By Connie Nelson; Staff Writer
Star Tribune
Mark Fries had a nickname for his kitchen.
“I used to call my kitchen Bosnia,” he said.
“It looked a little war-torn, a little bombed out.”
The modestly sized space had few modern amenities and almost no charm. A single wall of cabinets - original to the 1926 duplex - was in good shape, but offered the only storage. Counter space was limited. The aged oven didn't work. There was no dishwasher and only one light fixture. After he moved in, he hung a string of Christmas lights to brighten up the space. And then he waited.
The English Tudor he bought in 1994 in partnership with a longtime friend had location-location-location. Just two blocks from Lake Calhoun on the edge of Uptown in Minneapolis, the two-story home also had period-perfect built-ins, hardwood floors, dramatic arches and decorative molding.
Fries’ first-floor flat needed updating, but nothing he couldn’t handle with a little wallpaper remover and paint. To bring the kitchen “up to standard,” however, would require a major overhaul.
Because he was working full time and going to graduate school, Fries didn’t have the time, energy or money to tackle an aggressive remodeling job. And, as an admitted perfectionist, he wasn’t about to do a makeshift makeover. Instead, he lived with his as-is kitchen while he researched remodeling. He scoured books and magazines, was “religious about watching HGTV” and visited friends and neighbors who had rehabbed kitchens in their older homes.
Eight years later - with graduate school behind him and a new job as director of operations for business development for Best Buy under his belt - Fries decided it was about time.
“I decided if I'm going to do it, I don’t want to do something out of whack. I really liked the idea of keeping with the historical aspect of the house.”
The one historical aspect worth keeping in the kitchen was the wall of Craftsman-style cabinets. Fries decided not only to keep the cabinets, but to use them as a blueprint for the redesign. Fries contracted with C.N. Ostrom & Son, a residential remodeling company, that took on the task of making new cabinets that matched the old.
As Kathe Ostrom explained, it was no easy task. The existing birch cabinetry had a matte finish and a slightly green tint. To make a good match, the new cabinets were treated with a six-step process that included using a wood unifier, stain and shellac. The finish proved to be so accurate that new and old blend seamlessly.
But Fries’ kitchen is not entirely true to - or tied to - the past.
”I didn't want to make it a historic piece,” he said. “I wanted it to be updated and modern. I wanted it to be much more accessible.”
The kitchen offers plenty of modern conveniences - state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, an under-cabinet-mounted microwave, a built-in wine rack and a lighting system that includes task lighting, overhead recessed lighting and decorative lighting inside glass-fronted cabinets. And it offers modern comforts - in-floor radiant heat beneath the Durango limestone floor, a built-in wine cooler and sunny seating area.
The seating area - now one of Fries’ favorite places to relax - was created by removing a wall between the kitchen and a small, little-used bedroom. The change enlarged the kitchen, made room for additional storage cabinets and a service counter and let the natural light from the room's many windows shine in.
While remodeling the kitchen was job No. 1, Fries decided to update the bathroom as well and “live through the pain [of remodeling] once.” He moved in with nearby friends during the three-month remodeling, which was completed in December.
Unlike the kitchen, the “before” bathroom was serviceable, but not stylish. Instead of adding space or even rearranging the fixtures, the room was made over in place. Some of the materials used in the kitchen were used in the bath, but with a slight twist. The custom cabinet-style vanity has unique styling and the sink was cut from Durango limestone.
Fries admitted he “blew a couple of allowances” in his budget of $100 per square foot in the kitchen, mostly because he fell in love with some top-of-the-line materials that proved costly - limestone instead of ceramic tile, granite countertops instead of laminate. But he couldn’t be happier with his kitchen.
“I'm home a lot more,” he said. “I do a lot more baking. I do a lot more cooking. I entertain a lot - partly because people want to see the kitchen.”
His new nickname for his kitchen? Well, he just calls it home.
Because he was working full time and going to graduate school, Fries didn’t have the time, energy or money to tackle an aggressive remodeling job. And, as an admitted perfectionist, he wasn’t about to do a makeshift makeover. Instead, he lived with his as-is kitchen while he researched remodeling. He scoured books and magazines, was “religious about watching HGTV” and visited friends and neighbors who had rehabbed kitchens in their older homes.
Eight years later - with graduate school behind him and a new job as director of operations for business development for Best Buy under his belt - Fries decided it was about time.
“I decided if I'm going to do it, I don’t want to do something out of whack. I really liked the idea of keeping with the historical aspect of the house.”
The one historical aspect worth keeping in the kitchen was the wall of Craftsman-style cabinets. Fries decided not only to keep the cabinets, but to use them as a blueprint for the redesign. Fries contracted with C.N. Ostrom & Son, a residential remodeling company, that took on the task of making new cabinets that matched the old.
As Kathe Ostrom explained, it was no easy task. The existing birch cabinetry had a matte finish and a slightly green tint. To make a good match, the new cabinets were treated with a six-step process that included using a wood unifier, stain and shellac. The finish proved to be so accurate that new and old blend seamlessly.
But Fries’ kitchen is not entirely true to - or tied to - the past.
”I didn't want to make it a historic piece,” he said. “I wanted it to be updated and modern. I wanted it to be much more accessible.”
The kitchen offers plenty of modern conveniences - state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, an under-cabinet-mounted microwave, a built-in wine rack and a lighting system that includes task lighting, overhead recessed lighting and decorative lighting inside glass-fronted cabinets. And it offers modern comforts - in-floor radiant heat beneath the Durango limestone floor, a built-in wine cooler and sunny seating area.
The seating area - now one of Fries’ favorite places to relax - was created by removing a wall between the kitchen and a small, little-used bedroom. The change enlarged the kitchen, made room for additional storage cabinets and a service counter and let the natural light from the room's many windows shine in.
While remodeling the kitchen was job No. 1, Fries decided to update the bathroom as well and “live through the pain [of remodeling] once.” He moved in with nearby friends during the three-month remodeling, which was completed in December.
Unlike the kitchen, the “before” bathroom was serviceable, but not stylish. Instead of adding space or even rearranging the fixtures, the room was made over in place. Some of the materials used in the kitchen were used in the bath, but with a slight twist. The custom cabinet-style vanity has unique styling and the sink was cut from Durango limestone.
Fries admitted he “blew a couple of allowances” in his budget of $100 per square foot in the kitchen, mostly because he fell in love with some top-of-the-line materials that proved costly - limestone instead of ceramic tile, granite countertops instead of laminate. But he couldn’t be happier with his kitchen.
“I'm home a lot more,” he said. “I do a lot more baking. I do a lot more cooking. I entertain a lot - partly because people want to see the kitchen.”
Star Tribune
Section: HOME & GARDEN