Historic Home Remodel | Minneapolis, Minnesota
Our clients purchased this 100+ year old house with the goal of gutting the poorly-renovated interior and implementing an open, cohesive floor plan. Although the husband preferred contemporary design while the wife leaned traditional, they were unified in their desire for natural light and indoor-outdoor connection, even on their tight urban lot.
The existing kitchen was too small to accommodate a kitchen island, which was not acceptable to the husband, an excellent cook. Our solution was to eliminate a secondary servant’s stair to the upper floor. The servant’s stair, common in grand, old homes, allowed servants to traverse the house while staying out of sight. By removing it, the kitchen space almost doubled which created space for a large, 4-seat island.
New connections abound on the main floor. To open the floor plan, we demolished 17’ of interior structural wall to make one large, open living space between the living room and kitchen. A large 12” tall steel beam was needed to replace the load-bearing wall which we hid behind a thick trim band. A new shortcut to the dining room offers longer views through the home to the living room and better ability to serve guests. A double-sided fireplace adds physical and visible warmth to the space as well as glimpses between the living room and dining room. A new covered terrace is accessible from three entry points and includes ceiling-mounted heaters to extend the outdoor season, increasing the feeling of spaciousness.
