2012 National Kitchen & Bath Association Awards

By Ellen Guettler

The annual competition among members of the Minnesota chapter of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) brings out the best in local kitchen and bath transformations. The following pages display the talents of our local design community and offer a glimpse of what NKBA members might do for you and your home.

Photo by Mark Ehlen Creative

Photo by Mark Ehlen Creative

Vintage Modern

First Place: Small Kitchen

(less than 150 square feet)

Designer: Kristen Veenstra, AKBD

The Woodshop of Avon, Deen Kitchen

This 1930s Minneapolis two-story had been divided into two residences before the homeowners purchased it last year and hired designer Kristen Veenstra of the Woodshop of Avon to help reunite the spaces into a single-family home. The focal point of the remodel is a stunning kitchen full of modern-day conveniences that still retains the aesthetic of an older home. The new kitchen is galley-style, which affords maximum storage and ease of movement within a more limited space, and incorporates a large island, ideal for cooking, preparation, and entertaining. Warm cherry cabinets with custom door panels will deepen in color over time, yielding a rich, amber hue that compliments the home’s historic charm. Soapstone was selected for the countertops for its visual texture, and modern stainless appliances balance oil-rubbed bronze fixtures to capture the vintage spirit of a home now ready for the 21st century.

Photo by Mark
Ehlen Creative

Photo by Mark Ehlen Creative

Second Place: Small Kitchen

(less than 150 square feet)

Designer: Mary Maney, AKBD

Crystal Kitchen Center, Schrah Kitchen

Photo by
susan gilmore
photography

Photo by susan gilmore photography

Tudor Masterpiece

First Place: Medium Kitchen

(between 150-350 square feet)

Designer: Rosemary Merrill, AKBD

Casa Verde Design, Tudor Kitchen

Designer Rosemary Merrill, a partner at Casa Verde Design, believes that a home’s architectural style is crucial to consider when determining interior design, and the owners of this 1920s English Tudor home agree. That’s why they decided to remodel their kitchen to honor the home’s Tudor characteristics. Tudor homes were among the first in medieval England to move beyond purely functional design to incorporate aesthetic elements such as prominent chimney structures, tall windows, and wrought-iron decorations. This kitchen captures that history beautifully with its four-arch mantle-style range hood, with open corbel supports that conjure the proud hearths of the Tudor period. Wrought-iron sconces were custom-designed to frame the box window above the sink, and match the room’s dark bronze faucet and hardware accents. Some of the off-white raised panel-cabinets feature a unique glass-pane design evocative of Early English Gothic cathedrals. And the room is kept bright and airy with light marble countertops and backsplash. Together these elements form a harmonious tribute to the home’s historic roots.

Photo by todd
buchanan

Photo by todd buchanan

Second Place: Medium Kitchen

(between 150-350 square feet)

Designer: Jaque Bethke

PURE Design, Cliffside Kitchen

Photo by susan gilmore photography

Photo by susan gilmore photography

East Coast Style

First Place: Large Kitchen

(more than 350 square feet)

Designer: Rosemary Merrill, AKBD

Casa Verde Design, Tudor Kitchen

Photo by todd
buchanan

Photo by todd buchanan

Second Place: Large Kitchen

(more than 350 square feet)

Designer: Jaque Bethke

PURE Design, Cliffside Kitchen

Photo by todd
buchanan

Photo by todd buchanan

Third Place: Large Kitchen

(more than 350 square feet)

Designer: David Heide, Mark Nelson, Brad Belka

David Heide Design Studio, Sigg Kitchen

Photo by
susan gilmore
photography

Photo by susan gilmore photography

Artisan Elegance

First Place: Powder Room

(sink and toilet only, no tub or shower)

Designer: Rosemary Merrill, AKBD

Casa Verde Design, Artisan Bath

Entertaining puts an entire house on display, including spaces used for freshening up. This homeowner, who loves to host guests, wanted an updated powder room that would feel sophisticated and welcoming. Designer Rosemary Merrill transformed the dim room with its low vanity, 1950s pink tile, and busy green wallpaper into an elegant, modern space that charms its visitors. Its centerpiece is a quartersawn oak vanity (quarter sawing wood produces a straighter visible grain than the more common flat sawing method) stained with gray wash to complement the vintage granite countertop with sculpted backsplash. To brighten the room in an elegant manner, Merrill used recessed lighting, sconces connected to a dimmer, and rope lighting installed inside the crown molding. A large custom mirror and a shimmer application on the painted walls give the space a more expansive feel than its modest footprint, retained from the original room.

