Before & After: 2 Classic St. Paul Homes Get an Updated Look Without Losing Their Charm
These two classic St. Paul homes on the Remodelers Showcase got the renovation their homeowners were dreaming of; and proved that having an updated home with style, function, and increased space is possible without having to forgo charm, history and charisma.
Tour home R56 by Kuhl Design & Build and home R57 by Murphy Bros. Designers & Remodelers this weekend only – March 18, 19 & 20 – during the Spring 2016 Remodelers Showcase tour.
Home R56 • Kuhl Design & Build • St. Paul Remodel
A whole lot of curb appeal was added to this outdated St. Paul four-square home, and an interior remodel with a 2-story addition in back created a modern interior that’s equally as warm and inviting.
While new stucco and shutters, plus a popular gray color palette, add to the home’s overall aesthetic, Kuhl Design & Build also installed a period piece trim profile to add personality and charm to the home’s exterior.
Kuhl Design & Build repurposed the existing main floor to create a more modern living style. They completed an addition to the back of the home where a new kitchen, dining and family room are effortless extensions of the home, with a natural flow that makes it difficult to identify where the old space ends and the new begins.
The quality of craftsmanship and design is evident in the home’s unique features and thoughtful floor plan. Each room has a perceived separation yet the home is connected visually throughout.
Beams and coffered ceilings add visual excitement while unique period piece light fixtures, finishes and built-ins (like a charming built-in bench seat with bookcase surround in the family room) add warmth to each room.
Home R57 • Murphy Bros. Designers & Remodelers • St. Paul Remodel
The homeowners of this 1940’s craftsmen bungalow loved the charm of their home but not the cramped layout or the freezer like conditions that each winter brought to the poorly insulated space. What they really wanted was a complete kitchen makeover, doubling the working surface area of the kitchen without forfeiting period details.
Murphy Bros. Designers & Remodelers gave them what they wanted and more, creating an updated kitchen with ample storage, new appliances and a large breakfast nook for a cozy informal dining area that’s full of flare. By adding a bank of windows on both exterior walls of the home, Murphy Bros. was able to brighten up the entire kitchen, bathing the new dining nook with glorious sunlight.
To maintain the original charm of the home, they mirrored the distinctive archway that was in the original kitchen and included an arched niche in the range backsplash as well.
Before installing new oak flooring that matched the rest of the main level, Murphy Bros. re-insulated the kitchen walls and made a few discoveries along the way. Inside the home’s original insulation, they found newspapers from the 1940’s that revealed war news and a host of prints ads extolling the virtues of Camel cigarettes and Coca Cola.
For more remodeling inspiration, visit our Facebook page … or, better yet, get out and tour this weekend only and see over 57 remodeled homes throughout the Twin Cities. Thank you to Marvin Windows and Doors for sponsoring this event.