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Feed2006 National Kitchen and Bath Awards
Modern Airs
Connie Gustafson, CKDSawhill Custom Kitchens & Design
Minneapolis
FIRST PLACE: LARGE AND OPEN KITCHENS
(Greater than 50 square feet of countertops and/or including additional spaces)Contemporary and sophisticated, open and light-filled describe the new kitchen in this Kenwood home. The award-winning room replaced an outdated and uninviting space that kept the cook isolated and offered inadequate seating. With the help of Connie Gustafson, the kitchen has become a welcoming haven for cooking and entertaining.
Blonde, horizontal-grained bamboo cabinetry with glass and aluminum doors teams with stainless-steel appliances and hardware to offer modern sparkle. Brazilian granite countertops repeat the colors of the wood and metal. Gustafson had the upper cabinets and soffit removed from above the dining room buffet, opening the kitchen to the rest of the home. She also expanded the pantry and installed refrigerator drawers below to provide additional cold storage. An appliance garage houses the microwave, toaster, and blender, freeing up counter space for the owners to display their orchid collection.
Visual Flow
Susan Palmquist, CKDSawhill Custom Kitchens & Design
Minneapolis
SECOND PLACE: LARGE AND OPEN KITCHENS
(Greater than 50 square feet of countertops and/or including additional spaces)This 1920s south Minneapolis home had been updated everywhere except in its kitchen and dining areas. The owners decided to enlarge the worn space, adding a new great room, mudroom, and powder room in the process.
Susan Palmquist converted the inefficient room into a functional gourmet kitchen with multiple workstations. The new space packs a visual punch in striking tones of black, cream, and red. The kitchen was extended to widen and encompass what was a boxed-in breakfast nook. Now casual dining takes place at a generous, mahogany-topped island.
By widening two doorways—to the formal dining room and central hall—traffic flow to the kitchen also improved. The neighboring spaces tie together nicely, from the mahogany island in the kitchen and mahogany floors in the family room to the kitchen’s red tile floor and the red tones in the family room furniture.
Fair & Functional
Rebecca Lindquist, CMKBDLindquist and Company
Duluth
THIRD PLACE: LARGE AND OPEN KITCHENS (TIE)
(Greater than 50 square feet of countertops and/or including additional spaces)When Rebecca Lindquist took stock of her new kitchen, she confronted a worn room designed for a woman in a wheelchair. Luckily, kitchens are her stock in trade, and she went to work, creating an ideal place for cooking and entertaining. She added a U-shaped counter, topped in granite, that provides more workspace and storage, while also allowing for buffet serving. To complement the home’s existing materials, such as green slate tile and white painted woodwork, Lindquist selected a green and white palette with red accents. Faux painting emphasizes the tray ceilings over each space.
Fine Vintage
Steven Holbrook, CKDDesign by Holbrook
Minneapolis
Co-Designer
Michael J. Palkowitsch, CMKBD
Michael J. Palkowitsch Design
Shoreview
THIRD PLACE: LARGE AND OPEN KITCHENS (TIE)
(Greater than 50 square feet of countertops and/or including additional spaces)The oldest farmhouse in Excelsior needed some help in the kitchen. The small room, minimal counter space and storage, and lack of seating made it difficult for its owners to entertain. Steven Holbrook and Michael Palkowitsch transformed and expanded the antiquated room into a space that artfully blends vintage farmhouse charm with twenty-first century functionality. Unique touches lend panache, including an alder wood island, cream-colored cabinets, antique leaded-glass windows, and a beadboard backsplash. The designers also reconfigured the space, adding laundry facilities and a closet.
Island Flavor
Christine NelsonGuyer’s Builder Supply
Apple Valley
FIRST PLACE: MEDIUM KITCHEN
(Between 35 and 50 square feet of countertops)Christine Nelson created a Mediterranean-flavored kitchen by imbuing this Minneapolis home with vibrant colors in unexpected places—a range in cobalt blue, for example, and a custom tile backsplash in oceanic and citrus tones. Black granite countertops and white painted woodwork offer dramatic contrast.
The original space was narrow and dark. Nelson moved the kitchen into an underutilized room and added an outdoor entry, making alfresco dining effortless. The adjacent, old kitchen morphed into a much-needed mudroom with a closet nestled into an alcove previously occupied by the refrigerator. Additionally, Nelson moved the entrance to the powder room to provide easy access to the mudroom while freeing up more space for kitchen counters. Now the kitchen is functional, as well as dazzling to the eye.
Working Order
Susan Palmquist, CKDSawhill Custom Kitchens & Designs
Minneapolis
SECOND PLACE: MEDIUM KITCHEN
(between 35 and 50 square feet of countertops)Small, dark, and angular defined the kitchen in this mid-century Jordan home. The kitchen needed a complete redesign because of its minimal storage and poor use of space, lack of countertops, and inadequate lighting. Susan Palmquist met the owner’s wishes, creating a gourmet kitchen with multiple workstations that fit within the existing footprint, as well as fitting the architectural style.
By closing off a pantry closet, she connected the countertops and cabinets between the sink and cooktop. Palmquist also extended a counter on the backside of a peninsula, which made room for both a snack bar and a functional corner with rollout shelves, a bin for trash and recycling, and still more countertops.
The end result is a well-appointed kitchen that gleams from its stainless-steel backsplash and top-of-the-line appliances. Warm cherry cabinetry, a gold tile floor, and black granite countertops provide luxurious contrast.
