Dubbed the “Urban Farmhouse”, this restoration and addition to an 1890’s Dubuque home was intent on creating a place of rural inspired solace within the dense urban context. A number of interior walls (and ceilings) were removed to create a light-filled interior and combat the fact that the house was located several feet from neighboring houses on either side. At every turn, we tailored the house to fit the lifestyle of the clients who enjoy hosting guests but also needed a quite master suite on the second floor to retreat into at night. On the back side of the home, modern amenities such as a garage, mud room, and guest quarters were added to adapt the original house to new patterns of life that have evolved in the past 130 years.