Photographs by Spacecrafting
Large green and white kitchen
It’s Easy Being Green: Olive-green cabinets and paneled appliances (in Benjamin Moore’s Southern Vine 2138-10) mix modern and traditional in the family’s new kitchen. “It’s not what you’re seeing online,” says interior designer Bria Hammel. “It has a really historic green feel.” The white oak island, custom-built by Regalwood, provides contrast with the dark floors. A large plaster hood, one of Hammel’s favorite design elements in the home, becomes a focal point over the range.
There was never a question that Mary Fredrickson and Jonathan Hart’s 1890s home in the Summit Hill neighborhood of St. Paul was a good purchase. The original hardwood floors, unique character, and good bones—including a solid foundation—convinced the couple to buy the house quickly in 2013. Still, some tweaks were needed for it to become fully functional for their growing family: The floorplan felt jumbled, and the small, dark kitchen, which became the family’s de facto gathering spot, was due for an update. “Prior to our purchase, the house was broken up into office spaces,” Mary, a hospitalist at Regions, says. “It went through so many transformations as the neighborhood ebbed and flowed.”
The kitchen, a focal point in most modern homes, had been pushed to the back of the house in one of the home’s remodels. A large island took over the room, leaving little space for the couple and their four children (ranging in ages from toddler to teens) to hang out as the family cooked.
Mary knew she wanted interior designer Bria Hammel, whom she followed on Instagram, to design a new kitchen and mudroom to better fit her family’s needs while still keeping the home’s charm and integrity intact—something she knew Hammel’s team would execute well. Hammel, along with builder Zeke Fricke, owner of design-build firm Hygge Hus, rearranged the layout of the home. Adding a mudroom and moving the kitchen to a more central location, they kept the original flooring and matched the woodwork—to feel authentic to the project and “make the renovation feel cohesive and intentional,” Hammel says.
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Butler's pantry
Super Storage: With four growing kids, floor-to-ceiling cabinets in the butler’s pantry all get used. “We do a lot of bulk grocery buying, so having all that cabinetry is great,” homeowner Mary Fredrickson says. She stores seasonal items like Christmas baking tools up top, while kids’ snacks are kept in easy-to-reach drawers. Drilled diamonds on the white Shaker cabinets add interest.
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kitchen island
Mary wanted a light counter that made it easy to detect crumbs and messes. The island, countertops, and backsplash are made from a durable, easy-to-clean Calacatta Lago quartz. The island, narrower than most kitchen centerpieces, allows plenty of space for the kids to hang out as the family cooks.
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wet bar
Bottle Service: A small wet bar quickly became one of Mary’s favorite parts of the kitchen. “We wanted a place where, if I were making dinner and the kids wanted to get a drink or wash their hands, they wouldn’t be in the workspace,” she says. Reeded glass doors hide bottles and glassware, and the sink includes a small water dispenser—with built-in water purifier—to fill glasses and bottles.
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breakfast nook
Cozy Corner: “Mary balances eclectic modern taste with a really big passion and desire for antiques,” Hammel says. These design goals intersect in the breakfast nook, where classic bench seating and bistro chairs Mary’s dad found at a flea market in her home state of Oklahoma allow the whole family to squeeze together. Storage inside the benches holds board games and craft supplies. A statement light fixture (by Chapman & Myers) modernizes the look of a vintage lantern.
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Support beam
Support System: The kitchen’s beam was a dream-team collaboration between Hammel and builder Zeke Fricke. It was added for support when a load-bearing wall was removed, and Hammel stained it to match the home’s existing millwork. “It became this one-of-a-kind thing that looks like it could have been there the whole time,” Fricke says.
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mudroom
Buried Treasure: Fricke discovered a surprise when creating the mudroom: thick brick walls, hidden behind sheetrock. (In another area, he found a hidden fireplace!) The team left an exposed brick wall in the entryway as a nod to the home’s history. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets hold shoes and coats, while a vintage-inspired ladder helps the kids (and Mary) reach top shelves. Heated floors warm chilly toes in winter months.
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Powder room
Freshen Up: The first-floor powder room, relocated from where the kitchen sink is now, is small but mighty: Benjamin Moore’s Southern Vine 2138-10 paint and brass details (including a Cooper Classics mirror) provide continuity. Aranami wallpaper from Farrow & Ball and dark soapstone countertops give the space its own warm, luxurious feel.
Interior design: Bria Hammel Interiors, 750 Main St., Ste. 214, Mendota Heights, 651-688-1121, briahammelinteriors.com // Builder: Hygge Hus, 651-344-6014, hyggehus.co
