1954 Rambler in Mpls. Gets a Whole Home Facelift

See this modern touch on a 67-year-old home

Project Summary 

The remodel for this retired couple was not about square footage. It was, however, about aging-in-place accommodations and pure aesthetics. The homeowners wanted low-maintenance surfaces with high durability and a luxury they hadn’t ever had before—a master bath. In fact, we created a master bath where a bedroom used to be, and updated an existing hall bathroom. We also repurposed the existing sun porch into a main-floor laundry. The existing hardwood floors were refinished and blended with new hardwood throughout the kitchen.

Floor plan comparison: Existing Bedroom 2 was converted to a bathroom. The door was moved from the hallway to connect to the master bedroom to make this a master suite.


Before

The entry of the home needed attention as did the windows, which we replaced with new Marvin Elevate units. This brought in a lot of daylight into their main living area and solved a maintenance issue with the existing windows. We also added lighting to the interior space and new exterior doors in front and back.

BEFORE: Porch was used as a small living space and the basement laundry was accessed by a flight of steep steps.


After

AFTER: The foreground shows the garage. We updated the insulation, soffit, facia, and gutters. There is new siding here and on the back of the home. We used Hardie Plank Cedarmill lap siding - Woodgrain texture, prefinished, 4" reveal, in color: Khaki Brown.
AFTER: Front exterior showing off new front entry door and Marvin windows.
AFTER—Hand-crafted entry spindles, Marvin Elevate combination picture and awning windows.
AFTER: New fireplace surround and mantel.

The old fireplace was in pretty bad shape, so it made sense to renew that space with a whole new surround and mantel. And no they didn’t put the TV as the main attraction over the fireplace. They put actual artwork over the fireplace, which is what used to go there before everyone somehow felt obliged to add a 60-inch TV. Beautiful.

AFTER: Master bedroom with new Marvin windows and custom built-in corner shelving.
AFTER: Bedroom converted into master bath with low threshold shower, York Blanco porcelain floor tile
AFTER: Shower with glass door and Maiolica White Lux Ceramic Wall Tile and Kohler Archer Collection 60" Drop-in soaker tub
AFTER: Hallway bath updated with new custom vanity and Basketweave Matte White w/ Black Porcelain Mosaic flooring
AFTER: Hallway bath featuring Regent Bianco Ceramic subway wall tile - 3 x 8", installed w/90 - degree herringbone.
AFTER: New main floor laundry, featuring Mannington Adura Flex Villa Cement FXT421/Sandstone FXT420, 16x16 Squares, checkerboard pattern.


Featured Materials

CABINETRY

  • Hall Vanity — shaker (inset panel), clear Maple, finish: Benjamin Moore "Sherwood Green" BM HC118
  • Master Bath Vanity  Clear Maple slab door; Benjamin Moore "Stampede" CC540

COUNTERTOPS

  • Laundry  Caesarstone London Grey 5000H
  • Master Bath  Caesarstone London Grey 5000H

PAINT

  • Selection: Sherwin Williams "White Flour" SW7102
  • Master bath: Benjamin Moore "White Sand" BM OClO
  • Hall bath: Benjamin Moore "White Drift" BM OC138
  • Laundry room: Benjamin Moore "Collingwood" BM OC28

SIDING

  • HardiePlank Cedarmill lap siding - Woodgrain texture, prefinished, 4" reveal, in color: Khaki Brown

DOORS

  • Door  Bayer Built ETCG122788, Calandra glass
  • Lock  Avila Lever w/ Addison trim keyed lock

WINDOWS

  • Marvin Elevate, Clear glass, bronze exteriors, unfinished pine interiors to be prefinished by Mbros Fine Finishes

FIXTURES

  • Master Bath Tub  Kohler Archer Collection 60" Drop-in soaker tub w/ armrests, lumbar support, and reversible drain.
  • Kohler Caxton rectangle 20 ¼" undermount bathroom sink
  • Bathroom Faucets  Delta Kayra 1.2 GPM widespread
  • Toilet  American Standard Cadet 3, elongated 2-piece toilet w/concealed trapway, ever-clean surface, powerwash rim, right height bowl, slow close seat
  • Hall Tub  Kohler Archer Collection 60" three wall alcove soaker bathtub w/ armrests, lumbar support, and right drain.
  • Laundry Sink  Ruvati Nesta 14" Undermount single basin 16 ga stainless steel kitchen sink w/ basin rack & basket strainer. Finish: Stainless steel
  • Laundry Faucet  Delta Mateo pull-down bar/prep faucet w/ magnetic docking spray head

TILE

  • Master Bath Floor  York Blanco Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 12 x 24"
  • Master Bath Backsplash/Tub Deck  Caesarstone London Grey 5000H
  • Master Bath Shower Wall  Maiolica White Lux Ceramic Wall Tile - 8 x 24"
  • Master Bath Shower Floor  Clay Grey Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 2'' squares
  • Hall Bath Shower Wall  Regent Bianco Ceramic Subway Wall Tile - 3 x 8", installed w/90 -degree herringbone.
  • Hall Bath Main Floor and Shower Accent Niche  Basketweave Matte White w/ Black Porcelain Mosaic
  • Laundry Backsplash  Mind Army BR Ceramic Subway Wall Tile - 3 x 10"
  • Laundry Floor  Mannington Adura Flex Villa Cement FXT421/Sandstone FXT420, 16x16 Squares, checkerboard pattern
  • Entryway Pad and Fireplace Hearth  Adoni Black Small Versailles Pattern Slate Floor Tile

Keep Browsing remodeling projects

More Whole House Remodeling Projects