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July 30, 2025

How to Hire a Professional Remodeler (and Why It Matters)

When it comes to remodeling your home, who you choose to work with matters just as much as what you plan to change. A great remodeler will guide you through a complex process with expertise, transparency, and professionalism. And in a world of DIY shows and social media inspiration, it can be tempting to cut corners or rush the hiring process. But a remodel is a major investment in your home — and your peace of mind depends on getting it right from the start.

So, what does hiring a professional remodeler actually look like?

More blog posts

October 30, 2018

Building the Perfect Home for One-Level Living

Why buy new? With a new home, you pick the floor plan and finishes that fit your lifestyle. You choose the community and neighborhood that speak to you. And you can even select just the right energy-saving features that balance your personal philosophy with your budget. We asked this family to share what drove them to new construction.

October 10, 2018

Building a New Home for a Growing Family

Why buy new? With a new home, you pick the floor plan and finishes that fit your lifestyle. You choose the community and neighborhood that speak to you. And you can even select just the right energy-saving features that balance your personal philosophy with your budget. We asked this family to share what drove them to new construction.

October 3, 2018

Wayzata Dreams Times Two | Real Family Homebuilding Story

Brandis and Paris had found a great new homesite in Wayzata, a place they have long loved. They showed their best pals Amy and Bo their chosen site and plans for their soon-to-be new home with Pillar Homes and couldn’t be more excited. That is until Bo and Amy fell in love with the location and decided to build right next door. Now these two besties and their families are thrilled to be next-door neighbors building homes together.

October 3, 2018

Remodelers Showcase Features Two Dream Remodeled Homes

These two stunning whole-house remodels from Black Dog Homes and Frontier Structures are this fall's Dream Remodeled Homes. Your $5 tax-deductible admission to each remodeled home will go to the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation to support their mission of building and remodeling homes and facilities for veterans and the homeless.

They're open for one weekend only, so grab your guidebook and head out to tour Sept. 28-30, 2018!

August 10, 2018

Four Dream Homes Featured on the Fall Parade of Homes

There’s no shortage of incredible residences on the Parade of Homes, but these four amazing homes have been selected by our BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation as this fall’s Dream Homes. These four beauties from Homes By Tradition, Highmark Builders, Carl M. Hansen Companies and Trestle Homes will leave you in awe. Plus, a $5 tax-deductible entry fee to each of these four homes will go to the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation to support their mission of building and remodeling homes and facilities for veterans and the homeless.

And stay tuned for more details on our two Dream Remodeled Homes, open the final weekend of the tour during the Remodelers Showcase!

Color Revival

For years, the formula was simple: whitewalls, gray cabinetry, and just enough contrast to keep things interesting. But after more than a decade of cool tones dominating interior design, homeowners are beginning to crave something different.

Color, after all, is in constant evolution. Trends come and go. Homeowner preferences ebb and flow. What may have been the defining color of one era can quickly be labeled outdated, drab, or overdone in the next.

Take a trip back to the ’50s, when pastel hues adorned everything from bathroom tile to kitchen appliances. Then came the earthy golds and oranges of the ’70s, followed by the jewel tones and dramatic prints of the ’80s and ’90s. Fast-forward to the last decade, when a more pared-back approach to color dominated interiors. But now, color is making a comeback—not as a passing trend but as a reflection of homeowners’ desire for spaces that feel personal and lived in.

Here, designers and color experts weigh in on the shades, palettes, and applications defining today’s homes—and how to balance boldness with timeless appeal.

Your Guide to Layered Lighting

Fixtures are often the first thing that come to mind when envisioning the lighting in your new build, but a thoughtful lighting plan goes deeper than picking lamps and bulbs. In fact, lighting plays an important role in setting the overall tone of your home. When lighting is too bright, spaces feel harsh and uncomfortable. Dimly lit rooms are no better, often appearing small and uninviting.

Striking that perfect balance of illumination from natural and artificial light is known as layered lighting, an interior design concept that relies on multiple light sources to foster warmth, add visual interest, and make spaces functional for everyday living. As Kyndra Flowers of Robinson Lighting says, “When in doubt, layer your lighting.”

As you start planning your new build, use this as your guide to design an effective, thoughtful lighting plan that makes every space in your home glow.      

Kitchen Couture

The kitchen has long been considered the heart of the home—the place where people come to eat, connect, and enjoy the everyday moments that make a house feel lived in. Whether hosting a holiday soiree or savoring the quiet ritual of making your morning latte, the kitchen is where routines unfold and memories are made. With that in mind, it’s only natural the kitchen’s design should reflect both how we live and how we want to feel at home.

