This 1972 split-level house backs up to the Chester Creek trail on one side and the creek on the other. We wanted to take advantage of the privacy and southern and western exposure of the wooded lot, in what is otherwise a typical dense neighborhood. The kitchen was very small, and the master bedroom was located on the south and west end, the best part of the house. We flipped the floor plan and added on to the west to accommodate the new living space and kitchen, which now opens up the the backyard, the trail and trees with a high shed roof to the south. We borrowed space from the garage to make a large built-in storage space for the entry, always the worst problem in split-level houses. This young family will now have a better connection to the kids playing outside in the yard and deck and lots of light.