From Top to Bottom: South Minneapolis Home Addition

Before The Remodel

Why a home addition?

These homeowners loved the classic style of their Minneapolis home, and though older – it was well-built and in great shape. They loved the look of the archways, large moldings, dark wood mixed with the white enamel, and the gorgeous hardwood floors throughout. And, they loved their neighborhood and location.

Functionally, however, the house brought a lot of daily-living frustrations – with lots of cramped, awkward, dated spaces and tight, twisted, narrow pathways. The kitchen was so small it could not even accommodate a refrigerator! Upstairs, the primary bathroom was tiny and awkward, closet space was lacking, and one homeowner had to store clothing down the hall in another room (and was constantly traveling back and forth to get dressed). The main level didn’t have closets or storage space, and there was nowhere to store coats, vacuums, cleaning supplies, sports equipment, or pet supplies.

Additionally, entrances and exits in the home were cramped and dangerous, and all pathways were crowded and dangerous.

“The main thing about functionality that we want is good flow between spaces – indoor spaces and indoor/outdoor spaces – and enough storage for everything. They desired a more organized home life where “everything has a place and everything in its place!”

Remodeling Needs and Goals

The primary goals of the addition were to create a new kitchen and an owner’s suite, and to increase space in the basement for more storage. They also wanted to improve flow, pathways, and entrances/exits throughout the home. Also key was creating an accessible bathroom on the main level.

“The entertainment experience is important to us. We envision a seamless open floor plan that opens the kitchen to both the living room and dining room, and into the outdoors – with a wall of windows to let in the natural light and bring the outside in.”

The homeowners had invested a lot of time and work creating a personal oasis backyard garden, and it was important to them to avoid the addition being so large they would lose the yard, or not be able to recreate the outdoor retreat.

Design-wise, it was important to retain the look and feel of the original house components. They wanted to blend the addition into existing parts of the home for a seamless look and feel. “I want to avoid the addition having different flooring, and feeling like a separate space from the existing home”.

Aesthetic Vision and Solutions

Inside, the homeowners wanted a mix of modern and traditional. It was important to have the existing space flow seamlessly into the new space. To facilitate this, original elements of the existing home, such as the archways, baseboards, and crown molding, were brought into the new spaces.

The flooring was matched throughout, with new white oak flooring blending right into the existing oak floor, both upstairs and on the main level.

The Kitchen Addition

Kitchen Remodeling Goals

Bluestem Design Team:
“Do you plan to keep anything from your current kitchen for re-use in your newly- remodeled kitchen?”

The Homeowners:
“NO!”

The original kitchen of this 1924 home addition was a testament to 1920’s living. It was small, with a too-small sink, an extra small range squished in, and the refrigerator was wedged into a tight, small space… in a separate room.

The sink was awkward, and could not accommodate baking sheets or large pans. It was old and porcelain, constantly staining, and very difficult to clean. When loading the dishwasher, they’d have to squeeze between the dishwasher and the stove to get back in front of the sink.

Only one person could cook or work in the space at a time, and the couple had grown tired of meal prep and clean-up taking twice as long.

The couple dreamt of a new kitchen that was highly functional, had great flow, was full of natural light, was bright and airy, looked great, and could accommodate both of them cooking and cleaning up at once. They didn’t want to feel embarrassed about their kitchen anymore, but for it to be a space they loved being in and showing off. They wanted a kitchen to gather in, with enough space to prepare larger meals. They dreamt of an easier transition from the kitchen to the backyard for regular outdoor dining.

“We like the idea of an island facing a wall of windows with the sink in it, so we can look out at the yard while prepping and washing. We also love the idea of being able to see a focal point range/hood wall from the outside.”

Overall, clean lines, fantastic function, a beautiful showpiece but practical for daily living was the ultimate vision and dream.

