Macalester-Groveland remodel goes with the flow
By Frank Jossi
A short stroll from the Mississippi River, the 1925 home on Princeton Avenue had an old kitchen that the owners wanted to update along with much of the rest of the first floor.
It would not be an easy project for contractor Ispiri Design-Build. The main floor of the stucco-clad home at 2230 Princeton Ave. had to be reimagined beyond the 230-square-foot kitchen and breakfast nook to incorporate a family room.
Those who want to check out the updated space will get their chance during the Parade of Homes Fall Remodelers Showcase. There will be 43 homes open for in-person viewing during the tour, which will run from noon-6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, October 2-4.
Colleen and Jon Frei bought the residence two years ago. “We knew early on at some point we wanted to combine the kitchen and family room,” Colleen said. “But we wanted to live in the house a while before figuring out what we wanted. So it’s been on our radar for a while.”
The couple met Jamie Anderson, a design consultant and co-owner of Ispiri, at a home show and they liked his philosophy, Colleen said. Ispiri has done many remodeling jobs in local neighborhoods and Anderson understood the couple’s desire for a “casual space” where they could entertain friends and family.
The major challenge in the remodeling project involved removing a load-bearing wall separating the kitchen from the rest of the first floor, while seamlessly merging the kitchen’s design into the existing family room.
“We had to make sure we could open things up and move the wall to make the design work as the clients wanted,” Anderson said.
Ispiri installed a piece of structural timber in the attic to carry the load once held up by the wall. To add more light, Anderson cut two openings and installed Marvin windows. The owners wanted the windows so they could view the Mississippi River valley, a perch they enjoy due to their home’s elevation above its neighbors to the west.
“That brought in natural light to all spaces in the kitchen,” Anderson said.
Several other changes were made to improve the kitchen’s circulation. Anderson retained an existing 60-square-foot kitchen nook sitting area. “But we made it a little cozier and straightened the sightlines,” he said.
Ispiri replaced a small kitchen island with a 4-by-7-foot version with a sink and plenty of space for food preparation. Custom-built cabinets that reflect the home’s 1920s charm are located on the walls and underneath the island. Bianco Venato quartz covers the countertops, and a decorative white-and-gray backsplash fills one wall.
The Freis added a new microwave, Samsung cooktop stove and venting hood, but kept their refrigerator and dishwasher.
Anderson said older homes require tender loving care and improvements to spaces beyond the primary room of the project. In this case, that meant making sure the existing family room connected well with the new kitchen. Matching finishes and streamlined flooring brought the original and new areas together seamlessly.
“Working on a nearly 100-year-old home meant we had a lot of add-ons and structural components that we had to work around and had to make sure things functioned well and flowed nicely,” Anderson said. “We also had to make the flow of the new space consistent with the existing home, which is important to a lot of our clients. They don’t want to walk into a kitchen and think that’s the only thing that’s been updated.”
“We like how open it is and how cohesive it is with the rest of the house,” she said. “We wanted to make sure it flowed from the more historic front part of the house to the kitchen. We’re really excited to have friends and family over for entertaining and socializing once social distancing is over.”
Ispiri just put the finishing touches on the project, and Colleen loves the result.
“We like how open it is and how cohesive it is with the rest of the house,” she said. “We wanted to make sure it flowed from the more historic front part of the house to the kitchen. We’re really excited to have friends and family over for entertaining and socializing once social distancing is over.”
Admission to the Remodelers Showcase is free with the exception of two Dream Homes where a $5 fee will help support the Housing First Minnesota Foundation.
Precautions have been added this fall so the public can safely visit the homes in person. All homes will have a maximum occupancy of 10 people at a time, and wearing masks and maintaining social distancing will be required. Visitors will be asked to not touch surfaces or open cabinet doors, and all high-touch areas will be frequently sanitized.
For more information on the showcase, including an online guidebook and the updated safety policies, visit paradeofhomes.org. Free printed copies of the guidebook are available at local Holiday Stationstores.
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