“Dinged-up.” That’s how Cheryl and Cody recall the condition of their circa-1915 St. Paul, Minnesota, bungalow the first time they set foot inside a few years ago. Nonetheless, the couple—who share two kids, a dog, and some chickens—deemed it not too shabby. They saw it as an upgrade from their existing 900-square-foot condo and the perfect size for their growing brood. Convinced it was the right move, the couple decided to call off all bets and make an offer. “We loved the historic charm of the bungalow. It had housed several large families before us and felt comfortable and lived-in,” Cheryl says. In fact, it was so lived-in that the rooms were falling apart, the layouts were obsolete, and the kitchen—a strange galley curiosity—could barely squeeze two cooks inside at once. But Cheryl and Cody (she’s a nurse, he’s a land surveyor) saw the potential and were confident in their ability to make the home livable (and lovable) with some help from interior designer Julia Miller of Yond Interiors. Their brief? To expand and update the kitchen while keeping one foot in the past.
As Julia further explains, the first step was moving the kitchen altogether. “Luckily, a previous owner had added a sunroom next door, so moving the kitchen there to gain some elbow room seemed like the obvious choice,” says the designer, who connected the space to the main living area to encourage natural light. As for the aesthetic, she gave the interior a sunshiney, detail-filled British slant. “The clients love traditional cabinetry so we obsessed over every little trim and measurement,” she adds.
If the end result is anything to go by, it’s safe to say that the kitchen is bigger—and better—than ever before. As Julia puts it, “it really reflects the homeowners’ bright and relaxed style.”
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota