Raising the roof: creativity reigns in the amazing transformation of a 1950s ranch-style home.

All Ann Barron wanted was a new front door. Really. She mentioned to her architect husband Rick that she thought a new front door would change the look of the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath ranch home in northeast Jackson they'd shared for 2S years. As they talked about it, one thing led to another, and before they knew it, they'd decided to make a few other changes. Big ones.

"We'd thought about building a new house, so we started looking around in the suburbs and the available land in Jackson," says Ann, a watercolor artist, "and every time we headed home, we wished there was land available in our neighborhood. So we made the decision to stay in our house and make some changes."

The Barrons knew the transformation they wanted for their home would require the skills of a talented architect, and they decided on Rick because, Ann laughs, "he seemed to have our best interest at heart, and best of all, his price was right."

After nearly two years of planning--they designed it twice because Ann thought the first design "looked like a dentist's office'--and another year and a half of renovation, the Barrons' home has become a spacious four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath showplace that bears little resemblance to its modest origins. Instead of the proposed wing addition to their one-story house, they decided to go up instead of out, ripping off the old roof and adding a second story. In fact, the only feature carried over to the new look is a small portion of the roofline over the original entryway.

Rick and Ann made the decision to live in their home throughout the renovation process so Rick could meet with the contractor before going to work each morning. Their grown children thought they were "nuts," and friends warned them, "Don't do it!" But the Barrons bravely faced the challenge with the help of contractor Jim Hitt of Renaissance Construction, whose daily meetings with Rick were often conducted as Rick shaved and dressed for work.

"The whole crew became such a part of our lives that Rick said one day that he couldn't remember whether he should give a goodbye kiss to the contractor or me!" laughs Ann.

The renovation process was grueling. As much as Ann wanted the changes, seeing her home gutted was a surreal experience. "I never realized how awful it feels to watch people rip into the structure that has held our family close and warm for 25 years," Ann recalls. "It made me sad and more than a little angry. There were times when I just wanted to run out yelling, 'Stop!'"

A stiff upper lip and a tremendous amount of humor got the Barrons through the ordeal. The months of planning prior to starting the project created a meeting of the minds, and they found that the renovation did little to affect their close relationship. "We didn't have a single falling out about this house," Rick smiles. "We fall out over other things, but not this."

Ann took pictures of the progress daily, rejoicing as each of the little details they'd discussed became reality. She grew accustomed to the steady stream of workers in every inch of her home and yard, sawing, hammering, digging, and always, always needing a decision. "I was in bed nursing a broken foot," Ann recalls, "and one of the workers came in and stood at the edge of my bed while we discussed his next move."

Life among the progress was challenging at times. With the front yard excavated to correct its drainage problems, a narrow board served as the pathway to the front door, a treacherous walk for every visitor from the Barrons' children to those brave enough to deliver pizza. "Our pizza man was scared of us for a year," Ann laughs. "And once, FedEx returned a package to the sender because they thought the dwelling was unoccupied."

The long days crawled by, and the Christmas season approached. Ann and Rick refused to let the remodeling process stop them from celebrating, so they nailed the Christmas stockings onto the studs in the living room. "Santa was confused that year," Ann says. When the first anniversary of the construction rolled around, Ann gave an anniversary cake to the workers, but she warned them that "there wouldn't be one on the second!"

Slowly the house began to take shape, and along the way, the Barrons stumbled into a few "happy mistakes." Four stained-glass windows they'd bought as newlyweds found homes in the new walls. Some old pine boards from the original roof deck became flooring in Ann's upstairs artist's studio. The Barrons congratulated themselves on putting the boards, which were functional but far from beautiful, to good use. The painter offered to stain the floors, and when Ann and Rick saw the results, they were stunned to discover that their old boards had taken on the deep, rich brown luster of fine furniture.

Another happy mistake evolved as an upstairs closet was being framed. Rick had been suffering from a pinched nerve that made climbing the new stairs a painful chore. He had been looking for a place for a future elevator, and the new closet, positioned above an existing downstairs closet, provided the perfect spot.

