When a family of five relocates from Nairobi, Kenya, to rural southwest Wisconsin, the need for housing is immediate. But rather than buying an existing home, Simon Stumpf and his father embarked on a father-son design-build project that produced an 1,800-square-foot residence tailored to the family’s present needs and future growth. The result is a masterclass in small-house design that proves thoughtful planning can create a home that evolves with its occupants. This article examines the key design principles behind the Stumpf Residence and how they can inform any residential project focused on open flexible floor plans and long-term livability.
Design-Build Collaboration and Project Philosophy
The Stumpf Residence was conceived as a modest, sustainable, and kid-friendly home built from as many refurbished materials as possible. This design-build partnership between Simon and his father prioritized three core objectives: affordability, durability, and adaptability. The family wanted high-quality products that would withstand daily wear and tear, lots of natural light, multi-use spaces, and easy access to the outdoors.
Core Design Objectives
- Affordability without compromise: Keep square footage intentional rather than excessive, directing the budget toward durable, high-quality finishes and energy-efficient systems.
- Sustainability through salvage: Source exterior bricks from abandoned homes and decommissioned one-room schoolhouses, reducing material costs while adding thermal mass and R-value to the envelope.
- Future adaptability: Design flex spaces that can serve different functions as the children grow from toddlers to teenagers, eliminating the need for expensive additions later.
- Handcrafted quality: Mill local pine and oak from storm-felled trees for flooring and ceiling, with the owners performing all finish work by hand.
This approach demonstrates that a design-build model, especially one involving direct owner participation, can achieve outcomes that are simultaneously cost-effective and bespoke. For homeowners considering a similar path, understanding designing a building house on a budget is essential preparation before breaking ground.
Flex Spaces: Designing a Home That Evolves Rather Than Expands
The most innovative aspect of the Stumpf Residence is its approach to spatial adaptability. Rather than building extra rooms that would sit unused for years, the designers created multifunctional spaces that change purpose as the family’s needs shift.
The Nano Nursery and Walk-Through Closet
The walk-through closet between the master bedroom and main bathroom was sized to accommodate a crib, creating a “nano nursery” within the existing square footage. This configuration serves two purposes: it provides a convenient infant sleeping space adjacent to the parents’ room, and the walk-through layout gives the master bath the feeling of an en suite without adding square footage.
Loft Library With Kid Caves
A loft library features built-in shelves with a clever twist: the lowest shelf swings open to reveal 14-foot-deep “kid caves” that run the length of the home office below. These hidden recreational spaces give the children a dedicated play area without consuming valuable main-floor real estate.
Future-Proof Rooms
- Home office with acoustic treatment: Double-thick walls and acoustic-paneled doors mean this space will function as a craft, sewing, homework, and music room during the teenage years.
- Basement rec room with second bathroom: Provides additional living space and bathroom capacity as the children grow, without requiring upstairs expansion.
- Garage suite: A second-floor space above the garage accommodates grandparents and overnight guests, keeping the main house uncluttered during extended visits.
These strategies demonstrate that a well-planned small home can accommodate a growing family through internal reconfiguration rather than outward expansion. The approach relies on identifying which activities can share space at different life stages and designing the room geometry, acoustics, and access patterns accordingly.
Spatial Strategies That Make a Small Home Feel Larger
At 1,800 square feet for a family of five, every square foot counts. The design team employed several proven techniques to make the home feel substantially more spacious than its footprint suggests.
Vertical Volume and Proportional Ceilings
The vaulted ceiling reaches 23 feet at its peak, creating a dramatic sense of volume in the main living area. Throughout the rest of the house, 9-foot ceilings maintain a feeling of airiness without the construction cost of full cathedral ceilings everywhere. White walls and smaller-scaled midcentury furniture further reinforce the sense of spaciousness.
Bedroom Sacrifice for Communal Space
By keeping bedrooms intentionally compact, the design freed up square footage for larger family gathering areas. This trade-off recognizes that bedrooms are primarily for sleeping, while the living room, kitchen, and dining area are where the family actually spends waking hours together.
