Both bedrooms now glory in the inlet views.
Glass blocks allow soft light to enter the kitchen without distracting from the courtyard view.
The pair borrowed a little space on the front porch and expanded the kitchen into the breakfast nook, so the sink now looks out on the front yard and old olive tree.
The backsplash and counters are Caesarstone, and a floating white oak shelf was positioned flush with the hood vent for a cleaner look.
A thick, poured concrete slab forms the surface of the large island and waterfalls to the floor on one side.
The ground floor kitchen is currently part of the rental apartment, but could easily become part of the office if the Uli Wagner Design Lab studio were to be extended downstairs in the future.
“Sometimes this means considering what is hidden away as much as what’s visible,” he adds. “With counter space at a premium, valuable space can be saved by designating an enclosed area to tuck away those space-sucking counter-top appliances and gadgets.”
Modern kitchen includes triple-bay sink, gas range, and hidden storage.
The faucet is by Brizo, and the sink is from Kräus. The backsplash is a handmade white ceramic tile that lends some organic irregularity to the scheme.
The couple chose partially open shelving in the kitchen. “We’re not minimalists, and we wanted to display different objects we’ve collected,” Vincent says. The cabinetry, conceived as freestanding pieces of furniture, turned out even better than they had imagined. The dining chairs are from Ikea and the appliances are by KitchenAid.
New custom walnut cabinetry syncs with the rest of the built-ins throughout the home, to create a pleasing rhythm in the open plan. The backsplash is Heath Ceramics tile, and the counter is Pental Quartz. Open shelves at the rear overlook a cozy den, and allow sightlines out the new windows at the front of the home.
In the kitchen, the couple kept the original cabinets and "beautiful, custom-rolled stainless-steel counters,” says Christine. They updated the island counter, flooring, and backsplash, adding Foro marble, Concrete Collaborative tiles, and Cle tile, respectively.
Jose Mármol Reform by Micaela Racca Kitchen
The kitchen features its original built-in clock; a Michael Graves Alessi kettle stands on the range.
The new kitchen is outfitted with white oak cabinetry by Ramon Padilla, Trias counter stools and a La Cornue oven and range.
"The client had sourced some period-appropriate inspirational images and asked us to run with it,
“They really wanted to have tile in the kitchen and at the front door, but everyone disliked that hard edge line,” says Gregga. “Doing the organic edge of the tile helped make the entry space and kitchen feel like one, and then it disintegrates into the living and dining room.”
The open living space is surrounded by large, angular pieces of glass and sits on a floor made with Colorundum in a Cherokee Red, a material and color Wright often used in his work. This space also includes a brick wood-burning fireplace.
Though this home is close to downtown Minneapolis, it sits on a quiet, 3.77-acre piece of land. When you approach the brick home, it immediately becomes clear that it’s a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home—thanks to its wing-like shape and Cherokee Red-painted steps.
As the only handicap-accessible building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent House (so named for the couple that lived there from 1952 until 2012) was completed in 1952 as one of the so-called Usonian homes. The couple married shortly before World War II, and Ken Laurent underwent surgery during his service in the Navy that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Wright listened closely to his clients' needs, featuring accessible design that were decades ahead of his time, including a lack of thresholds and floors that are level with the exterior ground for easy transitions between inside and outside. Wright designed much of the furniture in the house, including the built-in seating shown here.