Rebecca Cartwright

Every few years we seem to find ourselves in a sweet spot where we get the opportunity to collaborate with a respected builder and receptive clients.

The Glen Oaks home depicted below, was about fourteen years old and in great need of an update. It was too formal for the homeowner’s lifestyle, and felt stodgy and over decorated. Our team had worked with the family on three previous projects. Now it was time to tackle the big one; their primary residence.

This go round, they hired Mark Main of Main Built. It was a personal goal of mine to collaborate with him and his team on a sizable project. Some other key players were Minnesota Cabinets, The Stone Shop, and Catherine Thomas, architect. The clients trusted our team, by now, and gave us a lot of latitude to flex our creative muscles.

Together, we brainstormed over inspiration images and settled on a general direction for each floor. The house was gutted and put back together in a fresh new way.

BEFORE

The vision for this project was to create a modern home that still features traditional architecture. This home had the bones of a classic residence that you might see south of Grand, but we felt that the details and finishes – flooring, trim work, and ceiling treatments – needed to be refined. The goal was to make it feel like it had been built one-hundred years ago instead of only twenty. In order to achieve this, we used a widely neutral palette with a variety of rich textures such as wool, grasscloth, mohair, and linen. We then added in mixed metallics, like oil-rubbed bronze, antiqued brass, and polished nickel, for a more eclectic feel. To give the home a modern side, lighting fixtures were selected with traditional shapes, but included unexpected materials and finishes. Color was used selectively in each space to lend a vibrance and warmth, while keeping the architectural envelope primarily neutral.

DETAILS

Our clients love to travel and have stayed in many luxury hotels over the years. We wanted to provide them with a spa-like master suite that is at the level of the beautiful places in which they’ve stayed. In the bedroom, we focused on the architectural features of the space, by emphasizing the geometry of the room with a patterned wool carpet and a faux zinc ceiling treatment in the vault. This allowed us to select a mix of modern and classic furniture pieces which make the space feel both elegant and calming. By mixing textures and patterns like the dynamic marble tile in the shower and a muted, classic marble tile on the bathroom floor, we were able to create a focal point in an otherwise quiet, relaxing space.

AFTER

 

Throughout the 18 month process, we faced changes and challenges with a “make it work” attitude. It was fun trying new ceiling treatments and having the Quartzite countertops lit from below. Marble was stacked and the skylights raised. The fireplaces and lighting were even synced together with the latest technology and there was in-floor heat added to the Walnut floors. A wooden slat drop ceiling was installed in the lower level to make all of the cables easily accessible. Iron and glass doors appeared, as did enormous wine fridges. Over the course of the project, the scope grew and the budget increased, making both the ideas and outcomes better and better. 

Mark Main of Main Built put it this way, “For a successful construction project, the client, contractor and designer all need to have a passion for the art of the detail. Working with Rebecca and her team throughout this project, showed her mastery of detail and allowed all involved to showcase their talents.”

Perusing the “before and afters”, leads me to appreciate those unique opportunities that come around once in awhile, to create something special with a special group of people.