2005 National Kitchen & Bath Association Awards

a large kitchen with a stainless steel center island

Photo by Jim Mims

Open Air

Lori Jo Krengel, CKD, CBD
Kitchens by Krengel
St. Paul

FIRST PLACE: SMALL KITCHEN

(less than 35-square feet of countertop)

When Lori Jo Krengel redesigned the kitchen in this vintage St. Paul Victorian, she aimed to fulfill the owners’ desire for a clean, simple kitchen. She also wanted to create a space that flowed seamlessly into a new family room and mudroom addition. Krengel enlarged the kitchen by opening up the wall adjoining the dining room and moving the laundry room upstairs. She added a useful wall of cabinetry by taking over a niche in the dining room and incorporated a functional island with a cooktop into the space. The house now boasts a kitchen for the twenty-first century, filled with cabinets with inset doors and a vintage white finish that fit the home’s Victorian pedigree. Transom windows take advantage of the 10-foot ceilings, letting in natural light that highlights a suspended hood with decorative custom molding, warm red-oak floors, and soothing taupe walls. This kitchen may be small, but the efficient use of space makes it a comfortable place to cook.

All in Place

Kari Hiltner
The Woodshop of Avon
Edina

Linda Engler
Engler Skogmo Interior Design
Edina

FIRST PLACE: MEDIUM KITCHEN

(between 35- and 50-square feet of countertops)

This south Minneapolis residence had the narrow central hallway and compartmentalized spaces typical of a Colonial-style home. The small kitchen and eating area didn’t give the family of four enough room to enjoy meals or entertain guests comfortably, and awkward doorways, inefficient countertop spaces, and inadequate storage made cooking and organizing difficult. Designers Kari Hiltner and Linda Engler produced a light and open kitchen that is user-friendly for multiple cooks and for the owners’ small children. To bring in more light, the designers removed a wall separating the kitchen from a dining nook, where they also enlarged a window. They paved the way for a useful movable island and a pantry by eliminating a back-entry closet and widening the doorway into the kitchen. By removing the French door to the sunroom, they freed up the entire back wall for tall storage cabinets, a built-in bench, drawers, hooks, cubbies, and a desk. This grand new space works to keep a busy family organized.

Study in Contrasts

Brian Lee Hasenmueller
Kitchens by Krengel
St. Paul

SECOND PLACE: MEDIUM KITCHEN

(between 35- and 50-square feet of countertops)

Warmth and elegance define this Edina kitchen, but that wasn’t always so. Brian Lee Hasenmueller took a boxy, dark space and transformed it into a room that’s a dream for both cooking and entertaining. He created an archway between the kitchen and family room to open up the space, then integrated the adjacent rooms with similar dark wood tones in the American cherry crown molding and Brazilian cherry wood floors. Cherry appears again in the built-in message center, adding functional elegance. White-painted maple cabinets in the kitchen play off the dining room’s white wainscoting. A granite-topped island creates a focal point and gathering spot, with comfortable seating for four. Its dark-glazed cherry base and copper-flecked black surface contrast with a beige ceramic-tile backsplash. Thanks to new windows overlooking the backyard and a bumped-out window with a cozy window seat, the owners can bask in the natural light flooding their kitchen.

Defined by Details

Valerie Stuessi, CKD
Crystal Kitchen Center
Golden Valley


THIRD PLACE: MEDIUM KITCHEN

(between 35- and 50-square feet of countertops)

Unique touches in this Edina kitchen created a space well matched to the lifestyles of its empty-nester owners. Designer Valerie Stuessi included a wall-mounted, flat-panel television that’s visible from the new cherry island, where a rounded end provides comfortable space for eating. All appliances, save for the professional-style range, are hidden behind inset door cabinetry. By tearing down the wall between the original, outdated U-shaped kitchen and a separate breakfast room, Stuessi created a graceful and charming space. Extra cabinets and a built-in writing desk help keep the couple organized and the kitchen functional. Stuessi selected a variety of cabinets to add eye-catching personality to the room, complete with a built-in wine rack, a plate rack, and a lighted china cabinet with glass doors for displaying collectibles. A flared, antique-white painted hood, as well as a subway-tile backsplash and crisp pendant lighting make this an easy-to-use workspace that’s also delightful.

From Grim to Grand

Lynn Monson, CKD, CBD
Sandy Monson
Monson Interior Design
Minneapolis

FIRST PLACE: LARGE AND OPEN KITCHEN

(greater than 50-square feet of countertops)

A stately Lake of the Isles house calls for a grand kitchen, but the existing hearth of this turn-of-the-twentieth century home was anything but distinguished. Reflecting the 1900s attitude, the kitchen was designed to be seen and used only by servants. The room’s choppy spaces, bulky butler’s pantry, and unused service staircase only made matters worse. Lynn and Sandy Monson designed a large open kitchen by tearing out the old staircase, walls, and cabinets. Now the home’s kitchen defines grand. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets with stained-glass sections, a rare granite top on the island imbued with gold, green, rust, and black tones, and a custom cherry corner bench and table add flair and elegance to the space. Built to accommodate a family of 10, the kitchen can comfortably handle large parties, too. Other embellishments include crown molding, decorative spindles, a vast ceiling-height wine rack, and a built-in television. Together, the custom touches add that extra something to this winning kitchen.

