I recently had the opportunity to style a beautiful home in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota. I couldn’t think of a better place or audience to share this gem. How this family updated and modernized the home for their family, and the decision to add his two-story addition to his 1924 beauty without compromising the exterior aesthetics, folks. I knew that would appreciate. I won’t make you wait anymore, let’s jump right in!
As soon as you enter this home, you are greeted by this gorgeous and original staircase. The homeowner had previously lived in a new high-rise condo across the river in Minneapolis, so moving into this home was, as you can imagine, quite a change. Work with our design, build, and remodel team After researching and choosing that JKath, the homeowner says it all just clicked! Hearing those words made me think about how important it is to really get to know your team and get the feel of everything. feel in process. Trusting the process and giving yourself and everyone involved respite is invaluable. Because no matter how many years of experience and how carefully a project is planned, things happen. As long as you have the right team, you can roll with your punches and proceed accordingly. Are you ready for a little while?

Not bad, right? But I love how they updated it and gave it new life with just a few cosmetic changes.
Now, before I take you to the kitchen, could you check out this powder bath?

Small but full of personality! His one nugget of design advice I have is to splurge on powder baths. They are usually small spaces that don’t require a lot of material, so they can keep costs down. Also because there is no shower or bath to generate steam. You can be more creative and bring your personality. wallpaper Art, as these homeowners have done.

Moving into the kitchen, the previous layout was so unwieldy, small, and didn’t fit the family’s aesthetics and function, that the homeowners always wanted to update the kitchen. So it took a lot of iterations to figure out how to transform the kitchen within its original footprint, which proved equally difficult. That’s when the situation changed and the scope of the project developed into a new plan. Homeowners who fully trusted Jkath decided to add it to their historic all-brick home. The decision was not taken lightly as it was very important to them that the addition would always appear to be part of the original home. Brick was installed throughout the exterior of the new addition, followed by a clay tile roof to maintain the historic look of the home. , the previously small upstairs bedroom was transformed into a primary suite with its own bathroom, walk-in closet, and vaulted ceilings.
Ready to see your newly remodeled kitchen?

wall and cabinet color | | counter top | | wall sconce | | back splash | | faucet | | flooring
The homeowner wanted an all-white kitchen, but once again trusted the design team to finally settle for a softer kitchen with this contrasting rich alder wood island with beautiful calf panel detailing. I chose the surrounding colors. When I walked in, I immediately fell in love with the soft white they chose and the island’s gorgeous wood and custom frame and stucco vent hood.



I like the added detail of the alder cabinet interior and the contrast with the creamy cabinet color, along with the sliding door that keeps it out of the way in the pantry area. This proves that details really matter. Especially when you’re making decisions and investments this big.

sink | | Shelf bracket | | cabinet pull | | cabinet knobs
When I first walked in, I felt like I was being wrapped in a warm embrace. Professionally researched for use in

island utility rail | | ceiling fixture
I love and admire how they combined the unlacquered brass with the polished nickel hardware of the surrounding cabinets and light fixtures. And I love that they chose to restore and reuse the existing cabinet hardware if this kitchen doesn’t get any better. I was able to use a custom-made hatch for


lighting equipment | | wall color | | dining chair
In the dining room, the homeowners went back and forth a bit between adding a drinks fridge or adding a coffee bar, but ultimately chose to create special custom furniture instead. I am very happy that they did it. It really warms the space and looks very special as it echoes the island and cabinetry interiors.
As I said before, the new addition here allowed them to get a full size mudroom! had a small closet.



wall trim and cabinet color | | faucet | | Pull | | Knob | | counter top
Tada! Their new mudroom has turned out to be a great place to store coats, shoes and all of your gear and stuff. It’s such a special detail and a tribute to the era of the home, which is also a trend that EHD pointed out in his trending posts for the kitchen this year 🙂

The bench was custom made by JKath in Alder and has a custom finish that reflects the wood tones in the kitchen.

I like it as well that they decided to tuck a beverage fridge in here as opposed to the previous idea of having it in the dining room area.

Combination of moody green walls and cabinets luxury wallpaper Give this hardworking space a lot of life! Oh, and never underestimate the usefulness of simple and functional peg rails. I DIYed one of his (my brother-in-law’s DIY of him) in my bathroom and I love it. Unsurprisingly, we think this is a great design choice and proof that a utilitarian space like this should have plenty of personality.

Heading upstairs, the addition of the primary suite felt so seamless that it was really hard to tell which parts of the house were original and which were new. executed.
Previously, the homeowner’s master bedroom was small, but the addition allowed more space in the bedroom and vaulted ceilings not only visually make the room feel larger, but also complete it. Now fits in walk-in closet and master bathroom. (Side note: With this remodel, the homeowner also budgeted for the project plan to remove the radiator and install central heating and cooling, which created more space.)

ceiling and trim color | | wall color | | ceiling fixture | | wall sconce
The choice of using soft, contrasting trim and ceiling colors helps create immediate comfort and doesn’t feel ‘new built’. Simple yet impactful details.


faucet | | Knob | | wall sconce | | mirror | | towel ring | | counter top
Can you tell us more about the custom vanity? My jaw dropped at the scalloped details and beveled profile. JKath’s custom in-house cabinet team showed up to show off! Homeowners say it makes their main bath feel so special and luxurious.


Again, they mixed metals and finishes. I’m here for it! Also notice the beautifully curved backsplash. Pass out!

shower tile | | floor tiles | | wall color | | trim color
The color choice for this tile was perfect as it calls out the stone color of the trim. It’s cohesive, but it’s also visually interesting because of the many variations in tile color.
At the end of the day, I asked the home owners what their home meant to them. It is a place where we are together, where we enjoy our alone time, where we play and rest. It’s a place I love to invite friends and family over for a meal and I hope they feel welcome and comfortable. ”
I think they have achieved all that and more and have the perfect home for their family for many years to come.
* Designs, Cabinets and Mods: JKath
** Styling: Lea Johnson at creekwood hill
***Photographer: space craft