Our clients recently purchased this home that was built in the hills of Monroe County in the early 1990s. During the design phase, the primary focus was on the kitchen, the primary bathroom, and the living room/fireplace. One overarching goal was a desire to have the space mimic the rustic lodges of Minnesota, a place the couple had shared many memories, while still fitting with the existing aesthetics of the rest of the home and setting.

For the kitchen cabinets and living room flooring, we chose dark knotty hickory. We balanced this with large-format earth-toned tiles in the kitchen, which gave a contemporary bent to the overall rustic aesthetic. Since these selections were on the darker side and the original kitchen did not have many opportunities for windows or natural light, we opened it up to both the living and dining room with pass-throughs and a larger doorway. This served to provide more light and airiness into the centrally-located kitchen, as well as to improve functionality and traffic flow through the space. 

Similarly to the kitchen, the existing bathroom was not laid out to maximize function or natural light. We removed the water closet wall and bathtub to maximize the use of the space. We then designed a large soapstone tiled shower in place of the bathtub and replaced windows in the new shower, creating a space that while still open, feels bright, airy, and connected to the wooded landscape. The rest of the bathroom was upgraded as well, with a walnut vanity, built-in cabinet storage, a light countertop, and a porcelain backsplash to match the new porcelain tile floors.

Finally, the original fireplace was small and tiled, which didn’t align with the client’s vision of the home. We replaced the insert and used a local sandstone veneer to help bring the fireplace into the aesthetic of the rest of the home. We finished the fireplace off with a locally-sourced barn-beam mantle and sandstone hearth.  

We absolutely loved working with these clients and are thrilled to have had the opportunity to bring their vision of a modern, rustic lodge to life.