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Seamless in Missoula

A second-story addition to a classic bungalow looks as though it has been there forever

by Charles Miller

When architect Angie Lipski and her husband decided they needed to enlarge their one-story bungalow, she decided to expand the upstairs with a gable in front and doghouse dormer in back. Staying true to the house's design, Lipski ended up with an expansion so seamless that even the neighbors can't tell that the upstairs gable was not always there. As a result of her meticulous design work, Lipski was honored with FHB's first-ever HOUSES award for remodel of the year. Expanding the two-bedroom, one-bath upstairs, Lipski now has a home with an additional bedroom and an extra bath, along with a hallway study/reading area and a sewing room. The project also gave Lipski the opportunity to upgrade to a high-efficiency heating system that reduced the home's energy costs by 20% even though the house grew larger by 33%.