Home Design
What makes a home livable (and not just a place to live)?
A livable home is a place where you can bend and shape the space to fit your life. It’s where there’s room for you to work and relax, and where you can happily hang out with others and still have space to be by yourself. After spending “quality time” in your home for more than…
Read More5 ways to update your deck and patio this summer
This month, it took one week to go from winter to summer, from ice-covered lakes to 80 degrees. That’s what makes Minnesota exciting! Breaking out the shorts and sandals naturally makes us think about decks, patios, and hanging out with friends and family. If you’re ready to update and upgrade your outdoor living spaces, here…
Read MoreHey Siri! How can I make my home smarter?
Today, our houses are filled with smart devices and digital assistants. You can ask Alexa, Siri, or Google to do almost anything, from finding your favorite playlist and adjusting the volume of your speakers to giving you news updates and weather reports, setting timers and reminders, and controlling your security systems and smart appliances.…
Read MoreGive your Laundry Room a Fresh Start
The trend of multi-use, beautifully designed laundry rooms has been gaining popularity in the past couple of years. No longer exiled to the dark corner of the basement, laundry rooms are moving into the mainstream. If you’re ready to refresh your laundry experience, start with three core questions: Location Function Design Location As you consider options…
Read MoreTurn up the Heat in Your Home: With a Fireplace!
The leaves have started to change, the air is cooler, the days shorter. Fall is definitely in the air. As soon as I feel the chill that the air brings this time of year, I immediately want to get in front of a fireplace. Just thinking about sitting next to a fireplace evokes feelings of…
Read MoreShed the Routine
There should be a better word. “Shed” just doesn’t capture it. One imagines a neglected structure at the edge of a property, full of shovels and rusted rakes, an afterthought. And a homeowner who feels it’s time to update a tired old storage shed can do so cheaply with one of the structures we see assembled…
Read MoreA Room For All Seasons
We recently discussed some tips for updating your backyard living space as a way to get more out of your home during the nice months. But how about adding an “all-season” room to your home so it can feel like “summertime” year round despite rain, sleet or snow. You’ll stretch your home’s living space–and value–while avoiding cabin…
Read MoreYour Backyard Living Space
Spring: the time of year the trees and flowers bloom–and so do the ideas for improving your home. Especially ways to add some quality outdoor living space to make your home even better. “Quality” outdoor living space means space that not only adds to your enjoyment and relaxation, but that also increases the beauty of…
Read MoreA Family Room for the 21st Century
The needs of a family room have greatly changed over the past few years. Technological advancements have made designing this room a little more challenging, in a good way. Televisions are bigger, better and flatter than ever before. There are multiple options for accessing television and web content that need to be considered. Plus, members…
Read MoreUpdating The Heart of Your Home: The Kitchen
Is the kitchen the heart of a home? Oftentimes it is, indeed, the emotional and physical center of a home. It is where meals are made and eaten and it serves as a gathering spot for family and guests. Families come together in the kitchen in the morning, getting ready for their days or brewing a…
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