, while they were attending Iowa State University in Ames. They married in 2013, and their family flourished during the 12 years which followed. They have five daughters: Alexis, age 9; Natalie, age 7; Paige, age 5; Kallie, age 3; and Linley, 18 months.

Adam is engaged in farming and Hannah, a former local teacher, is a full-time wife and mother.

The Hemesaths focused on transforming their historic home just off the Locust Road, starting from the studs in some areas and retaining some of the house’s original, fundamental structure — the home.

“From what I could find, the house was built in 1900,” Adam said. “The previous owners moved into the house in June of 1975. They said they gutted the upstairs and main level, as well as added the garage and living room areas after moving in. When that family renovated the home, they moved the kitchen from the northwest wall — where our laundry room and powder room currently sit — to the southwest corner.”

The Hemesaths renovated nearly every room of their home, and they completed much of the demolition work themselves. The family added their own, unique style as they extended the kitchen, capturing a portion of the former garage for their new open-concept space. The north side of the home boasts a massive, new addition, featuring a master suite and full bath on the main floor.

“We purchased the property in March of 2022 and poured concrete in October of 2022,” Adam said. “We did what I thought was a fair amount of demolition on our own, as we could, including removing existing closets, flooring, paneling, kitchen cupboards, countertops and more. Looking back, we only made a dent in what was to come. It was gratifying having done some of the work ourselves.”

The family was able to live elsewhere until the house was ready for its seven new residents to move in — an approach Hannah recommends.

“Not having to live in the house while renovations happened was a complete blessing,” she said. “I can’t imagine we would have the same positive feelings about the project had we been here for the entire renovation. I would say if you are taking on a project like this, really be confident in how your family utilizes your home. It helps to know so you can ensure the flow of your house will make you feel comfortable and you will be happy with each space. Having a large family, we were very intentional about each space and tried to imagine how we anticipated using the spaces as our children grow and age.”

Starting with a plan

The project took a few years to complete, and plans for a new kitchen, playroom updates and some additional space to grow were incorporated into the family’s dream home design. The Hemesaths renovation plans also gave key consideration to creating an enjoyable space for everyone and providing a bedroom for each of their daughters.

“They’ve never had their own rooms before,” Hannah said.

Each of the girls chose a Bible verse to write on the studs of their bedrooms before the drywall went up. They were also tasked with selecting the color schemes and light fixtures in their rooms.

“It was fun to see what choices they made and how it reflected their personalities,” Hannah said.

Hannah praised the work of contractors and vendors as they prioritized layouts, maximized storage and created flexible spaces to accommodate the family’s various activities.

Casey Johnson, their contractor, undertook many of the tasks involved in blending contemporary and classic design styles, creating the look and function the Hemesaths were channeling.

Adam and Hannah agreed that they are happy with the results. They were able to reimagine the main living areas and include what they called a functional, aesthetic refresh for the house along the way.

“I think the renovation went very smoothly because of the great communication our contractor had with us,” Hannah said. “Casey was very intuitive and wanted us to be happy with our home. He was patient with us in all the decision-making we had to do. There were so many more decisions to make than we had imagined! At times that can get overwhelming, but if taken in stride it’s manageable. We are extremely happy with how everything came together, and I feel incredibly blessed every morning waking up in this house. When we first moved in, I truly felt like I was waking up into a dream. It seemed surreal.”

Adam echoed her feelings.

“Overall, I feel the renovation/addition went very well,” he said. “First of all, Hannah had a floor plan down before the project started, so that was very helpful knowing how to start the project. With gutting an older home basically down to the studs, we were a bit nervous what other surprises would arise. Thankfully, we didn’t run into any big issues, just a few minor things here and there. Overall, we are extremely happy with how the project turned out. Casey was great to work with and would always stay in contact with us to make sure we were pleased and on the same page.”

Details help blend past and present

The home’s front porch entry gives way to an open living room and dining area as well as a massive open-concept kitchen. A new laundry room and half-bathroom were also added to the house. 

Selection of the perfect kitchen backsplash was a labor of love for Hannah. After extensive searching, they finally chose a herringbone subway tile pattern which required a little tender loving care from their contractor, whom the couple said came through in a big way. Classic, dark countertops complement the white cabinetry throughout the kitchen.

A reimagined den is situated near the living area – perfect for spending quiet time reading or quilting.

A doorway from the den leads to Adam and Hannah’s main floor master suite, complete with a full bathroom and walk-in closet, which is separated with pocket doors.

The home’s expanded basement boasts a large playroom for the children, a half-bath and an office for Adam.

A new, open stairway leads to the home’s second floor, which features five bedrooms and a full bathroom.

But even amid all the updates, keeping a part of the original structure was important to the Hemesaths.

“I really wanted to leave the chimney exposed so it would be a focal point when entering through the garage,” Hannah said. “I do love seeing it first thing when I come out of our bedroom. I love the history of old homes and wanted to try to preserve and showcase that in the renovation.”

The home’s lower level and portions of the outdoor space boast wood accents milled from trees taken down to make room for the large addition.

“We built shelving in the playroom, as well as for the floor in the chicken coop and playhouse,” Adam said.

The family’s future plans for their acreage include adding to their new, expansive garden.

“I have a garden and strawberry patch to the west of the house, by the chicken coop — original to the farm and renovated for use now,” Hannah said. “I started the garden before we moved here and love that it is something my kids do with me. We start the seeds together each spring. The girls help me water and weed throughout the summer. The most rewarding part is when we get to check what bounty our garden has in late summer. I always joke that the fence is more to keep the girls out of the tomatoes than for animals. We’re hoping to fix up the old building out back that’s been damaged by wind. The girls have dreams of a pony, goats and some cows, and the building has a lot of potential.”

More photos here.