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New Home Design

Elegant Family Home Design

2022-07-13
Buffalo, MN
great room overlooking lake with sofas, chandelier
This project was done in partnership with Rick Storlien of RDS Architects.

Single Level, Lake Home Living

Situated on a pristine twenty acres outside Buffalo, Minnesota, creating this elegant, but inviting lakeside home was a true joy for Brandi and the team. On the wishlist, was a home that was durable enough for the kids and the pets, single-floor living that was accessible for a wheelchair (so there was to be no part of the house that was off-limits for grandpa). Finished in a sophisticated farmhouse style, these clients wanted to create a timeless home that still felt lived-in.

New Home Collaboration
tall glass windows in great room

Four Kids, Five Dogs and Two Ducks

No need to kick the dogs off of this furniture. All the fabrics and furnishings are family-friendly and practical. The sofa is upholstered in vinyl which is pretty much indestructible, while the coffee table is made of quartz so no need for coasters. There are no purely formal spaces in this home; each room is meant to be used and enjoyed!

brick family room, TV, sofas

Double-sided Fireplace in the family room

Less formal than a living room, the family room is meant for relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Running throughout the room are Hickory floors that are wired and distressed. These floors are made to look old and will only look better with time. A double-sided, limestone fireplace leads into the bar. The detail you see on the columns are also limestone.

Family Room Design
white built-in storage surrounding banquette, booth and chairs

Game Night!

It's hard to beat hanging out with the family and playing games in a comfortable booth with a banquet and game chairs. Surrounding it are built-ins great for storage.

wood and brick bar room with TVs, bar chairs, blue sofa, fireplace

Alder Wood and Brick Bar Room

The perfect bar to sharpen your bartending skills and enjoy drinks with friends and family. All without leaving the comfort of home! The alder wood on the ceiling and custom stenciled design accent the brick nicely while a lighter-stained alder wood surrounds the bar.

Home Bar Design
TV above bar, white bar stools
Can you ever have too many TVs when you’re in a bar?
wood tables on castors, blue couch
Wood tables on castors were made from a tree that had to be taken down.
brick and wood bar, light fixtures above bar top
A bar to make drinks plus a temperature-controlled wine cellar filled with whites and reds.

European-Inspired, Zinc Countertops

It's hard to focus on just one design element in this room, but if we had to choose it would be the countertops. What you see are zinc countertops which are arguably prettier than stainless. Zinc can be found in European bars and again is a material that looks better and better with time.

kitchen island, dining and chairs and in background, the great room
Flow from the kitchen into the great room.
large black and white island, red barstools
To the left of the kitchen is the pantry and to the right is the laundry.

Spacious Kitchen Island

In the kitchen is a large black kitchen island with stainless steel legs. There is plenty of room for everyone to sit and eat or even do homework together. The leather bar stools give a nice accent of red while the herringbone niche inset tile above the stone adds interest.

Kitchen Design
grey pantry with food on every shelf

A Dream Pantry

This pantry was MADE for this family. This is a large family that needs to keep a lot of food on hand. When creating this space, the team customized shelves and cabinets to fit cereal, snacks, and other dry goods. We even made room for a second refrigerator and freezer.

Custom Pantry Design
black, white and pink laundry room

Spectacular Laundry Room

With a family as active as this one, you have to imagine this household is doing several loads of laundry each week. A well-thought-out and stylish laundry room design such as this one makes everyday tasks more enjoyable. Lastly, in any laundry room, you'll want flooring that will last longer and look great. Arabesque porcelain flooring in black and white is moisture-resistant, stain-resistant, and impact-resistant.

Laundry Room Design
black, white and pink laundry room
Double washer and dryer, an island for folding, place for hang drying, and place to sew.
small dog standing next to dishes

A Dog Niche

But wait, there's more! A special detail below just for the dogs - a cutout section of the wall for the dog dishes.

stone wall in bedroom, bed and blue dresser

Owner's Suite Getaway

When the demands from the kids and hobby farm can start to feel a little overwhelming, space for mom and dad to unwind is key. The owner’s suite has a breathtaking stone accent wall with an archway that adds great character to the room. A double-sided fireplace leads into the ensuite bathroom. 

Owner's Suite
bathroom, TV, concrete tub

Unwind and Rejuvenate

This fabulous cast concrete soaking tub isn’t just for looks, it gets used often. A TV just above and on the opposite end is a shower and private toilet.

Owner's Bath Design
bathroom, TV, concrete tub, white vanity

Hint of Gold

Notice how the casing goes around the windows and mirrors. We matched the height and made the mirror built-in (which is held in with gold), therefore accommodating the window in the middle.