Condo-maximum
When Bob Dufek and Tony Karampelas ran out of space at their homes to store their many vehicles, they pooled their resources and bought a car condo. In doing so, they didn’t just end up with extra garage space. The ended up with a man cave that would be the envy of vehicle lovers far and near. They made changes to the space little by little over about a year. Sort of like a trickle charger hooked up to an old battery. “It was mostly for car storage, but we knew we were going to make it nice right away. As time went on, we did more and more. We kept going, and it turned into a man cave rather than a storage area,” Dufek said. “If you own it, you want it to be as nice as possible. I love the way it turned out. Every time I walk in there, it puts a smile on my face,” Karampelas said.
Dufek, a retired commercial real estate broker, said what led him to the purchase of the New Berlin condo about a year ago was the motor home he bought in 2020. He used it to travel throughout the U.S. and Canada after COVID-19 hit.
“I couldn’t get it into a garage at home because it was too tall. And when you have a motor home, you can store it outside, but then you have to winterize it, and I wasn’t anxious to do that,” he said.
For Karampelas, who is in the restaurant business and lives in Whitefish Bay, it was simply the need for more room to store his many vehicles.
“It seemed logical to do this. I have a small bungalow, a small yard and a two-car garage. It was either get a larger house or purchase one of these units,” he said.
Dufek, who also lives in Whitefish Bay, said the property was “bare bones” when they bought it, with concrete walls and floor. But it did have a bathroom, a floor drain, a sprinkler system, insulation, heat and electricity.
“These features were appealing to us because we wanted to use it more in winter,” he said.
The first project they did was to have the floor painted with a polyurethane product in a black-and-white pattern.
Next, the interior walls were painted with semigloss paint.
“We used two colors. From the floor to about 8 feet up, it’s a color called Elephant Ear, which is a brownish gray. Above that, it’s white. The ceiling was already white, so there was no need to paint that,” Dufek said.
Next, artwork was added over the painted walls.
“I knew an artist, Anthony Kegel, who is the owner of Anthony Kegel Design in Wauwatosa, so we asked him to add some decorative artwork,” Dufek said.
“For the north wall, we told him we wanted artwork that would convey speed and movement. He came up with an idea, and we liked it a lot. He drew horizontal strips that are thinner at one end and thicker at the other end, using burgundy, tan, black and white.
“On the south wall, there is artwork that gives the impression of a sunrise, and on the east wall there’s a small design in a corner
“It’s very comfortable. We brought in things we had at home and didn’t need. And when my sister moved out of state, I also took some of her furniture.”
that looks like a theater marquee.”
Karampelas said artwork was also added to the inside of the overhead door. “It mimics a sunrise. At first the artist didn’t do the door, but then it stuck out. He came up with the idea. … most of the art shows movement,” he said.
Dufek said the work Kegel did took about thee months, working on and off.
They also painted the supporting steel structure, pipes that made up the sprinkler system, and shelving for storage.
Next they tackled the bathroom. “The bathroom was just functional. It had a sink with a mirror above it, a standard toilet and a bunch of grab bars,” Dufek said.
“We replaced the light on the ceiling. It was recessed, and it didn’t light up the room, so we put one in that hangs down. We added a second light over the sink, and we took out all the excess grab bars.
“We also added an unusual tile to all four walls. It’s white and goes up to the ceiling, and it comes in large squares that have a textured design. There’s a band of red tile that goes around the wall about three-fourths of the way up. It looks better than what I have in my house. Now the bathroom is real knockout,” Dufek said.
He said storage cabinets were also added, the toilet seat was changed from a commercial model to a residential one, the mirror over the sink was raised and decorative wood trim was added to the bathroom’s exterior door.
“We got some 4-inch thick molding and put it around all three sides to give it a little character. We painted it black and added a red stripe,” Dufek said.
Cozy space for eating and lounging
A seating area and a dining room were also added and furnished.
In the seating area, which measures about 10 by 12 feet, they added a small sofa, a rocker, chairs, a footstool, lamps, a TV and artwork.
“It’s very comfortable. We brought in things we had at home and didn’t need. And when my sister moved out of state, I also took some of her furniture,” Dufek said.
To make the space more comfortable, they put in extra insulation.
“We added some metal diamond plating and put a couple inches of insulation between it and the exterior wall,” he said.
In the dining area, they added a large stainless steel table to hold appliances, a small round table with four stools, and a refrigerator.
“Tony brought over the stainless table. It was from his restaurant, and it fits in there perfectly. We put a coffeemaker, a microwave oven and a toaster oven on it.
