TWO-STORY TRANSFORMATION
Mitlyng Design Team:
Ashley Mitlyng, Katie Loecken, Eden Garton
Photography:
Cook and Kin
Contractor:
Yanz Builders
Featured on the 2024 MSP Home Tour with Yanz Builders
KITCHEN PRECISION
The owners of this 1949 Bungalow in Highland Park had carefully renovated one space at a time throughout the decade they lived in their home. When they were ready to tackle the kitchen, they hired Mitlyng Design to seamlessly blend the historic home with the needs of their contemporary family.
The reimagined design includes a two-story addition of just a few feet to expand the kitchen enough to flow and increase function. The addition then continues to the upper level, adding an office/den and increased storage.
A LAYOUT FOR CONNECTION
This project focused on elevating the kitchen experience. The objective was to craft a layout fostering open connection between living, dining, and kitchen areas.
A strategic extension toward the backyard enabled us to add an efficient island and spacious circulation, enhancing traffic flow from the mudroom to the entire house.
Before
After
COHESION & OPTIMIZATION
The island’s tapered and rounded edges optimized space, accommodating a tall pantry cabinet with an appliance garage, thoughtfully positioned for the coffee maker and microwave.
The selection of finishes, led by the client’s discerning aesthetic, seamlessly integrated the kitchen with the rest of the home.
Before
After
MUDROOM MAGIC
More space wasn’t required to create more storage. Preserving the mudroom footprint, we introduced custom built-in cabinetry for optimized yet bespoke space utilization.
The new large format concrete terrazzo tiles, with minimal grout lines, not only offers great utility as a mudroom floor but also adds color and playfulness.
Before
After
RETAINING ORIGINAL CHARACTER
The two-foot addition extends not only to the second floor but all the way to the roof. An asymmetric gable clad in shake siding is striking, stylistically thoughtful, and functional. The new roof and second-story design retained the character of the original stucco roofline while creating a new living space. The second-story addition provided enough space for a generous office with corner windows that mimic the kitchen windows below. Additionally, the adjacent bedroom was transformed. Where there was once low head height storage, now lives a full-height closet alongside a reading nook and desk for the youngest child.
This two-story transformation transcends a mere kitchen renovation, carefully and efficiently trading an outdated layout with a modern lifestyle. As we wrap up this chapter for this home’s renovation journey, Mitlyng Design takes pride in not just renovating spaces but in crafting a story that respects the past and embraces the future of this cherished home.
Before
After
Before
After