This story was originally published in Dwell’s September/October 2017 issue.

“The house had a generic look—lots of golden pine, chopped-up spaces, and laminate countertops,” says designer Diana Vincent of High Camp Home about a 2,700-square-foot A-frame she recently renovated alongside MSM Construction.

The team enlarged the kitchen and opened it to the living and dining areas, creating one large space. A dark, cramped staircase was replaced with a free-floating one.

Reconfiguring the primary bedroom and a bathroom yielded yet more precious usable space. “My first project in design school was an A-frame,” says Vincent. “There will always be something cool in a weird way about an A-frame—you just have to look for it.”