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Eight Magnificent Metamorphoses
There’s simply no better way to discover all the opportunities remodeling has to offer than by seeing and touching real remodeling projects. This fall you can visit 133 incredible remodeled homes that iclude gorgeous gourmet kitchens and opulent baths, grand additions, spectacular decks, beautiful basements, and plenty of whole house remodels where you can see them all at once.
At each home you’ll be able to talk to the remodelers about what they did and how they did it. And, you’ll often have a chance to talk to the homeowners. To get you started, we got the scoop from eight happy families who told us about their remodeling experiences and why they chose to transform their not-quite-right home into the home of their dreams.
#70
Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build, LLC
2415 West 22nd Street, Minneapolis
Whole House
When Doing the Right Thing Pays Off
by Fran Howard
Jay Miller’s Kenwood home was long overdue for a makeover, but the former CEO of a start-up medical company had been too busy to consider it while logging in 100-hour weeks building his company and visiting his ill father. When the time was right, however, Miller knew exactly what he and the home needed: a first floor bathroom, expanded and updated kitchen, larger owner’s suite, second floor guest bath, central air, and large theater room. “They were all value-added things that should have been done years ago,” says Miller. He also opted for the newest value-added feature offered by the building industry: green. “I wanted to show you could remodel a home in this neighborhood and do it right,” Miller says.
Doing the right thing involved putting in a geothermal heat exchanger that Miller expects will cut his heating bill by 75 percent this winter when natural gas prices are soaring. He and his remodeler Otagawa-Anschel Design Build, Minneapolis, also installed energy-efficient windows, and a new energy-efficient metal roof and rain barrels to limit runoff and reduce waste. “We re-landscaped the yard so it is more water efficient,” says Miller. “I wanted the water to stay in the yard and not run into Lake of the Isles.”
Not all of Miller’s motivations were altruistic, however. A shrewd businessman, Miller also knew the updates would increase both the value and livability of his home. The athletic and sociable homeowner wanted to be able to watch football on a large, high-def screen in a room where he could entertain guests, and he wanted a kitchen with an island and stools that would allow him to cook and mingle with company.
To survive the construction phase, Miller moved in with a good friend who lived about a mile away. “My rent was a case of good wine every month,” says Miller. “My friend walked away with six cases of exceptional wine, and we had a good time.”
#132
Showcase Renovations, Inc.
9000 - 100th Street, Monticello
Whole House
Planning Ahead
by Fran Howard
Soon-to-be empty nesters Jeff and Shelly Zierdt bought their home overlooking the Mississippi River in Monticello in 2004 with the intention of eventually remodeling it—just not so soon. But the home posed its challenges. “I couldn’t entertain a family holiday dinner,” says Shelly. “The kitchen was too small.” They also knew they needed to remodel before entering their golden years because their second-floor bedroom had no nearby bath and they wanted single-level living, complete with laundry facilities.
At first, the Zierdts considered turning the garage into a main-level owners’ suite, but the foundation was inadequate. They were also limited as to how much they could do because the home sat on the bluff line and didn’t meet current setback rules. So they decided to tear down the house and moved the home site another 30 feet back from the river. “It actually gives us a much nicer view,” says Jeff. The new home’s contemporary styling and solar orientation along the river bluff takes advantage of the breathtaking views as well as passive heating and cooling benefits.
To prepare for the eight-month rebuild, Showcase Renovation, Corcoran, first renovated an existing barn and built the new home’s garage. The barn became storage for the Zierdt’s belongings and the garage outfitted with a bath became their temporary home. “It was basically a one-room efficiency,” says Shelly. The Zierdt’s teenage daughter found haven at an aunt’s home down the road.
The temporary inconvenience, however, has long been forgotten. “I now have dinner seating for 12 if I expand the table,” says Shelly. “In the end, what I celebrated most was cooking in my kitchen. It’s a friendly, easy-to-use, practical kitchen. And I love our bedroom. It has big windows on two walls and faces out to the most beautiful part of our property.” Jeff also loves the sun-drenched bedroom where he can wake to magical views of wildlife and the river, but the one feature he’d be hard pressed to give up is his in-house audio system that allows occupants in various rooms to choose among satellite television, iPods, DVDs, CDs, or radio.
#43
Rock Creek Builders &?Remodelers, LLC
19161 Towering Oaks Trail, Credit River Township
Addition, Exterior, Garage
A Space of Their Own
by Fran Howard
Once their three children started growing, Maria and Brad Atol knew they needed their own adult space. “Our family grew from two people to five in 21 months,” says Maria. But it took them a few years after the birth of their twins to actually decide to add on to their 1999 rambler in Credit River Township. “The hard part was having our social time without having the kids be involved,” adds Maria, who hosts wine tasting parties for their wine club and Bunko card games for her women’s group.
The home’s floor plan with the entertaining area on the main level and the children’s bedrooms on the lower, posed a problem whenever the Atols hosted a get-together. They felt like they had to keep the noise level under control so as to not wake the children. “We also like to work out, but we didn’t have a workout room,” she says.
