kitchen design solutions

Here is a snippet of one of our kitchen remodel projects. Our clients came to us to re-work their kitchen after we worked on their master suite a while back. They had moved into this parade home in the 90s and were in need of some updating.

Below you’ll see the before and after pictures and our problems and design solutions.

Before: The white kitchen needed some changes and updates.

a. problem: The clients were tired of their white cabinets and wanted something new. The existing cabinets weren’t constructed very well and didn’t seem to function the way that they needed them to. solution: We designed new cabinets and stained them espresso and outfitted them with pretty french brass hardware.

b. problem: The existing granite and cook top were still in great shape and the clients wanted to keep them. solution: We kept the floor plan the same to accommodate for the existing granite. The cook top stayed in the same place as well.

c. problem: The upper cabinets were only 15″ off of the counter top and this made working under the cabinets hard. solution: Since we raised the cabinets up to 18″ off the counter we selected new back splash tile. Now the counter top can be used to it’s full potential.

d. problem:  the microwave was only 14″ from the cook top so cooking in a tall stock pot was out of the question – it simply didn’t fit! solution: We relocated the microwave and designed a custom hood for proper space above the cooktop and the right ventilation.

e. problem: The current set up didn’t allow for adequate ventilation for the gas cook top. solution: The newly designed hood works great for venting and aesthetically fits into the new cabinetry since we framed it in the same wood as the cabinets.

f. problem: The glass cabinets made the existing kitchen feel too busy. solution: We designed paneled doors for most of the upper cabinets to create a more cohesive, clean feel.

g. problem: Once we took the microwave out from above the cook top, it needed a home out of the sight line. solution: We placed a new drawer microwave in the base cabinet to the right of the cook top to keep it in the work triangle, but to keep it out of the sight line.

h. problem: We felt that the base cabinets needed some details. solution: We added legs to the cooktop cabinet and the left and right of the sink. This breaks up the long, linear lines of the base cabinets and adds a custom feel to the new kitchen.

After: Once we studied the kitchen and came up with a list of problems, we designed solutions to make the kitchen more efficient and functional.

boys’ bathroom: an ode to sports

Some of you might remember this note:

Well after the demo, construction, design, and installation of Joey’s bathroom he approves!

We had everything ripped out down to the studs. Some highlights of the room:

• We chose a deep blue for the walls
• We designed a mushroom colored double vanity so each boy has his own sink.
•  In a bathroom for two boys a Cambria top seemed like a no-brainer! – we used Sussex.
• The custom window treatments allowed us to put in a shelf for their bobblehead collection.
• The boys’ parents and grandparents were very involved in sports back in their high school and college days, just like the boys are now, so we had newspaper clippings and pictures of framed in a collection of black and metallic frames to hang in the bathroom.
• The shower features tile EVERYWHERE for easy clean-ability.

We wanted to carry the vintage sports concept through the bathroom so the wood panelling, hooks, and shelves are reminiscent of a locker room.

A peek at the shower tile and deco glass tile.

Here are some of the framed sports pictures that line the 'gallery' entrance into the bathroom.

Friday poll…

Thanks for taking part in our fun Friday poll…

We welcome your comments!

showroom tour: francis king

Francis King, Ltd. is one of our favorite furniture showrooms at IMS. Charlie, Mary, Lynn, Kali and Petra are all wonderful – they help us find our clients some wonderfully unique pieces for their homes.  The last time we were in their showroom, we snapped some pictures of the new furniture and accessories they have.

You’ll notice lots of color for 2012…

Chairs and a decorative pillow from Francis King showroom.

Above: These two upholstered chairs have beautiful soft curved lines and can be custom ordered  to be upholstered in endless choices of fabric.

Above: The bold snail pillow adds a pop of color and whimsy to sofa or chair.  The pillow’s poppy-tangerine and watery blue are some of Pantone’s colors for Spring.

Color takes center stage in th Francis King showroom.

Above: Color definitely is taking center stage this season in the showroom. You can find purple upholstered chairs, amber colored hurricanes, bright red garden stools, bold green accessories and much, much more.

Another benefit to this wonderful showroom is that they feature many made in America furniture lines.

Francis King sells to the trade only so if you’d like a peek to see what could work in your home, give us a call – we’d be glad to give you a showroom tour.

backsplash tile: before & after

Tile can add another layer of interest and texture to any space; bathrooms, mudrooms, kitchens, etc.

Below, you’ll see some Before and After pictures of a kitchen our clients’ condo Downtown Minneapolis where we added some pizzazz by adding in a tile back splash.  When we were sourcing the tile we needed to keep in mind that it needed to work with the existing granite counter tops and it also had to be neutral enough to work with the flow of the main living space of the condo since it features an open floor plan where the dining room, home office and living room area all connected.

We ended up selecting a beautiful  handcrafted tile made with 70% recycled glass in a brick pattern from Fantasia Showrooms at IMS for this project.

The finished result is quite beautiful!

Top: The sink wall before the tile went in. Bottom: After.

Top: Overall shot of the kitchen before. Bottom: After.

Before and After pictures of the corner of the kitchen.

kitchen organization

One of your New Year’s Resolutions might be to get more organized. It seems we all say this at least once a year… “if only I was more organized then…”

Well we’re going to show you an example of a hauthaus kitchen design and organization notes. Below you can see a floor plan of a kitchen; we met withe client and used our imagination to ‘take out’ all of the pieces in her current kitchen and ‘put them away’ into her new kitchen. We wanted to make sure that the new kitchen will be well organized and that it will work for her and how she specifically uses her kitchen.

