Before & After: 1900s Historic Kitchen Revival by John Kraemer & Sons
This impressive 100+ year old historic St. Paul renovation by John Kreamer & Sons, Inc. was honored with two Remodeler of Merit Awards (ROMAs) in 2015 by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. The winning categories included Kitchens over $100,000 and BathroomsUnder $50,000, and this project was also a top contender in the category of Total House.
In the early 1900’s, kitchens were not the central ‘show pieces’ they are today. Generally, they were not even used by the owners of the home. Instead, kitchen maids or servants occupied this space; a far contrast from kitchens that serve as the focal point of the home today.
The owners of a 100+ year historic home approached award-winning John Kraemer & Sons, Inc., along with designer Charlie Simmons and Interior Designer Sandy LaMendola, to create a kitchen space that was sophisticated, functional for their growing family, and a space that could serve as the heart of the home.
More specifically, they wanted to revive and restore the original space into a state of the art gourmet kitchen with a built-in banquette, butler’s pantry with wine storage, and an “Apothecary” where they could mix their all-natural and herbal remedies.
The team was able to achieve all of these things through many months of design, planning, and ultimately the seamless execution of the design. The kitchen spaces were completely gutted, walls were moved, and new spaces were created.
The unique challenge on this project was the fact that the Historic Preservation Commission would not allow the homeowners to replace the old 110 year old windows on the home due to their historic nature. Therefore, the build team was bound by the original window sizes and locations. John Kraemer & Sons, Inc. closely with the HPC and a company called “Historic Window Works,” to remove and refurbish and repair all of the original windows.
When opening the walls, the build team discovered that the house was totally insulated with hay. All old materials had to be removed and re-insulated with closed-cell foam, which brought the home up to today’s insulation standards, and made it more efficient.
Throughout the kitchen, luxurious amenities and details are apparent. From the custom stone floors, scagliella stone hood, marble countertops, intricate millwork detailing, marble backsplash, custom apothecary cabinet, to the custom distressed wood island – no detail (or expense) was spared.
The homeowners were in awe of the final results and had this to say about the renovation process:
“John Kraemer & Sons has been helping to restore our historic home that is over 100 years old! Construction started over a year ago and it has been no easy task, yet we have enjoyed every step of the process thanks to John Kraemer & Sons. Everyone on the team is great to work with and very personal. Their level of expertise, attention to detail, and professionalism has exceeded our every expectation. When compared to other contractors, the quality of their craftsmanship is far superior.To everyone at John Kraemer & Sons, thank you for all of your hard work and dedicated efforts in restoring our historic house, bringing it back to life, and making it our home! Words cannot express our gratitude.”