Rick's involvement in the remodeling process really stepped up when he took over a large unfinished area upstairs and turned it into a woodworking shop. "Ann wanted a dining room and I wanted a shop, so I bought tools to do some projects." Rick's "projects" have included building and installing the desk and storage drawers in his architect's studio, both made from black laminate trimmed in African mahogany. Sixteen cypress doors used throughout the house came from Rick's new shop. "He didn't even know how to make a door!" grins Ann. Rick agrees but says, "after the first one, it got easier." And Ann did eventually get her "new" front door, or two, rather--a pair of old doors found in New Orleans. Rick created a matching pair that he installed on the second-floor porch.

Rick's handiwork is woven throughout the house, from the master bathroom counters of Philippine mahogany to the kitchen's walk-in pantry, which he shelved in black laminate trimmed in mahogany. He fitted the pantry with a pull-out counter that allows the cook to measure and mix ingredients right there, eliminating the need to transfer flour, sugar, and other dry goods to the kitchen.

As the project neared completion, Ann realized she needed a professional to help decorate her new space, so she called on Madison interior designer Cynthia Thomas. "I was struggling with choosing colors and dealing with the broken foot," Ann remembers. "I talked with my friend Joel Brown at Brown's Fine Art and Framing, and he suggested I call Cynthia."

Cynthia, a designer known for her keen sense of color, felt that the colors used in the house should be inspired by Ann's paintings. Cynthia selected 28 works from Ann's collection and took them to Brown's for framing. She encouraged the Barrons to use pieces they'd collected during their marriage, things Ann referred to as "our relics," so that the new spaces were infused with the comfort of familiar things.

Choosing wall colors proved challenging, as the varying ceiling heights, natural light, and open spaces required several test quarts of paint. "When we were through, we had at least 30 different quarts of paint," Cynthia notes. "We'd put a color on the wall, and as the light changed during the day, we'd realize it just wasn't right." They finally settled on colors that both complemented the natural surroundings and highlighted Ann's artwork.

A new entryway was created in the space once occupied by their garage. Rick envisioned a space that would let light penetrate deeply into the house while still preserving privacy. A long hallway accomplishes Rick's vision and provides a gallery for Ann's paintings.

A dining room off the main entryway fulfills one of Ann's fondest wishes. "I wanted a separate room, not a nook like I had before." The wall-sized windows are softened by warm taupe-colored woven window treatments that filter light.

An area that once housed a playroom has become a spacious laundry room and an elegant powder room. The original den is enlarged both up and out, and the addition of the two-story window wall makes the backyard view a focal point of the room. A small screened porch off the kitchen replaces the former front entrance, giving the couple a cozy place to relax after a long day.

The new second floor is a spacious retreat for Rick and Ann. Their master bedroom opens onto another screened porch that gives the feeling of being in a treehouse. A double set of louvered doors from the master bath also opens onto the porch, allowing Ann to treat herself to a long soak in her antique claw-foot tub in the cool night air. The master closet entrance is positioned away from the view from the bedroom, eliminating the need for a door. The added luxury of a morning kitchen upstairs means the Barrons can enjoy their first cup of coffee on their porch before heading down to start the day.

A small nook for watching television, Rick's architect's studio, Ann's artist's studio, the workshop, and another porch complete the new floor, though Ann plans to eventually reclaim the workshop space to use as storage and to ship Rick and his tools to another location.

The Barrons agree that the experience was challenging, even "scary at times," but they both say they are pleased with the results--so pleased that Rick has plans for a post-retirement career in residential architecture. And though their lives were turned inside out, they both know they made the right decision.

"There's not a square inch of this house that we don't use every day," Ann says. "We relish every corner of it."

how to survive a major remodel 

Rick and Ann Barron offer tips on how to stay sane while living through a home remodeling project:

1. Communication with the contractor is key. "It's important to find a contractor willing to work with you and your ideas," says Rick.

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2. Focus on the finished product, "When things were bad, I kept visualizing how it was going to be," says Ann. "I was always a few steps ahead."

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3. Realize that it is a temporary situation. "We'd have to sweep up sunflower seeds and other things left behind by the workers," says Rick. "What was their workplace was our home!"

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4. Keep a sense of humor, "Rick asked me how many inches I needed to fold clothes, and I said I'd folded clothes on top of the dryer my whole married life," Ann grins. "He took that to mean 27 1/2 inches."

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