Photographs by Alyssa Lee
Form and Function
Dana Backer enjoys entertaining at her Golden Valley house, but the original kitchen layout felt congested. Builder Jesse Kath removed a built-in from the eating area to open up the space for better entertaining flow. A light fixture from Hennepin Made and a 45-by-65-inch mixed-media piece by local artist Marilyn Stevens pack a punch. “The space now works well for larger groups, since we all crowd around in the kitchen,” Backer says.
When Dana Backer bought her 1950s Golden Valley rambler 13 years ago, she immediately started to mentally plan her kitchen remodel. The house had good bones, gorgeous original birch windows overlooking Bassett Creek, and plenty of natural light, but the galley kitchen looked dated and dull. Backer, the director of customer experience at Room & Board, learned about Jesse and Katie Kath, the husband-and-wife team behind Jkath Design Build + Reinvent, from a coworker and fell in love with the couple’s style and attention to detail. Just days after their original introduction, Backer and the Kaths started planning the remodel. With more than a decade of remodeling dreams under her belt, Backer was ready to rock. “I brought a pile of tear sheets to our first meeting,” Backer says. “I knew I wanted darker cabinets, and I’m drawn to clean lines and modern design but also love warmer elements like brass and wood.” The updated kitchen is now a smart fit for both solo cooking and entertaining.
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Before
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Before
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Color Cues
The La Cornue range, a piece Backer coveted for years, was part of the remodel’s inspiration. “I love the nostalgia of it,” she says. Designer Katie Kath added brass cabinet knobs and accents to match the range (which she sourced from Warners’ Stellian), and the dark custom cabinets (painted in Railings by Farrow & Ball) make the brass pop. “The paint is black with blue undertones, which was very intentional,” Katie says. “The color changes with the day and the lighting.”
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Marble Matters
Transitioning from large upper cabinets to just a few open shelves was a worthwhile challenge. “I had to Marie Kondo all my cabinets,” Backer says. After the clean-out, Backer kept the beautiful and functional items she used on an everyday basis—mostly from The Foundry Home Goods and Room & Board—and put holiday and entertaining wares in storage. She loves that the imperial Danby marble is from a quarry in Vermont, where she traveled to ski as a kid. Jesse carefully engineered the shelves to avoid warping and ensure the 150-pound marble hunks wouldn’t come crashing down one day.
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Repeat Elements
During the kitchen overhaul, Backer knew it was time to tackle the last eyesore in her home: the red-brick fireplace that didn’t match the rest of the living room. Jesse and Katie painted it the same color as the kitchen cabinets to maintain flow, and Mercury Mosaics created tiles for the hearth, which include a Thoreau quote that’s always spoken to Backer: “There is no remedy for love but to love more.”
Tips from the Pros
Photo by Chelsie Lopez
Designer Katie and Builder Jesse Kath
Remodeling projects of any size can be stressful. Designer Katie and builder Jesse Kath (right) share ways to prepare before taking the leap.
- Get a good team. “There are a lot of decisions to be made, unknown factors, and sometimes surprises,” Katie says. “Having a design-build team can help streamline and reduce stress.” Ask around for recommendations, vet potential teammates through portfolios and social media, and meet in person before committing to ensure a good fit.
- Give yourself (and your team!) plenty of time. “Renovations take time,” Katie says. “Give yourself a year in advance of your anticipated start time to select your builder and settle on plans and overall design.”
- Reduce the possibility of bad surprises. “It’s OK to be transparent early about budget expectations and renovation goals,” Katie says. “This helps the client and the builder get aligned while saving time for all parties.”
- Trust the process. “There are often just as many moving parts behind the scenes as there are on location,” Katie says. Minor construction delays or swaps may need to happen. A good builder will communicate every step of the way.
Building and Design: Jesse and Katie Kath, Jkath Design Build + Reinvent, 2052 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul, jkath.com
