Lake Nokomis Mudroom Addition & Kitchen Remodel

A remodel is underway. Take a look inside.

See inside as we build a mudroom addition and remodel the kitchen of this 1920s Lake Nokomis home.

The Finished Remodel

From Lackluster Entry to Welcoming Mudroom

Our clients came to us with issues that many homeowners face, how to get more space, better storage, and an updated interior. More space for this Lake Nokomis home meant designing a mudroom/sunroom addition at the rear of the home that functioned as a more welcoming entry with seasonal storage and views into the backyard. Mudroom features like the full-height cabinets, an entry bench, a new stove, and large windows make the addition suitable for year-round use and day-to-day storage.

Notable Motivation: Designers used bold blue cabinets and ornate tiles alongside natural walnut to blend modern sensibilities with the mid-century aesthetic of the rest of the home.

The new layout provided an additional 125 sq.ft of mudroom space for the family to enter through the back of the home without feeling pinched. The new sunroom gave the family the open entry they were looking for while designs for the kitchen removed the wall between the kitchen and dining and provided two new prep and cooking zones.

Opening Up a Kitchen Opens Up a Whole House

Though the mudroom addition provided our clients a better entry sequence from the garage, the kitchen still lacked the right amount of storage and was closed off from the rest of the home. Enhancing maneuverability was a matter of removing much of the wall between the kitchen and dining room, reconfiguring the food prep areas, opening views to the new mudroom, and taking out unnecessary soffits and an inconveniently placed island. With improved lighting from the skylights and mudroom windows alongside modern pendants, the enhanced brightness also helped not only the kitchen but the remainder of the main level feel much more open and well-lit.

Notable Motivation: Not just open, but selections like the handcrafted backsplash tiles, rounded countertop edges, sleek walnut cabinets, and floating shelving add personality and modern sophistication to the room.

Walnut cabinets throughout the kitchen unite the aesthetic of the existing dining room and living room with the remodeled zones. Faucet Selection: DELTA ESSA Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet with Magnetic Docking Spray Head

The vivid blues introduced in the mudroom are featured again in the kitchen with generous, open shelving sitting above a second prep and work station.

These existing skylights were a wonderful feature of the home and one we wanted to celebrate in the remodel. With more functional cabinetry, better storage, and a new workstation, the area is better integrated into the kitchen. With much of the wall to the dining room removed, natural lighting from the skylights can now flow from the kitchen the the rest of the main level beyond.

Remembering Where We Started

It can sometimes be hard to see the potential in a space that isn’t functioning well, but with a little vision, homes like this one shine! Despite the inconvenience of the existing back entry and kitchen, the home was not wanting in other, much more important, elements that would make this remodel worthwhile. The family loved the backyard and the St. Paul neighborhood where they lived for 7 years already. With thoughtful interior changes and a mudroom addition, this lake Nokomis home would better serve the family that already loved living there.

Notable Motivation: Check out these BEFORE images below. A remodel is about acknowledging things that work great in a home as well as those areas that need some intervention. These kitchen skylights are a huge asset to the space while features like the existing soffits and an adjacent wall needed to be removed.

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