Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/46359
live at home Room for Imagination It was an unexpected discovery. In their pre-civil war home on Jenifer Street, artist Lynn Lee (who also works at Ground Zero Coffee, which his brother owns) and partner Steve Skaggs were in the midst of a major remodel when they climbed to their unfi nished attic and found a diamond in the rough. "The ceiling was so high, we knew we had to make this a livable space," Lee says, who dreamed up the ultimate playroom for their 4-year-old daughter. Re-using items found at Habitat ReStore, they created a space for fun, family and letting imagination take fl ight. A kid-size kitchen and adjacent window seat hide the home's duct work, trans- forming what could have been an eye-sore into functional space. "Anything that is an obstacle, you can make work," Lee says. Lee transformed structural necessities into eye-catching accents. Structural beams became a place to hang lanterns under a dreamy sky mural and pipes double as fanciful trees. "I think kids having an imagination is a great thing," he says of devoting his attic to a playroom. Throughout the home, Lee made use of resources found at Habitat ReStore. Here, everything from the hardwood fl ooring and paint to the cabinetry in the pint-sized kitchen came from repurposed material. A cozy reading nook and window seat provide space for quiet time, and are highlighted by an original stained glass window. "That's a bit of Madison history right there," Lee says. Crafted in the 1800s by a man working his way across the country, similar windows can be found throughout historic east side homes. 24 BRAVA Magazine October 2011 Photos by Amber Arnold