Welcome Home

Lori Jo Krengel, CKD, CBD
Kitchens by Krengel
St. Paul


SECOND PLACE: LARGE AND OPEN KITCHEN

(greater than 50-square feet of countertops)

When one of the most vital rooms of a house doesn’t quite fit the rest of the abode, something seems amiss. That was the design challenge facing Lori Jo Krengel in this traditional, brick Dellwood residence. While most of the spaces in the house were defined by right angles, the kitchen had a large, circular wall section. By turning the round walls of the powder room and entry closet into angled walls, Krengel welcomed the kitchen back into the house. Copper accents, including the range hood, the frame around the tile backsplash, and the cabinet hardware, complement the home’s exterior. The existing island became more functional when Krengel added a second sink, an under-counter microwave, and rollout shelves. A new kitchen desk and additional cabinets in the dining room further increase storage, while an arched entrance between the rooms creates a cohesive, functional space.

Mission Delight

Michael J. Palkowitsch, CMKBD
Michael J. Palkowitsch Design
St. Paul

Steven Holbrook
Design by Holbrook
Minneapolis

THIRD PLACE: LARGE AND OPEN KITCHEN

(greater than 50-square feet of countertops)

Broad, sweeping spaces with a Mission flavor epitomize this new kitchen. Michael J. Palkowitsch and Steven Holbrook teamed up to transform an outdated and inefficient room into a well-organized and comfortable enclave for cooking and entertaining. A stunning floor-to-ceiling built-in hutch stretches from wall to wall, creating classy storage and an ideal place to display prized dishes and glasses. A small island features a prep surface, a warming drawer, storage, and a comfortable spot for using a wireless computer. Palkowitsch and Holbrook replaced a small broom closet and open wire storage with full-height cabinets and pantries, providing even more convenient storage for the family. The new oak flooring and quarter-sawn white oak cabinets in the kitchen and old dinette space underline the Mission sensibility and unify the two areas. Finishing touches include an apron sink, a ceramic tile backsplash with a vineyard design, and a stylistically appropriate furniture-front refrigerator.

Master of Illusion

Andréa Dixon
DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen
St. Louis Park

First place: Large bathrooms and master suites

(greater than 55-square feet)

Andréa Dixon turned this master bath from ordinary to extraordinary and from cramped to spacious with some inventive design tricks. She replaced a shower curtain with a clear glass door to visually open the room. Tearing out small tiles and swapping in large ones added to the illusion of a bigger space. The bathroom couldn’t be enlarged in this Minneapolis condominium, but Dixon adapted some of the spaces to new uses. An unused shower stall now houses a stacked washer and dryer. A two-person shower with a built-in bench now stands where a large tub once occupied space. Suspended vanities and mirrors seem to float away from the walls, and underlighting creates the illusion of space. The generous, rich-toned cabinetry and sleek hardware matches the contemporary tone of the entire condo. The result? A sleek, clean, and simple space that is a pleasure to use.

Just Relax

JoLynn Johnson, CMKBD
Crystal Kitchen Center
Golden Valley

Tami Halverson
Tamson Interiors
Eden Prairie

SECOND PLACE: LARGE BATHROOMS AND MASTER SUITES

(greater than 55-square feet)

The owners of this 1970s home in Deephaven were tired of their dark, cramped bathroom. Enter designers JoLynn Johnson and Tami Halverson. An 8- by-12-foot addition converted this lackluster space into a French country-style haven. The soothing new bathroom feels like a retreat, complete with a new whirlpool tub surrounded by cobbled limestone tiles. A new large window lets in natural light. Antique white painted cabinets stretch from countertop to ceiling, providing ample storage space. The addition houses the tub, a spacious vanity with a sink, and new windows. A walk-in shower, sink, and vanity, and the existing toilet round out the original bathroom space. Soothing olive tones on the walls play nicely off the antique white cabinets and Corian countertops, and the large tiles on the floors and walls create one unified space. This bathroom is now a destination for relaxation.

FIRST PLACE: UTILIZATION OF CABINETRY IN RESIDENTIAL ROOMS OTHER THAN KITCHENS OR BATHROOMS

Valerie Stuessy, CKD
Crystal Kitchen Center
Golden Valley

Michal Crosby
Michal Crosby Interiors
Minneapolis

--SUZY FRISCH IS A FREELANCE WRITER FROM CHAMPLIN.

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