Contractor
Fusion Home Improvement Interiors David Lund Design Photography & Video Fresh Coast Collective |
The StoryWe've all heard this litany before - great neighborhood, great schools, wonderful lakes, and local businesses nearby.
But the house doesn't quite work. It is a little tired, slightly outdated (or very outdated), and lacks an updated kitchen, a mudroom, a powder room, and, oh yeah, a master suite. Those are the spaces families want today to support how their families live. These homeowners were no different and they were looking for a way to improve how their home functioned and supported their young family's patterns and dynamics BEFORE THE AFTER We are routinely asked to show what our projects looked like before they are remodeled. Here are the original kitchen and dining room. Features? The modest kitchen was small, isolated and dark. It also accommodated a make-shift mudroom, desk/workspace, and a dog kennel. The dining room? Well, it could be entered directly from the backyard. Not ideal on any front.
So, our direction was clear - fix the house so we can stay in our neighborhood. Alright, let's get to work! A little foreshadowing, by the end, few projects we've worked on have benefited more from a modest addition than this one. Remodeling projects don't have to be big to make a big impact. |
V I D E O T E S T I M O N A L
Wayne and Jenny are members of an exclusive club - those who have survived a major remodeling project. Hear about their experience, what they learned, and what they would tell others considering a project.
Homeowner Review
David was hired to design our two story addition that included mud room, kitchen, master suite and bath. He listened intently to our goals and tastes, then created a design that far exceeded our expectations. David made the selection process of various items ranging from countertops to plumbing fixtures fun given his demeanor and sixth sense for style.
After looking over the exterior design and how he matched our existing home various architectural features, it's easy to see why he has been a BLEND Award winner.
Through this journey David became our trusted architect and designer and we highly recommended him.
< Wayne H. & Jenny F. >
Minneapolis
The Project
DESCRIPTION Two-story rear addition, 24'x10'
This project addressed a long wishlist by adding a modest, 10' to the back of the house, or about 240 SF on each level. For context, 240 SF is the approximate size of two standard Minneapolis bedrooms added together.
Before we get into the specifics of this project, a brief word on size, square feet more accurately.
Size Matters
If a designer is lazy, the easy design path is to simply make an addition bigger to make it all work. But there are two very important factors to consider when it comes to the size of an addition.
The first is price. Every SF added to your house has a dollar amount attached to it, and if you are adding two levels that SF number is doubled. In residential remodeling, a $/SF cost could range from $150 to $500+, depending on the type of space being added (and remember, in remodeling, that $/SF number also includes the cost of demolition, re-framing, and any structural "fixes" that may be needed).
Before we get into the specifics of this project, a brief word on size, square feet more accurately.
Size Matters
If a designer is lazy, the easy design path is to simply make an addition bigger to make it all work. But there are two very important factors to consider when it comes to the size of an addition.
The first is price. Every SF added to your house has a dollar amount attached to it, and if you are adding two levels that SF number is doubled. In residential remodeling, a $/SF cost could range from $150 to $500+, depending on the type of space being added (and remember, in remodeling, that $/SF number also includes the cost of demolition, re-framing, and any structural "fixes" that may be needed).
ROOM WITH A VIEW The old kitchen had one window at the sink. This is not uncommon in older homes. With the addition of island storage, we were able to forego some upper cabinets and dedicate precious wall space to more windows.
A talented and conscientious designer, one concerned with not only beautiful, but smart, value added improvements, will work hard to add new SF that activates and leverages the existing house. This is where a good designer will save you money - will add value - by working hard to create efficient layouts.
Kitchens and bathrooms are budget busters, as they are both labor intensive and full of expensive finishes and fixtures. So, in this project, which was adding a new kitchen, powder room, and master bathroom, the SF count mattered - a lot.
Size Budget
Second, the size of an addition is not limitless. Size has a budget to, much like your construction budget. Adding new SF, especially on an urban lot, space is at a premium and literally "capped" by local zoning ordinances. Residential properties in Minneapolis, for example, are allowed to have up to 50% of the lot size in finished square feet (basements, except in rare situations, are not included in this count). If your lot is 6,000 SF, your house can have a maximum of 3,000 finished square feet (again not including the basement).
Kitchens and bathrooms are budget busters, as they are both labor intensive and full of expensive finishes and fixtures. So, in this project, which was adding a new kitchen, powder room, and master bathroom, the SF count mattered - a lot.
Size Budget
Second, the size of an addition is not limitless. Size has a budget to, much like your construction budget. Adding new SF, especially on an urban lot, space is at a premium and literally "capped" by local zoning ordinances. Residential properties in Minneapolis, for example, are allowed to have up to 50% of the lot size in finished square feet (basements, except in rare situations, are not included in this count). If your lot is 6,000 SF, your house can have a maximum of 3,000 finished square feet (again not including the basement).