Indoor-Outdoor Connection
The deck is flush with the living room floor, visually and physically extending the interior space outdoors. Generous windows offer prairie and orchard views that further the expansive feel. This blurring of indoor and outdoor boundaries is a hallmark of thoughtful indoor-outdoor living spaces, effectively doubling the perceived size of the main entertaining area during good weather.
Clutter Management Systems
- Walk-in pantry: Keeps kitchen counters clear of dry goods and small appliances.
- Built-in storage lockers: Located at the entrance for coats, shoes, bags, and sports equipment.
- Laundry chute: Eliminates clothes pileup in hallways and bedrooms.
- Root cellar: Provides bulk vegetable storage without kitchen cabinet consumption.
These built-in storage solutions are fundamental to making a small home function well. When every inch matters, dedicated storage that keeps everyday items out of sight prevents the space from feeling cramped or disorganized.
Passive Solar Design and Material Sustainability
The Stumpf Residence was oriented to maximize passive solar gain, demonstrating that energy-conscious design does not require expensive technology. The approach combines site orientation, material selection, and building envelope strategies to reduce heating and cooling loads.
Solar Orientation Strategy
| Orientation | Rooms Served | Solar Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| South-facing | Kitchen, dining area | Passive solar gain throughout winter afternoons |
| East-facing | Master bedroom | Morning sun for natural wake-up and passive warmth |
| West-facing | Living room | Afternoon and evening warmth in main gathering space |
| North-facing | Utility and storage | Minimal glazing reduces heat loss on cold side |
From sunrise to sunset, the house brims with natural light. Southern exposure allows the home to absorb winter sun, while generous window placement ensures daylight reaches deep into the interior plan. This passive approach to daylighting reduces reliance on artificial lighting and contributes to the home’s energy performance without added mechanical complexity.
Reclaimed and Local Materials
The material palette tells a story of resourcefulness. Exterior bricks were salvaged from abandoned homes and decommissioned one-room schoolhouses. While collecting, cleaning, and transporting these bricks was labor-intensive, the result is a zero-maintenance exterior with enhanced thermal mass that contributes to the home’s R-value.
For interior finishes, pine and oak came from trees felled by storms or cleared for other construction projects. Simon had the wood milled locally, and he and his father performed all flooring and ceiling installations by hand. This approach demonstrates that biophilic design principles can extend beyond mere aesthetics into the very material choices that define a home’s character and environmental footprint.
Durability as a Sustainability Strategy
Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of sustainable design is durability. Products and finishes that last decades reduce replacement cycles and the associated material waste. The Stumpfs selected high-quality, durable materials specifically rated for daily wear and tear, including the eventual addition of a family dog. This long-view approach to material specification aligns the home with true lifecycle sustainability.
Key Takeaways for Residential Design
- Start with a flexible plan: Identify which spaces can serve multiple functions across different life stages and design the room dimensions, adjacencies, and infrastructure accordingly.
- Prioritize communal space: Compact bedrooms allow for generous living, dining, and kitchen areas where families actually spend their time together.
- Invest in storage integration: Built-in storage at entry points, kitchens, and utility zones prevents clutter accumulation in a compact footprint.
- Orient for passive performance: Site the home to capture solar gain, prevailing breezes, and views without relying on expensive active systems.
- Choose materials with dual purpose: Salvaged and reclaimed materials can deliver aesthetic character alongside thermal performance and durability.
- Integrate indoor-outdoor connections: A flush threshold between interior and deck or patio effectively expands living space during temperate months.
The Stumpf Residence proves that small homes need not sacrifice comfort, beauty, or functionality. Through careful planning, material resourcefulness, and a design-build approach that prioritized long-term livability over short-term convenience, this family now occupies a home that will serve them through every stage of their children’s upbringing. It stands as a compelling case study for anyone seeking to build a residence that truly grows with its occupants.