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FeedSave or Splurge?
The best remodels do both
Styled By Jana Chin
For most of us, a kitchen renovation is a lot like a successful relationship: It’s all about compromise. Whether we dive into the project because the kitchen is outdated or the family outgrew the existing space, we’re forced to make trade offs. High-end countertops or custom cabinetry? Additional square footage or gourmet appliances? There are decisions to make at every turn, each of which has practical, aesthetic, and economic consequences. ¶ Meet two families that faced down those decisions: The Lowrys, a young Chaska family that gave their outdated 1970s kitchen a makeover and an additional 160 square feet; and the Huelsters, a couple who worked within the footprint of their 100-year-old cabin in Afton to create a charming, Cass Gilbert-inspired kitchen. These homeowners, and the professionals who worked with them, graciously shared with us their remodels and their process—what they valued going in, what they learned along the way, where they saved, and where they splurged.
The Lowrys
Beth and David Lowry’s 1970s kitchen in Chaska was so dim that it “was like cooking in a cave,” says Beth. Their architect and long-time friend Christian Dean, principal of City Desk Studio in Minneapolis, agreed. “It was like the original builder had plopped down a prototype house without any thought about solar orientation,” he says. As such, light was a major consideration for the family that includes Tess, 9, and Isobel, 7. Beth and David dreamed of a conversation-worthy, airy, and definitively cool kitchen—for no more than $95,000. They pulled it off by using innovative design ideas and materials.
$ SAVEThe family went with end-grain dark fir for the floors—something more often seen in museums—because of its durability and matte, almost leathery look. Plus, it’s much less expensive than other types of wood flooring. $ SAVEArchitect Christian Dean used a commercial window system with a vertical pattern that complements the home’s board-and-batten siding and is a big money saver compared to custom residential windows. He also combed a local steel yard for generic bent-plate stainless steel and incorporated it as shelving over the sink. $ SAVEThe Lowrys went to Home Depot for the faucet and Ikea for the counter stools, lighting, plates, and glassware. They chose Ikea cabinets in two materials—oak and stainless steel below with glass and stainless steel above—and put them together themselves to save on labor costs. | SPLURGE $ $ $To guide light into the dining area beyond the kitchen, Dean designed a 13-by-10-foot window that is so big you could literally drive through it. “But we were willing to spend on those things that have conversational value,” says homeowner Beth Lowry. “That was one of them.” SPLURGE $ $ $Custom stainless steel countertops on the perimeter cabinets help bounce light around the room, while the milky blue-green glass countertop on the island adds a visual surprise. “People are so used to seeing granite or marble in kitchens, and this is really special,” says Beth.
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Maki Strunc Photography
The Huelsters
Maki Strunc Photography
Six years ago, Hugh and Jean Huelster moved from their 1889 Cass Gilbert-designed house to their retirement home: a charming, 100-year-old cabin in Afton. They had long planned to remodel the small, dinghy kitchen, but when the faucet broke in 2006, the moment arrived. They hired Peter Vujovich, owner of Vujovich Design-Build in Afton, who, in turn, brought in and Beth Klaasen, principal of Interiors 2 Scale in Little Canada, to design a kitchen reminiscent of the Cass Gilbert-designed beauty that Jean had cooked in (and loved) for 25 years. Jean loves to can, cook, and bake pies, so she wanted sufficient cooks’ tools, but for under $50,000. Priorities firmly in mind, they made it happen.
$ SAVEBuilder/designer Peter Vujovich stretched the interior space but kept the same footprint for the Huelsters’ new kitchen, and kept most of the mechanicals (plumbing, HVAC, and major electrical systems) in place, both of which eliminated extensive labor and material costs. $ SAVEThe original pine floor and ceiling stayed put, too—a decision that not only saved dollars, but also added charm to the space. $ SAVEJean kept her Viking range and reused a French bistro fixture she already owned over the sink. She also reclaimed an old ceiling fixture from her brother, and repurposed part of an old butcher block table for a countertop. $ SAVEJean asked the cabinetmaker to spray the cabinets with white primer, but she did the interior painting herself, also saving on labor costs. | SPLURGE $ $ $Being a superb baker and terrific cook, homeowner Jean Huelster knew that good countertops were paramount. So she chose Italian yellow limestone countertops that stay nice and cool, perfect for rolling out piecrusts. SPLURGE $ $ $For Jean, the right sized subway tile was essential for getting the right Cass Gilbert aesthetic. She shopped all over the metro for the ones she had in mind, and finally found them at Waterworks, a high-end showroom at International Market Square. “But they were exactly right, so I didn’t care what they cost,” she says. SPLURGE $ $ $The elegant custom cabinets by Tom Ross, owner of Ross Custom Cabinetry, were built specifically with Jean’s baking sheets and pans in mind, and have inset glass doors that lighten the room. |
Splurge & Save (IT'S A FINE ART)
KNOW WHERE YOU’RE HEADED: If you have a solid idea of what you’re going for, you’ll save lots of money in the design stage. Tear out images from magazines and put them on a corkboard. What are the common themes?
LIST YOUR PRIORITIES: At the beginning, everything feels like a priority, but budgets require some tough decisions. Make a numbered list, and spend most of your energy and dollars on the top three things.
GET SAVVY HELP: Hiring professional designers and/or architects will help you focus the experience. The right person will make up their design fees with smart, money-saving ideas.
BE OPEN TO THE UNUSUAL: You’ll get the most out of designers if you’re open to unusual solutions and materials—like the Lowrys’ commercial window system and bent-steel shelves.
KEEP THE SAME FOOTPRINT: Avoid changing the outside shape of your house, and you’ll save big money. Instead of exterior additions, focus on interior walls.
RECYCLE & REUSE: Before you go searching for new, expensive items, assess what you already have and if it can be reused or repurposed.
DO SOME OF YOUR OWN WORK: Paint, assemble, and shop yourself, and you’ll save a bundle.
GET BIG IMPACT FOR BIG $$$: High-dollar items should have an element of zing, like the Lowrys’ luminous glass wall or the Huelsters’ glossy subway tile.
Alecia Stevens is a Minneapolis interior designer and frequent contributor to Midwest Home.
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11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)
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