Drama to Spare
Araya Baker, AKBCHome Valu Interiors
Inver Grove Heights
FIRST PLACE: SMALL KITCHENS
(Less than 35 square feet of countertops)This U-shaped kitchen had outdated appliances, nonfunctional space, and drab cabinetry before Araya Baker took hold of it. The St. Paul homeowners wanted to weave in the Asian-themed décor found in the rest of their home and bring in state-of-the-art appliances and customized storage. Baker reshuffled the appliances into a more functional set up and incorporated red, flat-front cabinet doors for the refrigerator, dishwasher, and trash compactor. This made the space look larger and enhanced the Asian sensibility.
Additional red cabinetry and custom storage accessories help the owners make the most of a tight space. A custom, amber glass-tile backsplash behind the range creates a sharp contrast with the red woodwork, and the natural maple butcher-block countertop and its backsplash tie in the existing wood floor. Drama enters the space via a black vent and black soapstone countertop surrounding the sink. The end result is a warm and useful kitchen with a delightful Asian aura.
Creative Space
Betty Ravnik, CKD, CBDRavnik Interior Design
Alexandria
SECOND PLACE: SMALL KITCHENS
(Less than 35 square feet of countertops)The owners of this Morris home wanted to turn their 1970s kitchen into a contemporary showstopper. They also craved more storage, a dishwasher, a wider refrigerator, and a free-flowing floor plan. Problem was, adding the desired appliances would take away storage space, which already was at a premium. Betty Ravnik solved this challenge by creating an 8-inch deep pantry cabinet recessed into the stairway wall. She used the cabinet’s crown molding and pilasters to make a big statement in a small footprint.
This cozy kitchen feels much larger because of the monochromatic taupe color scheme in the washed and glazed cabinets, stone floors, and taupe tile with metal insets in the backsplash. Stainless-steel appliances add just the right amount of contrast. Natural light streams in from an enlarged window over the sink, and recessed lights, under-cabinet illumination, pendants, and toe-kick lighting provide ambient and task lighting.
Watery Haven
Betty Ravnik, CKD, CBDRavnik Interior Design
Alexandria
FIRST PLACE: LARGE BATHROOMS AND MASTER SUITES
(Greater than 55 square feet)A guest bath in this contemporary lakeside home wasted space and offered minimal amenities. Its rose and blue color scheme also needed to be brought into the current century. Betty Ravnik designed a soothing and luxurious vacation spa, complete with a two-person air-jet tub, ample storage, flattering lighting, and a large, walk-in glass-block shower. Travertine and glass reflect the sand and water of the lake outside the door. Light tan walls and a blue-green ceiling complement the glass-tile wall of the shower.
Curvaceous lines in the sink, tub, and shower imbue the space with tranquility, though the shape presented an installation challenge. By cutting 18-inch square tiles into narrow bands, Ravnik’s team solved the dilemma while creating a unique pattern for the shower walls. The spa effect continues with quarter-sawn oak cabinets in a ribbon pattern, a bronze faucet, and a neutral quartz counter.
Premium Privacy
Rebecca Lindquist, CMKBDLindquist and Company
Duluth
SECOND PLACE: LARGE BATHROOMS AND MASTER SUITES
(Greater than 55 square feet)With several family members sharing the main bathroom of this Duluth Cape Cod home, space was at a premium and a luxurious retreat was only a dream. Using adjacent attic space, Rebecca Lundquist enlarged her bathroom by 3 feet. This allowed her to create several zones for overlapping users. There is a private stall for the toilet, a large steam shower with an opaque door for privacy, and his-and-her sinks.
She maximized storage space by concealing it behind a mullioned, mirrored door on the vanity and opened a door from the master bedroom to the bath, making the rooms into a suite. Opaque cabinetry, natural marble, and a peaceful cream and taupe color scheme create a calming environment. Other extra touches include in-floor heat, music sourced from the home’s sound system, an air-jet tub, and a towel warmer/radiator.
Life’s Luxuries
Lori Jo Krengel, CMKBDKitchens by Krengel
St. Paul
THIRD PLACE: LARGE BATHROOMS AND MASTER SUITES
(Greater than 55 square feet)For 12 years, the owners of this Mendota Heights home tolerated a cramped bathroom that didn’t suit their needs. Lori Jo Krengel designed a master bath suite that feels like a luxurious hotel. One of two closets became a sit-down make-up area, while 6 inches borrowed from an adjoining guest closet helped expand the shower. A larger, arched window lets in natural light and natural stone tiles in the shower visually increase the size of the overall space. Soft, neutral tones and high-quality materials make this bathroom feel both sumptuous and peaceful.
SUZY FRISCH IS A FREQUENT MIDWEST HOME CONTRIBUTOR FROM CHAMPLIN.
Winning Cabinetry
Utilization of cabinetry in residential rooms other than kitchens or bathroomsFIRST PLACE:
Susan Palmquist, CKDSawhill Custom Kitchens & Design
Minneapolis
SECOND PLACE:
Wendy Britt Mosman, CKDMosman Design Services
Maple Grove
Utilization of cabinetry in commercial or institutional applications
FIRST PLACE:
Tricia Hauser TidemannNorth Star Kitchens
Minneapolis
SECOND PLACE:
Michael J. Palkowitsch, CMKBDMichael J. Palkowitsch Design
Shoreview
THIRD PLACE:
JoLynn Johnson, CMKBDCrystal Kitchen Center
Crystal
11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)
