Transformed Traditional
Edina, MN
Tangletown Addition
Minneapolis, MN
Edina Classical
Edina, MN
Originally a dark Episcopal rectory, a seamless addition created a bright family room and kitchen (at left). A new garage and pool house are beyond the pool.
Outdoors, we seek to create the comforting sense of “rooms." Here, that is created by the new addition, pool house and trellis.
The conservatory-like addition banishes the gloom, infusing fresh air and sunshine into this room and the rooms behind.
Loft spaces can feel too wide open, traditional rooms too confining. Internal vistas create depth, layers and flow.
Sightlines were reorganized to give visual order and circulation to what had once been a weave-your-way-through house.
A contemporary take on traditional design and materials infuses freshness into the original architecture.
The hallway, no longer dark and brooding, draws people with light filtered through glass cabinets from the family room.
Sunnyside Addition
Edina, MN
Oak Knoll Transformation
Minnetonka, MN
The owners of this 1920s English Country house consider themselves stewards. More than a renovation, the home needed a restoration.
The first thing to re-think: a 1980s addition that included an architecturally mismatched, room-gobbling fireplace. Often, a large change unlocks great potential.
A new, dramatic street presence, with french doors to the front terrace, better reflects the home's architectural origin.
The old steel windows leaked badly, disintegrating the studs. The 1980s window bay was out of place.
The rhythm of the windows is replicated in the addition/ renovation, adding light and warmth while seamlessly creating separate spaces for a couple with different styles.
New steel windows were cost prohibitive. We worked with Marvin to create an alternative, with lead caming on both sides of the glass.
The wall-length bookshelf with transom windows above provides privacy from a nearby house and plenty of book space.
English Country Addition
Minneapolis, MN
East Harriet Addition
Minneapolis, MN
This traditional saltbox was charming, but had lots of small rooms—not built for the way families live today.
We took over an unused first floor bedroom, doubled the size of the living area, opening it up while keeping the feeling of traditional spaces.
The request for a large TV over the fireplace led us to create a broad, classic hearth. Heat and electronics in close proximity require careful planning.
A horizontal steel beam was required for support across the ceiling. Wrapped with millwork, it becomes integral to the design.
Surrounded in millwork and light, the kitchen feels less ‘kitcheny” and more like real living space.
Pantry and full-height cabinetry provide storage and perpetuate the clean, uncluttered feeling of the rest of the house.
Minnehaha Woods Renovation
Edina, MN
Originally a post-war Colonial, the owners wanted a complete change of style and color palette, without breaking the bank.
We reinvented the house's character by taking the basic form and evolving it into a new look.
A wood shingle exterior replaced the lap siding. Eaves create shadow and depth, breaking up the home’s original boxiness.
The original internal kitchen was dark, and small for a family of six. We took over an unused bedroom to enlarge it.
A big expanse of windows was created to provide uninterrupted views to the large and lovely backyard.
The architecture was developed traditionally but given a fresh look by carefully marrying a dark-wood contemporary kitchen and eating area.
An island and a butler’s pantry provide storage, freeing up kitchen walls to develop their own personality.
St. Paul Transformation
St. Paul, MN
