Sometimes the search for home brings you back to your childhood. That was the case for our client, who serendipitously purchased a house he had always admired growing up in St. Paul. Considerate renovations of the 1908 home create a place for our client’s son to enjoy his own St. Paul childhood.
On a street lined with old trees and old houses, this house stands out for its architectural pedigree. Designed by Minnesota architect Franklin Ellerbe, it was imperative that renovations respect and uphold his architectural intent. Original blueprints inform the design and an antique art glass window inspires the color palette. Principles of historic preservation guide the work, from the scale of the addition to the fastidious decorative arts detailing. New materials align with the existing house, but the similarities are deeper than surface level. Our work, from cabinetry to carpets, was handmade by local artisans with the same care so integral to turn of the century homes.
Unsurprisingly, the clients’ vision of home differs some from a family in 1908: a home gym, a kitchen for entertaining, a “Dungeons & Dragons” game room — yet our work accomplishes this while remaining true to spirit by championing detail and craft. New amenities, such as kitchen appliances, support this not by being disguised from view, but because the detailing of the custom stainless-steel surround reflects a level of craft appropriate to the home while still true to our modern time.
Our client’s son will enjoy summers on the same St. Paul blocks as his father, and he will see the Franklin Ellerbe house through the same admiring eyes. Childhood isn’t the same as decades past, and this house in 2019 isn’t the same as 1908, but a shared heritage binds them together. Our design celebrates this joining of history.