To address the Atol’s concerns, Rock Creek Builders and Remodelers, Prior Lake, added a fourth stall to the existing three-stall garage and then topped all of the garage stalls with a second level. “Our builder was very particular, and cut the garage down a foot and put in a barrel vault ceiling on the second level to make sure the roof lines matched,” says Maria. The space above the existing garage became a space for Brad and Maria to entertain and the space over the newly added fourth stall became a workout room.
The Old World entertaining area provides seating for 20 and tables for tasting and cards. The workout room offers three cardio machines and a weight gym as well as an adjacent steam shower and a walk-in closet for Brad’s suits. Pre-addition, Brad used to work out on an exercise bike in the lower-level laundry room before work, and thus had to be quiet so as not to wake the kids. “We were tippy toeing through our own house,” says Maria. In the new workout room, Brad can crank up the music to get his blood pumping, and Maria can host parties in their new bonus room into the wee hours without ever having to worrying about the noise level.
#85
M|A|Peterson Designbuild
4613 Wooddale Avenue, Edina
Whole House
One Thing Led to Another
by Wendy Danks
“We originally wanted to take down a wall and open up the kitchen a bit,” explained homeowner Becky Odland. “So we attended a remodeling seminar from M|A|Peterson and asked them to look at the house.” That began a process which, in the end, redefined the Odland home’s interior. Now its flow and layout is more suitable to the needs of a modern family, yet the careful design and exquisite detailing assured the inside matched the timeless Edina architecture outside.
Newly empty nesters, the Odlands are definitely a busy family. Mark is a successful physician and Becky spends plenty of time volunteering, holding a leadership role this year with the Junior League of Minneapolis. The changes better suit their lifestyle, and when their three twenty something kids are home (which is often) they especially like the updated electronics.
Their new main level floor plan flows delightfully from room to room with thoughtfully placed windows that brighten everything. The kitchen, pantry, laundry/mudroom, family, dining, living rooms and porch are all visually connected and designed to work together, creating the perfect space for hosting a large crowd, a few friends for dinner, or an extended-family holiday gathering.
“The space really does lend itself to entertaining, and the lighting is wonderful,” says Becky. She also laughs when asked about her favorite feature. “I love to show people my dishwasher!” She chose dual drawers that are both convenient and simply melt into the rest of the cabinetry.
Becky also has discovered the joys of gas, “it’s so nice to flip a switch, and the fireplace is just lovely.” The Odlands still can enjoy a real wood fire, too. The old patio has been transformed to live like an interior room and includes a masonry outdoor fireplace.
M|A|Peterson Designbuild handled the process from design to completion, key for the Odlands’ busy schedules. “They were great to work with,” Becky remarks. “They were responsive to questions and the crew couldn’t have been nicer. They were actually fun to have around.”
#7
J.W.?Williams Construction, Inc.
3092 Fairview Avenue North, Roseville
Addition, Great Room, Kitchen, Owners Suite
Falling in Love All Over Again
by Wendy Danks
When Sandy Simpson came home from Illinois to visit two of her sisters in the Twin Cities, she usually drove from one home to the other along a street with three sweet cape cod homes that caught her eye. As luck would have it, she discovered one for sale at a time when she was considering a move back to her home town.
That was four years ago. In the intervening years this single mom with a daughter back at home, and now a nephew living with them while attending college decided that she could use a little more room.
“I was away for 20 years and have a large extended family,” Sandy explains. “I’m very close to my family and that’s one of the main reasons I moved back home. I wanted to have a house big enough for everyone.”
J.W. Williams responded to her request for an oversized kitchen and entertaining space with a beautiful addition that expanded the home into the back yard, creating a deluxe kitchen, dining and great room where the family could gather without being on top of one another. An added bonus was the second floor space above the new addition that became the owners’ suite.
But the kitchen and entertaining space is Sandy’s delight. Big enough for a crowd, with a new great room that flows into the kitchen. Family and friends have plenty of elbow room to enjoy each others company, and there’s room for two or three working together in the kitchen proper. A 10-seat peninsula is great for snacking, and separate baker’s island adds extra counter work space.
The countertops are one of Sandy’s favorite features, too. “At first, the thought of granite didn’t even enter my mind, but when I started looking at options it just made the biggest statement,” she shares. “They’re so much more than a pretty piece of stone. I love to bake and cook and can roll out right on the countertop.”
Sandy has fallen in love with her home all over again. “The whole experience was great. I knew what to expect and J.W. Williams came in on time and on budget,” she exclaims. “Their tradesmen were wonderful folks, even more perfectionist than I am. It just made you feel good as you knew you were getting top notch work.”
#41
College City Remodeling, Inc.
16802 Ironwood Circle, Lakeville
Kitchen
Staying in the Neighborhood
by Wendy Danks
When Brian and Stacey, with three children, age nine, seven and four, decided they needed a home that worked better for their lifestyle, they began by shopping for another house. ?They didn’t want to go too far away from the community that felt like home, but just couldn’t find anything that suited.
