Remodeling a Kitchen, Bath & Primary Suite in Minneapolis

A remodel is underway. See inside!

Follow along as we remodel the kitchen, bath, and primary suite of a Kingfield neighborhood Tudor.

Design

Behind The Design

The homeowners have an appreciation of European simplicity and patina, particularly authentic Delft blue ceramics and detailing native to The Netherlands. The finishes and millwork details for the projects were specifically chosen to compliment the original character of the home, while also including the homeowners’ preference for European casual comfort and contemporary minimalism.

The home's original blueprints helped in determining how to fix structural issues from a previous remodel.

Challenges

  • The home has previous remodeling projects done in the 80s that were not entirely thoughtful in their execution. After opening the walls & ceilings during demolition, we discovered a handful of ceiling joists between the Kitchen & Master Bathroom that were either cut into for plumbing and electrical far more than is allowed for by code or structural stability, or simply cut off and improperly supported. Windows and doors that were installed as part of the earlier remodel did not have structural headers.
  • The intent was to refinish and reinstall the original bathroom pedestal sink. The historically accurate refinishing process would be to remove the sink off-site and refinish using a baked-on gloss porcelain finish. Unfortunately, this is a rare re-finishing process and not found locally. Only a couple resources are available to execute this finish. They are out of state and each holds a months-long waiting list.

A rendering of the newly remodeled Kitchen.

Solutions

  • The homeowners had some of the original house plans and some from the remodel, so we were able to decipher the original structure during planning. This also allowed us to quickly re-engineer and install proper structural support after it was discovered.
  • The sink is in decent condition, aside from some patina that has naturally come with age. The homeowners are moderately handy, so they have opted to give the sink some serious elbow grease to spiff it up for reinstallation. If they aren’t happy with their own restoration efforts, they will send it to a local refinisher who applies a durable high-gloss epoxy finish prior to re-installation.

The Kitchen design is minimal and sunny, with three large new windows and open shelves on the walls for storage.  Lower cabinets are a combination of gray and natural walnut, with a clean white apron farm sink.  Walls, trim, and wall tile are pure white, and for the countertops, we selected a quartz that mimics the look of weathered concrete.  The concrete floor tile was chosen because it has a pattern reminiscent of old Dutch kitchens.

Materials and fixtures for the new Kitchen: Walnut and painted cabinets, concrete look quartz countertops, farmhouse sink, white tile backsplash, and patterned floor tile.

A rendering of the finished Master Bath remodel.

The finishes and fixtures for the Master Bath Remodel.

The new Master Bathroom design includes large tile from shower floor to ceiling, complemented by simple white subway tile, and a mosaic white floor with gray-green accents.  The fixtures are polished chrome with white porcelain levers, and the sink sits on an open chrome console integrated with the cabinets and countertops. The Master Bath footprint will increase slightly, and a large mirror will also add to the feeling of expanded space. The Master Bath design is intended to balance contemporary design and the simple utilitarianism of the early 20th century.

A rendering of the new 2nd Bath remodel.

The finishes and fixtures for the 2nd Bath remodel.

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