A few notes about the plan:

• You can see that we kept a large storage space for her kids’ school stuff; papers, lunch bags, supplies, etc. They are stored away in baskets on adjustable shelves. Each kid has their own basket.
• The Wolf range is located on the center of the left wall. Since the client is right handed, we put her cooking utensils and spices on the right. The upper cabinets to the left of the range are hinged so that you can access them both from the range without having to maneuver around open doors.
• We designed a specific spot for the KitchenAid mixer to always sit on the counter. The upper corner cabinet will continue all the way down to the counter top and act as a mixer ‘garage’. Her baking utensils and mixing bowls are located in that corner as well on the lazy susan.
• There is a designated breakfast prep spot on the right side of the kitchen. This will allow the kids to make their own breakfast while staying out of the kitchen work triangle (the space between the sink, range and fridge).

Here is a drawing of the wall with the range; you can see how we called out where the pieces will be ‘put away’.

Will you be re-designing your kitchen in 2012? If so, hauthaus can help! Give us a ring!

year in review: july – december 2011

And to round out our highlights from the past year of blogging, here are some of the entries we picked to share again from the last six months of the year…

For July we shared a blog about a cabin remodel on Clearwater Lake that we designed. The project included a new mudroom addition, re-designed kitchen with custom cabinetry, and handmade tile.  It turned out to be a great place to spend the warm and sunny summer days and nights!

In August, one of our entries highlighted different projects we worked on with different color schemes.  There is one for every color of the rainbow.  Revisit the blog for inspiration for your own home.

Cambria came out with new colors this year and in September, we highlighted the new Waterstone Collection. This new collection was the most buzzed about yet – the colors and patterns are so pretty and innovative!

In October we shared an article and video from ABC that talked all about a project in Montana where EVERYTHING going into building the house was made in the USA. The interview is interesting and comes with some eye-opening facts.

During November, we polled our readers to see what color was their favorite and orange won. In this blog entry we posted products that we love in orange… what fun!

In December, we shared pictures and drawings of a master bathroom project we worked on in Edina. With its cozy heated marble floors, shiny Kohler fixtures, and fresh paint, this bathroom is definitely work checking out.

year in review: january – june 2011

Last year was a great year for our blog:

• We had over 22,000 views in 2011 – that’s enough people to sell out the Sidney Opera House 8 times!
• We posted about 100 blog entries.
• Our viewers came from all over the world including, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Here is a brief “year in review” – a highlight of one blog per month.

In January, we blogged about kitchen space planning. We showed three examples of how one kitchen floor plan could be laid out.

For February, one of our blogs highlighted home furnishings and fixture products that are made in the USA. Some of the companies are even based in Minnesota!

One of our March blogs showed how commissioning custom art can be fun and affordable. We posted pictures of the artist at work as well as a short description of the process on how to go about making this happen for you!

In April we gave some tips on how to bring the outdoors into your home. We used our 2009 ASID Showcase home as an example.

During May, we posted a blog to get you inspired with color. We took examples from three of our past projects and broke down the colors for you.

In June we showed what a difference window treatments can make in a sunroom. We highlighted before and after pictures of one of our client’s homes on Lake Harriet.

Click back and check out our past blogs and get ready for another year of design tips, project before and afters, event updates, and everything hauthaus!

Happy 2012!

resolutions: for your home

This time of year nearly everyone is thinking about how they can make 2012 better than 2011.  Some people join a gym or commit to a new exercise routine, they vow to eat healthier and make more ‘me’ time. Some people say they will get around to all of the household projects that were on last year’s list.

Well here are some suggestions for resolutions your can make for your home:

1. Get Organized! Stores are going to have all of their organizing bins, baskets, and boxes on sale or clearance now thru the next two weeks. Be sure to grab up a bunch and organize a closet or storage room. Having a rhyme and reason to your storage spaces really helps put your mind at ease… and not to mention, it’s great to know exactly where to look when you’re trying to find something!
2. Save on energy bills.  Now is a great time to switch out your bulbs for energy-savers, turn down your water heater a degree or two, and program your thermostat. These little changes don’t seem like much, but over time, they are a great way to save a little green!
3. Clear out the clutter.  Set aside an afternoon and sort through your clutter. There are lots of places around the Twin Cities that accept donations; Bridging can pick up your donations, while  Goodwill locations, Arc Value Village locations, The Reuse Center all accept drop offs. Clear out your cabinets and closets and help make a difference to someone less fortunate!
4. Refresh your linens. New sheets and towels make a world of difference. After you donate or recycle your gently used items, stock up on new linens. A crisp set of white sheets and some fluffy towels might be all your bedroom and bathroom needs to feel refreshed!
5. Get out your paint brush. New color on the walls breathes new life into a space. Color theory is an interesting thing – you can control the feel and energy of the room just by the color on the walls.

What other resolutions are on your list for 2012?

a bathroom project in navy & grey

One of our latest projects involved a second floor bathroom that would be used by the family’s little boy as well as guests that were hanging out by the second floor family room fireplace or watching movies and playing games in the hang out area. We wanted the bathroom to keep in line with the rest of the home’s design, while still being a little masculine and something that would ‘grow up’ with the little boy and not be too childish right off the bat.

We settled on a color scheme of navy and grey and after finding classic grey subway tiles, a deep grey chair rail, and glossy navy accent tiles we were ready to roll! The floor is a mushroom colored 1″ x 1″ hex to warm up the space and we used a soft grey Benjamin Moore paint on the walls.  We found a Brass Blue granite remnant that tied in perfectly with our colors. The lights add a classic modern feel to the space as well.

Here is a preliminary sketch of the bathroom showing the cabinet and lighting location.

Top: This shot shows the cabinet as you enter the bathroom. Bottom: Here is a shot of the shower area with Kohler fixtures.

While the color is a little distorted, you can see the Brass Blue granite top as well as the installed wall tile.