A home’s kitchen often serves as the heart, the central locale where family and friends gather in a communion of food and conversation. But away from the social soul of a house, rests the master bedroom area, which should serve as a respite and renewal space.
For some Maple Grove homeowners, their master bedroom and bathroom were in dire need of renovation, structurally and in spirit. Enter the team with MA Peterson, a custom design and remodel company. Over the years, the company has developed a unique process that allows it to partner with homeowners to achieve a creative design that guarantees consistent and repeatable results to ensure that the project runs smoothly and efficiently.
For this project, the aim was clear—update the dark, vaulted 1990s-style suite with a classic and functional design aesthetic.
The remodel took nearly three months to complete, but it began with a solid plan. “It all starts with getting the design right,” says Dave Peterson, vice president of MA Peterson.
The homeowners had many goals in transforming their master suite, one of which focused on bringing in more natural light and capturing the beautiful views into the space. A large triple window, facing the backyard, was added per the homeowners’ request, as well as two transom windows on either side of the bed to flood the bedroom with the natural light.
Adding storage options was another major element that drove the remodel. The existing closet in the suite was not large enough to accommodate all of the homeowners’ needs. Since they were not interested in expanding the footprint of the suite, the challenge arose to improve existing storage space without adding square footage. A creative cabinet solution in the bedroom doubled the amount of storage in the suite. Also, a new wall of custom cabinetry, created by MA Peterson’s Trademark Wood Products cabinet and millwork company, features a clean symmetrical design on the exterior, but its interior is customized on each side to meet the specific needs of the couple. The dual benefits of the custom piece feature twice the amount of storage, while at the same time adding a beautiful aesthetic with freshness and style. An entertainment center was also incorporated into the functional cabinet.
The asymmetric vault, popular several years ago, in the bedroom and entry to the existing suite required an updated approach. The entry vestibule and bedroom ceiling vaults were also reworked to provide better balance in the room and clearly define the bedroom space. New millwork and an arched opening entering into the bedroom space provide an updated look.
Beautiful, elegant detailing with more function was a desired quality throughout this remodel. Similar to the homeowners’ bedroom, the bathroom redo necessitated a clean new look that better utilized natural lighting while also addressing the layout and adding functional storage.
“The analogy that I use for our homeowners is that of assembling a puzzle,” Peterson says. “If you are putting together a puzzle, and you have the box top or picture of the puzzle and all of the puzzle pieces, it assembles easily. However, if you are missing the box top or some of the pieces, it is very frustrating to try to assemble the puzzle. The main picture for the bathroom was similar to that missing puzzle piece.”
The main area of the master bath was created to provide a larger and more private walk-in shower and toilet area. A new freestanding soaking tub became the focal point. What was once a single vanity with two sinks was transformed into his and her custom vanities, anchoring the reconfigured space. The custom, classic white-enameled cabinetry, with marble countertops and polished nickel hardware, provide the perfect contrast to the diagonal gray tile floors.
The once asymmetrical vaulted ceiling was changed to a flat ceiling, offering improved architectural scale and warmth into the room. Elegant light fixtures were chosen to specifically illuminate the mirror while adding warmth and style to the space. A glass panel was also added between the shower wall and vanity to allow for natural light in the walk-in shower, complete with an oversized rain head shower, as well. Finally, a barreled ceiling in the toilet area of the owners’ suite was added to carry though the arched opening and arched bookcase design elements in the master bedroom.
“Our process allows us to work with our homeowners to create a final design that neither one of us would have individually gotten to,” Peterson says. “We lead in the process, but the homeowners get to be involved in the creation of their own project while leveraging our award-winning design team’s talents and our 39 years of experience.”
All of the detailing of the remodel project was just as important to Peterson, as it was to the homeowners. “Natural light, timeless design elements, improved storage spaces and well thought out functionality, helped create a transformed owners’ suite and serves as the retreat that the homeowners had been searching for,” he says. “With its classic, yet clean lines with well thought-out functionality, this space was designed and built to last for years to come.”
