Spring has Sprung!
April 26, 2012
Last weekend my mom’s family gathered to provide a clean sweep of Grandma and Grandpa’s basement. Ranging in age from 1.5 to 87 years old, we picked up, cleared out, found treasures, bugged each other and also laughed; a lot. It was a great success and the old adage, “many hands makes light work,” was uttered more than once.
My grandma, Lucille, has been a source of inspiration since the birth of my first son, eleven years ago. Inadvertently, I started paying attention to the things she was cooking, what she was planting, calling her for recipe and laundry advice; often. Each time the season changes, as it’s been doing here in the Midwest for a month, I watch to see what she’s up to. Without knowing it, she puts rhythm into my calendar and it’s a wonderful, grounding, heart-happy thing. 
In design, we look at color to inspire the seasonal shift. Pastels arrive, this year with neon mixed in, soft neutrals providing a base for these brighter shocks of color. When I try to combine what Grandma’s doing out in Stearns county with the latest on-trend happenings, I see a happy woman in a vintage shirt dress with neon rubber boots out in the garden. There’s mud on her boots, clean laundry on the clothesline and the grass is the most vivid shade of green!
If you’re itching for inspiration I recommend calling your Grandma, hopping on Pinterest -where I pin five inspiration images each morning- and visiting our 2012 ASID Showcase Home on Lake of the Isles. Let me know what inspires you! This year’s home is another example of how designers transform space, for the good of the house, its occupants and the earth. That’s right, you’ll see all kinds of environmentally-kind solutions. Like Grandma Lucille, the homeowners are avid gardners… in fact you’ll find them too, in the garden. See you at the house!
http://mspmag.com/Contests-Promotions/ASID/Home/
xo, hb
spring is here!
March 21, 2012
We are in the mood for spring!
It officially hit yesterday, and just like that, the grass is getting greener by the day!
Let’s celebrate all things fabulously green!
1. Chandelier Earrings (Stella and Dot). 2. Villa Dress (J. Crew). 3. Playhouse (Crate and Barrel). 4. Luck Side Table (CB2). 5. Leather sandals (Aldo). 6. Green Rock Bench (Francis King Showroom).
7. Picnic silverware (West Elm). 8. Marimekko bowl (Crate and Barrel). 9. Green floral wallpaper (KDR Showrooms). 10. Glass pendant (Francis King Showrooms). 11. Green and gold bracelet (Anthropologie). 12. Green maxi skirt (J. Crew). 13. Window panels (Anthropologie).
master bathroom project: in progress
March 19, 2012
One of our current projects is getting a new master suite… see pictures of the progress so far!
Progress shots of the master bathroom.
a. This picture shows the toilet room floor. We used a 12″ x 24″ tile with a glass mosaic as an accent on the floor.
b.The master walk-in shower features a waterfall of mosaic tiles in shades of watery blues, earthy greens, crisp whites, and soft browns. It adds a nice detail to the shower wall while giving us a chance to put some interest and color on the wall.
c. Here, you can see the beginnings of the custom, curved edge vanity. The cabinet will be finished with enamel and entire back wall and side walls will get mirror applied to them.
d. This is a sweet little ‘beauty’ shot of the vanity up close. The curves add a nice feminine touch to the bathroom. This will be the perfect place to sit to enjoy coffee and get ready for the day, or to unwind in the evening.
color inspiration from Pantone’s 2012 trends
March 12, 2012
Taking more inspiration from Pantone’s prediction of the hot color trends for spring 2012, we’ve showcased two more color combos on the blog today. Take a look…
The first scheme features a daring Ikat fabric from Schumacher that features navy, margarita, tangerine, and grape. Along with this fabric, there is a white Tulip chair with green cushion from Design Within Reach, a tangerine glass pendant from Francis King, and a blue console table from Room and Board.
Our second color combo is also a bold one! This graphic print from KDR showcases tangerine, marigold, grape, hot pink, margarita, navy, bright blue, and sandy taupe. Furnishings that go along with this color scheme include a painted cabinet from KDR, a ceramic based lamp from Crate and Barrel, and a stylish blue chair from Blu Dot.
Would you use either of these color schemes in your home? If so, which room?
condo kitchen remodel in minneapolis
March 9, 2012
Josh and Amy needed a little more pizzazz and a little more function out of their kitchen in their condo near the Chain of Lakes. They decided it was definitely time for some improvements while, during a dinner party, one of their cabinet doors fell completely off its hinges! They called on the help of hauthaus and cabinet-makers-extraordinaire Modern Design. We, along with Contractor Brad, transformed the dated and non-functioning space into a beautiful space that works well for the couple.
Changes we made:
- The half wall divider between the dining room and kitchen was removed to open up the spaces and to allow for a breakfast bar.
- The kitchen was completely gutted; we added in new bamboo flooring, dark stained Alder cabinets, granite counter tops, stacked stone back splash, new appliances, hardware and plumbing fixtures, and a new coat of paint to the walls and the ceiling.
- Adding new recessed cans and under cabinet lighting really improved the space by adding layers of light.
Now the space functions great for the couple, who like to entertain. Along with their kitchen we worked on their entry, living room, guest bathroom and master bathroom. more pictures to come, so stay tuned!
Josh and Amy's kitchen: after.
Detail shot of the stacked stone back splash; tile from Fantasia Showrooms.
Josh and Amy's kitchen: before.
ch-ch-ch-changes
March 5, 2012
Changes are a-happening outside and we don’t mean with the weather!
Exterior changes have been taking place at our Mendota Heights project. We have snapped some pictures of the progress so far…
Below, the top pictures shows the existing exterior in December 2010 when we came to the project. The front door is currently hard to distinguish, so we wanted to redesign the front of the house to make it feel more balanced and more pronounced.
The middle picture shows the progress shot from April last year with the trees in full leaves; you can see a shoot was placed in the upper floor window to make removing the debris easier.
The bottom picture was snapped last week (before the snow!). You can see the new front of the house taking shape. The screens from the loggia are removed and one of the arches was brought forward to make the front door stand out. The windows on the second floor were repositioned to be centered over the front door. And all the way on the left side of the picture, you can see the second garage stall that was added.
We’re expecting the full remodel to be completed this spring!
Stay tuned for updates as we snap pictures of the interior…
project update; rathskeller progress
February 29, 2012
What are you doing with your Leap Day today?
If you had your very own rathskeller, you might think of spending the day down there cuddled on a comfy sofa with a blanket and a pint and perhaps a movie! A ‘rathskeller’ is the German word for a bar or restaurant located in a basement or lower level… well we are in the midst of designing and building one of these delightful in-home pubs for some of our lovely clients!
Take a look at some of the progress…
It all started with an idea, and then a drawing... here our drawing shows the wall of the stairs and the door to the wine cellar. It shows horizontal plank paneling along with a custom built-in tufted bench.
Here the guys are working on the ax-hewn posts that will find their new home as support posts in the family's new lower level rathskeller.
Top: Ax-hewn posts in waiting. Middle: A close up 'beauty shot' of the aged and labored wood. Bottom: One of the posts installed under the barrel vault with a peek-a-boo shot into the wine cellar.
In progress! The space is on its way to be something spectacular!