Specific New Kitchen Needs

“We want a kitchen that is airy and open, with enough storage”

• Windows overlooking the backyard
• Space for a refrigerator right in the kitchen itself
• Room for two to cook… and two to clean 
• Airy and open
• Lots of storage options
• A sink that could accommodate large pans and cookware
• Space for entertaining and gathering 
• Room for guests to help serve and prepare meals
• Task, ambient and natural lighting – controllable for atmosphere
• A kitchen island
• More counter and work space
• Cabinetry to ceiling
• Soft close cabinets
• A professional grade cooktop
• A pantry
• Energy-efficient appliances
• Good pot and pan storage
• Extensive drawers and kitchen utensil storage options
• A tile or stone backsplash complemented by natural wood
• High-performance windows
• Dedicated recycling and trash area 

The New Kitchen Design

The final kitchen design realized the homeowners’ vision of having a tri-color kitchen, with natural wood and stone, and with a mix of both wood and painted cabinets. The warm, soft wood look is complemented and highlighted by the Black Mist granite countertops and Calacatta Topaz porcelain backsplash.

The stove is the gorgeous focal point of the kitchen they hoped for, with a stunning porcelain backsplash surrounding a sleek, modern hood.

The black windows contrast the light wood and bright backsplash for a modern, elevated look.

Entrances, Exits, and Narrow, Winding Stairs

The Back Entrance 

The backyard was accessible from the kitchen – but through a tight squeeze and around a sharp corner. This made it very difficult to carry dishes out to serve a meal on the patio. It was also very difficult to host guests outside, with the narrow, crowded passageway back and forth. It was pure gridlock if someone opened the fridge, which blocked anyone from getting outside or to the kitchen.

Additionally, the back entry zone was the cramped, winding route down to the basement. And it was so narrow, the couple had to buy new laundry baskets that would squeeze tight enough to make it around the corner and down!

The recycling bin also had to fit in that same small space, along with the vacuum cleaner, pet food, and other household cleaning items. All of this made the trek to the backyard or the basement even more difficult and dangerous – and frustrated them on a daily basis.

The Living Room Entrance 

One of the main entrances/exits to the house was through the french doors going from the porch to the living room. While it was nice to have that not-hallway entrance, those doors were smaller than normal, and it was a tight squeeze when carrying a lot of stuff in or out. The homeowners longed for a more standard door that made coming in with groceries awkward and less difficult. 

The couple longed for better access to the back, that didn’t involve small, awkward doors or blocked passageways. From the kitchen, they wanted guests to have the option to easily get to the kitchen, the dining room, or outside. 

“We want to entertain with an indoor/outdoor experience, allowing friends and family to visit throughout the kitchen living room and seamlessly flow outside – without being in each other’s way.”

After The Remodel: Access and Flow

Strategic planning, reimagining and reconfiguring passageways, and prioritizing needs created a new space plan that includes greatly improved exits and entrances throughout, better pathways, and spaces that flow smoothly from one into the other. 

Dining can easily cross between the kitchen, dining room and backyard, and access is easy for traveling from either the kitchen or living room out to the backyard. The stairway down to the basement has been opened up and is much safer and easier to navigate, and the new storage solutions keep the passageway empty. And, the refrigerator can now be opened without even blocking traffic!

Main Floor Powder Room Addition

Before the remodel, there was no easy access to a bathroom. When guests were over, they had to either go downstairs through the winding staircase to the unfinished, unkept basement bathroom, used as storage, or upstairs or to the couples’ main bathroom. They felt uncomfortable with guests using their personal bathroom, which felt like an invasion of privacy. Plus, with no accessible bathroom on the main level, it was difficult for elderly parents to access a bathroom.

The owners greatly desired an accessible bathroom for guests to use, allowing more family members to visit. They also wanted guests to have a space that was tucked away and comfortable, and not in the more private areas of the home. They didn’t want the bathroom door to open right into the kitchen or dining room, if possible, but to have a bit more private access. 

New Powder Room Goals

• A main level guest bath for entertaining
• Darker, fun, funky aesthetic 
• Fully accessible 
• Set aside somehow, without opening direct to dining room or kitchen
• Private, cozy, comfortable 

After The Remodel
(Photos coming soon!)
The new bathroom is easy to get to, centrally located, and was put into a spot perfectly tucked away (around a corner where the refrigerator used to be) and fits their design goal of being a fun, funky statement room.
The new powder room on the main level has made entertaining much easier and less stressful for both guests and homeowners! 

