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My Houzz: Sunny and Cheerful DIY Home in Minnesota
A newly married couple combines two units to create an inviting home with modern colors and a music studio
"Sunshine" was the nickname my parents gave me as a little girl. Today it's still a name I am proud of because I think it is a good thing to strive to be. I strive to be a little slice of sunshine to everyone I encounter; and this includes who I strive to be as I encounter clients and what I strive to show in my images.
"Moment" stands for where my eye is looking, the moments. Life is made of moments. Each picture captures only one moment. I love moments.
So, "a Sunshine Moment" represents how I look for and love to capture the unique moments in your brilliant lives.
I have the best job getting to photograph beautiful people during some of the biggest events of their lives. I've been doing my photography through this professional business now for over 3 years and still fall in love...
"Sunshine" was the nickname my parents gave me as a little girl. Today... More »
Renovating a duplex wasn't what Lynette and Aaron Ankrum had in mind for their first home. But once they decided to give up renting, the couldn't help but snag this boxy and modest stucco duplex prior to their wedding. After the honeymoon, the newlywed couple combined the two units, giving their home a facelift for the new chapter ahead.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Lynnette and Aaron Ankrum
Location: Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Lynnette and Aaron Ankrum
Location: Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| With the help of some friends, the Ankrums added a new island and flooring to the kitchen and painted the walls and cabinetry. Kaia Calhoun: Where is your favorite spot in your house now? Lynette Ankrum: The kitchen. I spend most of my time there and I enjoy de-stressing in there by cooking something creative or following a recipe. There's a lot of sunlight, so it feels really positive. Lighting: Ikea; flooring: VCT tile, Home Depot; stools: gift from Lynette's sister |
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| Yellow is Lynnette's favorite color, but Aaron prefers neutral tones, so the yellow and gray combination was the perfect solution. K.C.: Your favorite part of the project? L.A.: Gosh, they were all so fun! It was so ugly before that everything we did was such a big change. Every wall we painted was exciting. I really liked when they put the kitchen island in, because I knew I would have a lot of space — and when they put the deck in, for when we have friends over for a barbecue or to simply sit out when it's sunny. |
by Kaia Calhoun
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The Ankrums chose a beige tone to round out the sunny color scheme in the kitchen and give it a sense of maturity.
K.C.: What can you tell us about your decorating philosophy?
L.A.: I think Aaron is pretty structured — as long as everything is put together, he's OK with it. For me it's more about the feeling of a room, having the space be open, welcoming and warm.
When we got this house, we definitely wanted it to stay true to its age. So we didn't want to go too modern or too vintage. And also, since we're in the city, we wanted it to be sharp and functional. We kind of get inspired with different things we see.
Kitchen island: custom built by friend Kevin King; laminate: Menards; wall paint: Carrington Beige (left) and Semolina (right), both Benjamin Moore
K.C.: What can you tell us about your decorating philosophy?
L.A.: I think Aaron is pretty structured — as long as everything is put together, he's OK with it. For me it's more about the feeling of a room, having the space be open, welcoming and warm.
When we got this house, we definitely wanted it to stay true to its age. So we didn't want to go too modern or too vintage. And also, since we're in the city, we wanted it to be sharp and functional. We kind of get inspired with different things we see.
Kitchen island: custom built by friend Kevin King; laminate: Menards; wall paint: Carrington Beige (left) and Semolina (right), both Benjamin Moore
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| The original duplex had tons of sectioned-off space, and the couple's vision was to open up the home to better accommodate friends and family. K.C.: How did you make the house feel like yours? L.A.: We really opened it up. We wanted it to be open so we could communicate across the space. We literally did everything. We touched every surface, installing new flooring and painting the ceilings. Hall wall paint: Minted Lemon, Behr |
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| Knocking out walls between the spaces opened up the main living area into a comfortable-size great room. |
by Kaia Calhoun
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The pair converted the space so successfully that the only trace of it ever being a duplex is the brick chimney — now Lynette's favorite detail in the house.
K.C.: Where are your favorite places to shop?
L.A.: Thrift stores and garage sales. We look at CB2 and design magazines but end up doing it on our own budget and in ways that make it more ours.
K.C.: Where are your favorite places to shop?
L.A.: Thrift stores and garage sales. We look at CB2 and design magazines but end up doing it on our own budget and in ways that make it more ours.
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| Frames in the hallway gallery wall hold wedding and other pictures from family members. |
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| The living room was designed as a key space for group gatherings and intimate conversation. The couple installed a projector above the bay window that plays onto the flat gray wall across from it. When it's movie night, they move the orange abstract artwork. K.C.: How did you choose your color palette? L.A.: Choosing the living room colors was tricky, because I really wanted everything to be separate but then also feel connected, so we went through several different color palettes. We picked the kitchen color first and then went off of that. I really wanted to do yellow everywhere, but Aaron made me limit it to the kitchen. Sofas: Ashley Furniture; projector: Canon LV 7355; orange wall art: CB2 fabric; yellow wall art: by Lynnette; blue wall art: Adam Turman, Artistic indulgence; curtains: SR Harris fabric; curtain rods: Ikea |
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| The gray living room walls are the perfect modern complement to the kitchen's cheery yellow hue. K.C.: Tell me about your dream home. L.A.: This home is really comparable, just a little smaller. Location-wise I love it, because we have a view of the city but we still have a yard. The style of our house I really like because it's stucco, but I would also love a brick house. I think I would love one or two more bedrooms, a hot tub and a greenhouse. But even if we had the budget, I don't think we'd move, I think we'd just add on. We love where our home is, and we're kind of attached to it because of all the work we did. Wall paint: Anonymous, Behr; bathroom wall paint: Moonlit Yellow, Behr |
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| The map in Lynnette's bedroom closet is a reminder of the couple's shared love for travel. Red and pink pins show where Aaron has been on his own; yellow and black pins show where Lynnette has been on her own. White pins show where the couple has been together, and green ones signify where they want to go next. K.C.: Your biggest design dilemma? L.A.: We don't have a lot of closet space. So we turned a room into a closet. It's still a work in progress, clearly. Another big issue was going down into the basement, since Aaron is so tall. We took the bathtub out of the bathroom so we could raise the floor there, and in turn the ceiling in the stairway now leads to the basement. |
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| The hints of their love for travel lie everywhere — including in Aaron's studio workspace in the basement. Cityscape: Ikea; wall color: London Road, Columbia Paint |
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by Kaia Calhoun
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| Although there was a lot of work involved in the renovation, Aaron and Lynette just freshened up the exterior with new paint. K.C.: What is your ultimate dream home item? L.A.: Well, I really love hot tubs, but I've always wanted a real greenhouse. And Aaron would say a large, detached studio. K.C.: What brought you here? L.A.: We both moved closer to the city for college, but when we were dating and after we got engaged we always found ourselves coming into the city to do things, so it made sense to find a home in the neighborhood. We live seven blocks away from where Aaron and I had our first date. |
Ideabook published on May 22, 2012.
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I especially love all the different surfaces... floor tiles, brick, laminate, beadboard, solid tone walls, the orange door... they managed to have enough variety in there that it's interesting, but not overwhelming or distracting. And I really like how they used the low bookcase to demarcate the living room - keeps it open but contained. Great job to the owners!!!