“We decided to stay and fix this one,” explains Brian. “We wanted to open up the space for the family to all be together, while getting rid of the rooms we never used.”
Their remodeler, College City Remodeling, worked with them to create a plan that absorbed the old living and dining rooms into an open, comfortable extended kitchen that’s perfect for family times but also for visiting friends.
“The new space is much more functional for entertaining, which we love to do,” says Brian. “But just as important is the way it works for us day-do-day. We have a sit-down counter where the kids eat breakfast and lunch, and a table for sit-down family dinners.”
They didn’t actually add any square footage, but according to Brian, the way they use their home now actually makes it feel like they did. “From a usable space perspective, we essentially doubled the size of the main floor.”
The new kitchen flows beautifully into the family room, and by removing the dated old railings and adding a convenient built-in for definition, the transition is as functional as it is lovely. That built-in plus a built-in kitchen desk keeps the kids school stuff off the kitchen counter, plus hides games and speakers and showcases books and knick-knacks.
Brian says the hardwood floors are Stacey’s favorite feature, and they both love the way they can live in the new spaces. But for Brian it was all about his new built-in TV. “I joke that this project was the most expensive television ever.”
#65
JP & CO.
5213 Chowen Avenue South, Minneapolis
Whole House
Making Room for Two
by Wendy Danks
Merging households was an interesting process for 30-somethings Gretchen?Shoup and Jeff Ditto. They each owned their own home and were used to living alone so finding a home that suited their needs was a challenge. They shopped around but everything they looked at needed some remodeling to suit their combined needs. They liked the location and charm of Gretchen’s classic 1940s one-and-one-half story Cape Cod so it just made sense to do the remodeling there.
“My home was cute before, and great for one person,” Gretchen shares. “But most of the rooms were compartmentalized and it had limited closet space.” It just wasn’t quite right for two professionals plus their Jack?Russell Terrier, Fred.
Referred to JP & CO. by some friends, Gretchen and Jeff embarked upon what they found was definitely not a nightmare process. Choosing all of the products and materials, according to Gretchen was the tough part. “We had to make so many decisions, picking out every single thing, it just becomes overwhelming.”
Once that was done, the rest was easy as they were able to move into Jeff’s house during remodeling. “One of the nice things about working with JP was they forced us to make all the decisions before hand,” she continues. “And once construction started they were able to complete everything in the promised three or four months.”
Their remodeled home is now about double in square footage, but retains the look and feel of the neighborhood. Shed dormers front and back and a 14-foot addition to the rear of the home created the perfect stage for opening up the main level and expanding the owners’ suite to accommodate the couple’s new lifestyle.
The owners’ suite features his and hers closets (Gretchens says hers is more like a dressing room) plus a private bath that assures the couple their individual space. It also boasts a see-through fireplace with flat-screen TVs above in both the bedroom and bath which is one of their favorite features.
Jeff, who works at home, got a private office, they were able to include an exercise room for home workouts, and now have a convenient laundry on the second floor too.
The process didn’t disrupt their neighbors either, Gretchen explained. “JP was extremely professional, they talked to everyone and even mowed their lawns.”
#13
Brinkman Russell, Inc.
4570 Neal Avenue North, Stillwater
Exterior, Kitchen, Lower Level
Redesign of the Times
by Michelle Bruhn
After living in their Stillwater home for six years, Britt and Ginger had fallen in love with the area but needed a home that lived they way did. This family of four had just started contemplating redesigning the kitchen to make it “their own” when they discovered an exterior moisture intrusion problem. After interviewing many companies for the job they chose Brinkman Russell.
Getting the exterior just right with a combination of stonework, lap siding and shakes along with redesigning the back deck and adding a pergola gave the couple the credence to continue.
Staying within the original footprint, their kitchen went from congested to having great flow. To keep the space open around an impressive island with a Wolf cook top, they chose a stainless steel vent hood featuring a deep glass containment rim. Dad, a.k.a. ‘chief cook and bottlewasher’ is still impressed with the kitchen eighteen months after completion, “it is intuitive, provides both prep and cooking space, where I can be both cook and part of the conversation.”
The kitchen opens directly onto a fabulous deck where Britt enjoys firing up the barbecue. Ginger loves the area just inside designed with a computer space where “the girls can surf the web and stay in sight”.
Going through the process, Brinkman Russell set up a temporary “kitchenette” to help the family through the holidays. Workmen carefully moved the fridge, microwave and a few cabinets into their formal dining room, just to make those days a little easier. At the end of the project, the family felt like the foremen were family members leaving home.
The delightful lower level was redesigned to suit the family’s needs, including a space for their home theater and billiards parlor that helps this family spend a little more time playing together. As dad says, this is their “icing on the cake”. Everyone is happy with the total effect – a home that is their own, inside and out.
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