Renovating an older home doesn’t always mean rewriting it. For this 1920s or ’30s home in Missoula’s University District, Davis Walker’s redesign kept the original layout while finding more room for a young family within the house they already had.

Taken down to the studs, the home received new Marvin windows, carefully laced two-inch hardwood flooring, and a light-imperfection wall finish. Original solid-wood doors and hardware were restored, while new elliptical openings and custom built-ins carry the home’s existing character into the renovated spaces. The kitchen and primary suite now feel refined and current without becoming disconnected from the home around them.

The largest transformation happened above and below the main floor. Four skylights brought daylight and a view of the M into the former attic, now an office and lounge with extensive built-in storage. The unfinished basement became a bedroom, bathroom, TV room, laundry, and mechanical space. Together, those changes made nearly every square foot useful while preserving the details that made the home worth keeping.