Attic remodeling grows in appeal for homeowners staying put

MINNEAPOLIS - At the end of the day, it's easy for two Minneapolis couples to retreat to a quiet sanctuary. All they have to do is climb stairs that lead to the attic.

The couples' well-designed attic conversions transformed uncomfortably hot - and cold - sloped-wall rooms into appealing sleeping and living spaces.

Nancy and Dan Griffin live in a traditional Tudor with coved ceilings and chopped-up rooms, but upstairs they've created a master suite that boasts open and uncluttered Asian-influenced spaces where Dan can meditate each morning.

Linda and Gerry Berglin's remodeled attic in their Craftsman bungalow feels like it was always part of the house, yet it features a luxury bathroom, 10-foot ceilings and a closet as big as their kitchen.

"We've been getting a lot more inquiries about converting attics into usable space," said Dan Hayes of Plekkenpol Builders in Bloomington. "Creating a bedroom and bathroom by far are the most popular."

Many homeowners want to stay in their neighborhoods rather than move, and are exploring ways to expand, said Hayes. They might not have yard space for an addition, so they're heading upstairs. "The appeal is you can create a nice getaway with its own modern bathroom and big walk-in closet," said Hayes. "Typical old-house closets are only 3-by-3 feet."

Here's an inside look at two attic conversions:

Zen experience

Owners Dan and Nancy Griffin bought their 1930s classic story-and a-half Tudor in the Nokomis neighborhood in 2001. The slanted-wall attic had been used for a kids' room, but with only newspaper for insulation, it was chilly in the winter and sweltering in the summer. The home had only two bedrooms on the main floor and one tiny bathroom. The couple were planning to start a family and also needed a guest bedroom for visiting relatives. So five years after buying, they converted their 450-square-foot attic space into a master suite.

To open up the attic to create a bedroom, sitting area and bathroom, they gutted the existing space. The demolition included removing a cedar closet and knocking down a wall next to the stairs. Now the Griffins are greeted by a nice wide hallway and a light-filtering, wrought-iron railing at the top of the stairs.

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Attic remodeling grows in appeal for homeowners staying put