“We got a small round table that was painted an ugly blue color. I spraypainted it with a metallic silver,” Dufek added.
These changes made the condo the perfect place to work and socialize on a small scale.
“You have the ability to work there, but you can also use it as an overflow unit,” Karampelas said.
“We just love it, and we spend a lot of time just hanging around there. Tony and I hang out there together sometimes, and sometimes a bunch of us guys will pick up some sandwiches at the Kwik Trip nearby, and we will bring the food here and have lunch,” Dufek added.
They recently talked about their condo and how they changed it from a garage to a man cave.
Question: How big is your condo?
Dufek: It’s 1,500 square feet and it has a 16-foot ceiling. Some houses aren’t that big.
Q: How many vehicles typically fit in a condo like yours?
Karampelas: About seven cars.
Q: How did you two meet?
Dufek: I have been going to Tony’s restaurant for over 20 years. We met there and became friends.
Q: How did you decide on the artwork for the walls?
Dufek: We said we wanted a bold look. Anthony (Kegel) did sketches of what he wanted to do. Some of the colors we didn’t care for, and we changed them.
Q: What kind of response do you get when you show people your condo?
Karampelas: At first, most of my friends think it’s a little overdone. But then they’re impressed. They like it.
Dufek: Everyone says “wow.” The developers of the condos have been taking
people through our unit to show it off. When summertime comes and we have the door open, more people will be able to see it.
Q: How old is the condo?
Dufek: It was built in 2020. It’s in an industrial park.
Q: What does the exterior of the condo look like?
Dufek: It has an industrial look. The outside is attractive. It’s blue and white with gray masonry. There are two buildings. There are five units on one side, seven on the other. It’s made of insulated metal panels and concrete block. They all have 10-by-14-foot electrically operated garage doors.
Q: How comfortable is the condo this time of year?
Dufek: It has all the comforts of home. We could stay overnight there if we wanted to.
Q: Bob, what vehicles do you store there?
Dufek: Just the mobile home right now. It’s a 24-foot Winnebago Vita.
Q: Do you have any vehicles at home?
Dufek: I have a 2017 white Camaro convertible, a 2013 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, a 2017 Chevy Suburban and a 2013 Chevy Equinox. I also recently ordered a new Ford electric pickup truck. When I get that, I’ll move stuff around. I’m always looking for something new and interesting.
Q: Tony, What vehicles do you store at the condo?
Karampelas: I have a couple of SUVs there. I have two Lexus LX470s. They are 2007s. One is black and one is silver. I also have a Lexus sedan. It’s a 2006 LS430.
Q: Do you have more cars at your home? Karampelas: We have an Acura. It’s my wife’s car. It’s a 2019 MDX. And I have a winter car. It’s a 2009 Lexus GX 470.
Q: Do you plan to buy more vehicles now that you have extra space? Karampelas: Not at this time. But I wouldn’t mind getting a sports car. But it’s not a priority. When we first bought the condo, I thought it was huge. But now it’s feeling smaller and smaller.
Q: Any favorite spaces at the condo? Karampelas: No. I like the whole
space. Dufek: The bathroom is really exceptional. The tile is very unusual, and it
looks great. I also like the seating area. It’s very cozy.
Q: How do others in your condo complex use their spaces?
Dufek: They were originally called condos for cars, but now some people are operating small businesses out of them. The guy next to us did some decorating, and one guy added a second level to his condo with a staircase. Some people are decorating, some aren’t. We have done more than most of them. Q. Are there windows in your unit? Dufek: There is just one window that faces west. It’s a double sliding window. We spray-painted that with an opaque spray so the light comes in, but people can’t see in. Q. Any projects yet to do? Karampelas: We will probably put a workbench on the east wall in the corner. I also wouldn’t mind putting in a double-wide lift in one day. That way you can put two cars on the lift and raise them up, and then you can put two cars underneath. That way you can double the space you have for storage. I have thought about that, but it’s not a priority. Q. How do you spend your time at the condo? Dufek: I fix my cars there, and I wax, clean and polish them. We also just hang out there and visit. When I go there, I usually bring along Spike, my Irish wolfhound. I keep his treats and water dish there.
Karampelas: I don’t spend as much time there as I would like to, but in the future I’m hoping to spend more time there. Q. Do you have any parties planned at the condo?
Dufek: We were going to have a oneyear anniversary party last November, but that was canned because of COVID. Now we will have a late anniversary party this summer if Omicron doesn’t ruin everything. We will invite 10 to 15 people and probably get a grill and make some burgers.
Q: Did you decorate the condo for the recent holidays?
Dufek: No, I didn’t even do that at
home.