Fortunately, luxury, comfort, and practicality are no longer mutually exclusive. With the kitchen playing such a central role in daily life, thoughtful, personalized upgrades are sure to be worth the investment to transform it into a true sanctuary. So, if you’re ready to dream up your ideal kitchen, industry experts share fresh, inspiring—and most importantly, achievable—ideas for creating a space as beautiful as it is functional.

October 13, 2021

Fall Home Maintenance Tips

With brightly colored leaves falling from trees and a cool breeze in the air, it’s safe to say fall is in full swing! While it’s always sad to see summer go, autumn is the last real chance to get your home ready for the coming winter. Not sure where to start? Here’s a helpful list of home maintenance tasks to complete this fall!

Home Tips & Tricks
September 29, 2021

Remodeling With a Professional

When planning your home remodel, it is important to work with a team of trustworthy professionals. Whether you are looking for a small bathroom renovation or a whole-home transformation, your remodeler will be spending a lot of time with you and your family. Hiring a professional will ensure that the process will run more smoothly, and your renovated home will perform better, look better, and live better. So, don’t let just anyone remodel your home.

Home Tips & Tricks
Remodeling
September 28, 2021

Made to Entertain

A kitchen in Edina gets a long-awaited refresh, elevating the space to match the grandeur of the 10,000-square-foot home.

Home Tours
Real Stories
September 27, 2021

A Home of Their Own

After Mark Hargis inherited his childhood home in Woodbury, a remodel updated the main living spaces to fit the needs of his family of five.

Home Tours
Real Stories
September 21, 2021

A Minimalist Home. Is It Right for You?

Brought to you by our 2021 Remodelers Showcase sponsor, Marvin.

Design
August 27, 2021

Why Buy New?

From picking the floor plan and finishes to choosing the neighborhood and homesite that speak to you, new construction homes open up a whole new set of possibilities and benefits for buyers. So, why buy new? We’re glad you asked!

Home Tips & Tricks
Technology
August 23, 2021

Dream Homes Featured on the Fall Parade of Homes & Remodelers Showcase

These seven stunning homes on the 2021 Fall Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase have been hand-selected by our Housing First Minnesota Foundation as this fall’s Dream Homes.

Four breathtaking new homes from Custom One Homes, Zawadski Homes, Inc., Pebble Creek Custom Homes, and Homes by Tradition, LLC will leave you in awe. And the final weekend of the tour, don’t miss the three incredible Remodeled Dream Homes from Fox Homes, LLC, Highmark Builders, Inc., and Sustainable 9 Design + Build.

Your $5 tax-deductible entry fee to each of these five homes will go to support the work of the Housing First Minnesota Foundation building and renovating transitional housing facilities for Minnesota’s homeless, veterans, and others in need. Learn more about the Foundation and purchase your tickets in advance here. >>

Home Tours
August 22, 2021

Guide to Building Your New Home

So, you’re ready to head out and discover your next home, and you want to make sure you're prepared? Well, you’re in the right place! Touring the entries on the Parade of Homes is a hassle-free, low-pressure way to follow the work of builders and see the latest in housing options available to you. Before you get started, take a look at these tips to help guide you on your home search.

Home Tips & Tricks
Home Tours
August 6, 2021

Fall 2021 | Calendar of Events

Don’t miss these special events put on by select builders and remodelers during the 2021 fall tour! These free events will introduce you to the teams behind the homes on the tour, the latest design trends, and much more.

Home Tours
August 5, 2021

Xfinity Flex

Brought to you by our 2021 Parade of Homes category sponsor, Xfinity.

Technology
August 3, 2021

Worth the Wait

A remodel 18 years in the making turns an outdated two-story into a modern, open-concept home in Minnetonka.

Home Tours
Real Stories
April 14, 2021

21 Parade Homes Win Spring Reggie Awards

Since 1968, Housing First Minnesota has presented the Reggie Award℠, which recognizes excellence in design and construction of homes in the Parade of Homes. The Trillium Awards honor the associates and trade partners for their collaboration with these award-winning builders.

Home Tours
April 13, 2021

Mediterranean Meets Modern

When Dave Corkum and Julie Tauer bought their 1929 Mediterranean-style three-story in the Macalester-Groveland area of St. Paul in 2016, they acquired a home whose history preceded them. Affectionately referred to as the Donovan house in honor of the well-known owners who lived there for decades, Dave and Julie fell in love with the neighborhood and the 4,750-square-foot home’s early-20th-century charm.

Home Tours
Real Stories