The Owner’s Suite

These homeowners were looking for both more space upstairs, generally speaking, as well as a true owners’ suite. They wanted a primary bedroom area that was spacious enough to accommodate both a king bed and an area for the dog beds.

They also dreamed of enough room to easily walk about, maybe even sit, and without fear of tripping over a sleeping dog.

Before The Remodel: The Bedroom

Lack of closet space.
The bedroom closet was very small, and could only accommodate one homeowner’s clothing. There was a closet in the tiny guest bedroom to use, but that meant one homeowner had to constantly travel back and forth between rooms to get dressed.

Small and cramped.
Because of the placement of the doorways and radiator, there was only one place to position the bed, and it was very awkward and hard to get around – especially with dog beds also in the room

Lack of natural light.
The bedroom was typically dim and dreary, with poor natural light. The homeowners dreamed of waking up to a room filled with sunshine.

New Bedroom Remodeling Goals

• A view of the yard
• Windows on the side – but higher up to let light in while still maintaining privacy
• A ceiling fan
• A walk-in closet to accommodate both owners’ clothing
• Enough space to comfortably move around in 
• Room for a small sitting space
• Room to accommodate at least 2 dog beds
• Recessed lights
• High-performance windows
• Lots of natural light but with options for privacy 

Before The Remodel: The Bathroom

The previous primary bathroom was very small – could only accommodate one person at a time, which made getting ready in the mornings difficult and more time consuming. One person would have to go two levels down to the basement bathroom if the main bathroom was in use. 

The small bathroom had a classic old Minneapolis house pedestal sink, and they longed for a vanity with counter space and drawers to keep toiletries in.

New Bathroom Remodeling Needs

• Multiple or separate sinks 
• Access to Natural light
• Separate tub and shower
• Private or semi-private WC
• Linen storage 
• Light, airy  feel
• Vanity with storage to contain daily use items such as toothbrushes/toothpaste, contact lenses, hair & skin products, a hair dryer, etc. – keeping things within reach but off the counter.
• Additional storage option for less-used items and extra supplies, such as toilet paper and towels

The New Owners Suite Bathroom

The gorgeous new owner’s bathroom boasts a double vanity, water closet room, soaking tub and luxurious shower. The beautiful marbled White Maravilla Bianco Orion Oblong tile of the bathroom, black opal porcelain tile in the shower, and wood look ceramic tile in the shower blend together creating a soothing, serene spa-like look. The colors are lush and natural, lending to a soothing, calming effect while also being bright and cheerful. Getting ready is so much easier, and the homeowners feel pampered just being in their own bathroom!

The Basement Remodel

The basement was expanded to create space for a much desired home addition feature – a brand new golf simulator!

Basement Addition Goals

• An expansion dug deep enough for a workout space that could include a golf simulator. 
• Regulate the humidity levels, which were hard to manage
• Soundproofing to allow for peace and quiet throughout the rest of the house while the golf simulator is in use
• A golf simulator that could comfortably double as a home entertainment system 
• Lots of natural light to keep the basement feeling welcoming and comfortable 

Now: After the Remodel – Life in Their New Home!

Traditional Meets Modern: A South Minneapolis 3-Story Home Addition 

The final Minneapolis home addition ended up the perfect size for these homeowners, allowing them to still keep their personal sanctuary garden and backyard living spaces (leaving room for a new patio), while almost doubling the square footage of their home.

All primary additional space needs were fulfilled:
A large, new highly-functional kitchen, an owner’s suite, a powder room addition on the main level, a basement expansion (which includes a new golf simulator!), plenty of new storage options, improved exits and entrances, better pathways and flow, and beautifully new spaces to enjoy and entertain in! They feel much more organized, and ready to host and entertain, or just spend a quiet evening at home with additional time after dinner to play with the dogs and relax.

Now that the addition is completed, the back entry is set up and ready for cabinet installation to create a fantastic new mudroom function, which the homeowners can’t wait to start. Plus, the former kitchen space will soon become a butler’s pantry – for even more storage and serving options! These homeowners couldn’t be happier with their new spaces, and look forward to rebuilding their garden and many upcoming summer meals outside!