Tree Fort - Addition & Remodel

In 2013, my wife and I bought our first home in Billings, MT, charmed by its character and neighborhood. By 2019, we were considering moving, our house had limitations that a simple remodel couldn't fix. That summer, a massive hailstorm hit the city causing significant damage, our insurance deemed our siding and roof a total loss . It was when we were faced with repair decisions that we realized this was a unique opportunity to invest in making this our forever home.
We came up with a plan to add a modern addition to our traditional 1940’s home. We removed a 17-foot section of the rear wall, expanding our main level kitchen and bathroom four feet into the backyard. We removed the same 17-foot section of the roof and added a second story where we added a spacious master bedroom, on-suite bathroom, and walk-in closet. During the design process my wife suggested a rooftop deck to offset the lost yard space. These additions resulted in a central tower we call the “Treefort,” a modern contrast to the original house. Inside, we honored the home’s original character by keeping details like cove ceilings, original wood floors, raked plaster walls, and trimless bullnose door casings. Carrying some of these elements into the modern addition added cohesion and maintained the charm we fell in love with. In total, we added 493 square feet of living space and converted the remainder of the existing attic into 300 square feet of storage.