Photo by todd
buchanan

Photo by todd buchanan

Second Place: Powder Room

(sink and toilet only, no tub or shower)

Designer: Jaque Bethke

PURE Design, Making an Impression Bath

Photo by mark
ehlen creative

Photo by mark ehlen creative

A Welcoming Design

First Place: Small Bathroom

(less than 55 square feet)

Designer: Lynn Monson, CKD, CBD, Sandy Monson,

Monson Interior Design, Accessibility Bath

A bathroom remodel was a necessity for this homeowner, a nonagenarian who increasingly uses her wheelchair. She couldn’t access her former master bath with its enclosed shower and toilet, so designers Lynn and Sandy Monson, co-owners of Monson Interior Design, transformed the space into one that was both usable and welcoming. Two walls were removed for walk-in or wheel-in access to the shower and toilet areas, and a pocket door offers privacy from the adjacent bedroom. Utilitarian hardware—grab bars and a hand-held showerhead that provide stability and flexibility—is visually balanced by warm, brushed nickel fixtures, soft lighting, and a tall teak cabinet that matches the owner’s bedroom furniture. This project was also honored with the Universal Design special award.

Photo by steve
silverman imaging

Photo by steve silverman imaging

Second Place: Small Bathroom

(less than 55 square feet)

Designer: Jane Hampton, CID, CAPS, CEAC

Accessibility Design, Kierstead Bath

Photo by
susan gilmore
photography

Mosaic Sophisticate

First Place: Large Bathroom

(more than 55 square feet)

Designer: Rosemary Merrill, AKBD

Casa Verde Design, Mosaic Bath

Before designer Rosemary Merrill reconfigured this master bath, its best feature—a window overlooking the home’s suburban wooded lot—was trapped behind the bathtub and shower. Merrill shifted the window’s placement to take advantage of those views, and made the bathroom’s interior something to look at as well. A striking brown-and-white mosaic tile lines the floor and travels up one wall of the steam shower, which is outfitted with a bench for comfort and a rain showerhead. Brown-hued marble lines the top of a double vanity that features two large mirrors, with white cabinets underneath for plenty of storage and a clean, bright look. A washlet toilet (with built-in water spray for washing) is nestled behind a linen closet for added privacy, which the previous design lacked. To disguise a visually obtrusive soffit and unify the space, the walls, soffit and ceiling were all painted a warm tan color picked up from the tile.

Photo courtesy of pure designs

Photo courtesy of pure designs

Second Place: Large Bathroom

(more than 55 square feet)

Designer: Jaque Bethke

PURE Design, Artistic License Bath

Photo courtesy of
Partners 4, Design

Photo courtesy of Partners 4, Design

Third Place: Large Bathroom

(more than 55 square feet)

Designer: John Idstrom, AIA, CID, David Ostreim, AIA

Partners 4, Design, Gray Bath

Photo courtesy of The Woodshop of Avon

Photo courtesy of The Woodshop of Avon

Honorable Mention: Large Bathroom

(more than 55 square feet)

Designer: Carol Sadowsky, CKD

The Woodshop of Avon, Anderson-Logan Bath

Photo by mark
ehlen creative

Eco Upgrade

First Place: Green Design

(incorporates sustainable materials, products, and practices)

Designer: Mary Maney, AKDB

Crystal Kitchen Center, Powder Room, Larsen Stewart Bath

A remodel is an ideal time to revise your eco-footprint, as materials and components can be swapped for those with a gentler environmental impact. Working with designer Mary Maney of Crystal Kitchen Center, this homeowner opted to use green materials whenever possible in this powder bath remodel, including locally produced North Prairie floor tiles, and regionally produced Kohler plumbing fixtures. The wallcovering is made from sisal, a natural fiber derived from an agave plant with same name, and is printed with non-toxic inks (unlike many traditional vinyl wallcoverings, sisal is PVC-free, and will not not “outgass”). A low-flush toilet and a low-flow faucet, along with a recyclable fireclay sink (an extremely durable alternative to cast iron), make this powder bath as delightful as it is eco-friendly.

Photo by mark
ehlen creative

Photo by mark ehlen creative

Affordable Chic

First Place: Budget Friendly

(total kitchen project cost, including appliances, of $40,000 or less)

Designer: Sheryl Paisley, AKBD

Lowe's of Blaine, Medium Kitchen, Erickson Kitchen

A little extra effort from this budget-conscious homeowner went a long way toward keeping her extensive kitchen remodel under $20,000. The owner acted as sub-contractor for many parts of the project, hiring her own handyman for electrical and plumbing work, and coordinating installation of the flooring, countertops and cabinets. Designer Sheryl Paisley with Lowe’s of Blaine handled the rest, including the kitchen’s layout, which required the removal of a soffit and a slight narrowing of the doorway to make room for a lazy susan. The collaboration gave this homeowner a dramatically updated kitchen without the dramatic price tag.