BUILDING BLOCK There are few countertops more fun to run your hands over than wood. We designed a white oak countertop for the island (same wood species as the flooring) that is both beautiful and durable. Away from the sink and the range, this top is for food prep and informal dining and will look beautiful for years. And if it needs a little touch-up, it can be lightly sanded for a fresh finish.
Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Program
Sorry about the detour, but understanding the costs and limits of a remodel are not always evident, but they are critical to understand to keep your project on budget and in the good graces of the city.
The rear addition extends the width of the house but is only 10' deep, not much larger than the rotting porch that was removed. What had been a dark, chopped up kitchen transitioned into a generous, light-filled space connected to the dining room with a new arched opening and the backyard with a bank of three double hung windows along the sink wall.
> See another DLD kitchen featuring stained wood cabinets
Bucking a long-running popular palette, this is not a gray and white kitchen. At its center, the kitchen is anchored by a 9' island, which is capped with a white oak countertop that ties in with new hardwood floors. The cabinets are quarter-sawn oak, stained a rich chocolate color (we are seeing are renewed interest in stained kitchen cabinets), and the island is painted a deep, rich creamy blue.
It is often a great option in a kitchen to mix countertop material and cabinet finishes with perimeter cabinets being one pallette, and the island being another. A painted island allows for a favorite color or wood species to be added easily and become a show-stopping design feature.
Family Farm Flair
But the most compelling aspect of the kitchen is the feature wall clad in barn wood reclaimed from the family farm. We love projects with a story, and adding knotted, nail-holed, weathered wood from a 100-year old North Dakota barn is about as good as it gets.
Integrate a blackboard and you have a wall that not only looks amazing but organizes a busy family, as well!
Upstairs is a new master suite, his and hers closets, and a fresh, colorful bathroom. And, who knows, in the future perhaps a new sliding door made of barn wood.
We certainly know where to get some!
Sorry about the detour, but understanding the costs and limits of a remodel are not always evident, but they are critical to understand to keep your project on budget and in the good graces of the city.
The rear addition extends the width of the house but is only 10' deep, not much larger than the rotting porch that was removed. What had been a dark, chopped up kitchen transitioned into a generous, light-filled space connected to the dining room with a new arched opening and the backyard with a bank of three double hung windows along the sink wall.
> See another DLD kitchen featuring stained wood cabinets
Bucking a long-running popular palette, this is not a gray and white kitchen. At its center, the kitchen is anchored by a 9' island, which is capped with a white oak countertop that ties in with new hardwood floors. The cabinets are quarter-sawn oak, stained a rich chocolate color (we are seeing are renewed interest in stained kitchen cabinets), and the island is painted a deep, rich creamy blue.
It is often a great option in a kitchen to mix countertop material and cabinet finishes with perimeter cabinets being one pallette, and the island being another. A painted island allows for a favorite color or wood species to be added easily and become a show-stopping design feature.
Family Farm Flair
But the most compelling aspect of the kitchen is the feature wall clad in barn wood reclaimed from the family farm. We love projects with a story, and adding knotted, nail-holed, weathered wood from a 100-year old North Dakota barn is about as good as it gets.
Integrate a blackboard and you have a wall that not only looks amazing but organizes a busy family, as well!
Upstairs is a new master suite, his and hers closets, and a fresh, colorful bathroom. And, who knows, in the future perhaps a new sliding door made of barn wood.
We certainly know where to get some!
ARCH SUPPORT Many Minneapolis homes have arched openings on the main level, which this project had. Originally, there was a simple doorway between the kitchen and dining room, which we replaced with a new arched opening, matching a nearby arch between the dining and living room.
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BARN WOOD How many kitchens have 100-year old barn wood as part of their material's palette? The homeowner traveled to the family's North Dakota farm and removed the wood, plank by plank and returned them to Minneapolis, where he denailed, gently sanded, and lightly stained each board.
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Bathroom Blues
You may sense a color theme running through this project, yes? It's all about the blues.
> See two other blue bathrooms
The master bathroom is no exception and uses blue glass mosaic tile as the accent to an otherwise neutral palette. Countertops, floor and wall tile feature beiges, creams, and whites. It's a soothing mix and feels uniquely beachy, especially at the vanity with relaxing blue walls and backsplash and a sandy-colored countertop.
You may sense a color theme running through this project, yes? It's all about the blues.
> See two other blue bathrooms
The master bathroom is no exception and uses blue glass mosaic tile as the accent to an otherwise neutral palette. Countertops, floor and wall tile feature beiges, creams, and whites. It's a soothing mix and feels uniquely beachy, especially at the vanity with relaxing blue walls and backsplash and a sandy-colored countertop.
PLAY THE BLUES What other color, really, is there for a soothing bathroom? Blue, water, sky, sea it all works so well in a master bathroom. And if you look closely, we might even see a hint of blue in the sandy-colored countertop. Hard to beat on a -10 degree January day.