Refine the hearth of the home.
Refined Kitchen Remodels
From Victorian to mid-century, let’s refine your kitchen with the modern conveniences and the integrity it deserves.
1914 Build, West Side
St. Paul, MN
This remodel began with an attic walkthrough. Initially, this family was looking to create a home office through an attic conversion. After thoughtful consideration and much discussion, a decision was made: the entire family would benefit more from a new kitchen rather than an attic office.
The top priorities for the family of four with two young children: convenient solutions for real, everyday use, thoughtful consideration for family pets, and filling the room with light. The owners’ dream was to combine modern kitchen components and convenience with a nod to the original details and era of the home.
Illuminated kitchen, island, and entry areas with a full glass sliding door and side lights upgraded from a wooden backyard door and small window.
- Flexible cooling with Fisher Paykel CoolDrawer. Five temperature settings allow storage for beer to frozen dinners; depending on their seasonal and entertaining needs.
- Easy dog dish filling, draining, and clean up with a faucet and drain installed at dog height near the back door.
- Convenience and ease of pull-out shelves throughout the kitchen.
- Restored integrity with molding, millwork, and casing to replicate the originals—replacing the mass-produced home improvement center moldings of a past “refresh.”
1909 Build, Linden Hills
Minneapolis, MN
Two working parents raising a young daughter make for a busy family. But they wanted to take the time to make their first home perfect. These avid cooks wanted a kitchen with ample custom cabinetry and an exhaust fan to remove odors like onions, garlic, and peppers from the house with ease.
- Make a show-stopping kitchen with the contrast of modern Puustelli cabinets in the older home.
- Cleaner lines through the removal of ranch molding around the kitchen windows.
- More convenience, light, and power with additional task lighting, light fixtures, and power outlets.
- To keep the family in a routine, a temporary kitchen was created for use during construction.
To make the home “picture perfect”, the additional scope was added for the following refinements outside of the kitchen: removed dated cabinetry in second-level bedrooms, original flooring patched and restored, and walls patched and painted throughout.
We could not find a better home in the St. Paul neighborhood we adore, and we looked! —Paul and Jenny
1915 Build, Mac-Groveland
St. Paul, MN
Paul and Jenny had a growing family. They knew it was time to remodel or move on from their beloved home. With Refined Homes, Paul and Jenny renovated the house to fit their family’s lifestyle while maintaining the period character and integrity they love about the home. After multiple projects, Paul and Jenny say they “could not find a better home in the St. Paul neighborhood they adore, and we looked!”
The details were not taken lightly. To match existing molding and millwork throughout the home, custom-made cornices and baseboards were made era-specific.
Soapstone kitchen countertops were inspired by the owner’s lifetime of working in a lab.
- Focus on the priorities. The microwave was not one of them, and for this homeowner, we tucked it away in the newly created panty—adjacent to the entryway’s new mudroom.
- Convenient powder room for guests was created to match the home's character.
- Locally crafted butcher block countertop installed in the mudroom.
This kitchen is part of a first-floor home renovation. Read about the entire project here. Explore the entire first floor through a virtual walkthrough here.
1915 Build, Merriam Park
St. Paul, MN
For these retirees, the top priority is cooking for extended family frequently. Our approach added more powerful venting, more countertops, and more storage wrapped up in an easier-to-use, convenient, and functional kitchen.
- Custom storage based on client insights. Refined Homes built cabinetry to deliver on the couple’s needs discovered during the remodel project kickoff.
Open shelving makes it easy to store supplies in plain sight.
- In-cabinet lighting makes it easy to see inside without grabbing your flashlight.
- Full extension shelves make it easy to reach items at the back of the cabinet.
- Easy access to a step stool, stored in easy to access custom-designed cabinet niche.
Proper venting to the outside eliminates odors from cooking onions and garlic.
Abundant lighting in the kitchen for aging eyes (light it up like a greenhouse)!
- Quality materials that can withstand daily use. Countertops won’t stain or chip, and cabinet doors will always close and stay flush.
1922 Build, Summit Hill
St. Paul, MN
From your vision and budget through the final walk through your kitchen, Tricia and Ian take a hands-on approach to be with you every step of the way. If you’re currently thinking about remodeling your kitchen, consider some of the features implemented in this new kitchen:
- Seasonal upper storage added with new cabinets built to the ceiling. The perfect replacement for 1970’s big box store stock cabinets.
- Code-compliant, built-in stackable laundry added to the second floor with included disaster drain.
- Bonus half bathroom added in an isolated portion of the home. While “far away” from the plumbing stack and services, it was thoughtfully designed to stay on budget.
1925 Build, Mac-Groveland
St. Paul, MN
These soon-to-be empty-nesters were ready for an updated kitchen. With their now college-age "dishwashers" both moving out, they needed the real thing. Their #1 desire: achieve the best use of the available space while accommodating their need for a landline telephone.
- All new cabinets in available locations from the traditional ‘cupboard’ of the 1920s.
- More convenient refrigerator placement offering a more intentional design with easy access.
- A new home for the phone with a custom shelf and cabinet.
- Since the eat-in, four-leg table was needlessly stealing precious floor space, an upgraded butcher block countertop with room for stools was installed with a great view of the backyard.
- Almost double the storage with the addition of upper cabinets.
- No more cooking odors infiltrating the home with the installation of proper venting outside.
- Upgraded task lighting adds light to the room in addition to the central ceiling light.
- Added the convenience of a dishwasher.
1997 Build, Lake Susan
Chanhassen, MN
This newly married, retired couple desired a new kitchen to reflect their fresh start while accommodating their newly blended family. After all, the new bride had different needs than the previous partner since she had a separate cooking and entertaining style. Refined Homes delivered an award-winning kitchen they can proudly call THEIR OWN.
New cabinets and countertops transformed this boring log home into entertaining bliss.
- Cooking and baking for large groups was made easier with stacked and centralized appliances.
- Hanging out in the kitchen is made possible with the oversized island and seating area.
- Floors stay beautiful, even with shoes on, thanks to the new resilient flooring (LVT).
Excavation, concrete, framing, drywall, paint—from below ground to the roof, Refined Homes takes great care in selecting our trade partners. We select partners who align with our values of respect, extraordinary service, exceptional skill, and history of success. These long-term partnerships ensure our projects stay on track with open communication and priority scheduling:
- Concrete: poured foundations, foundations, underpinning, flat work
- Custom cabinetry
- Custom glass
- Design
- Drywall hanging & taping
- Electrical
- Elevator install
- Engineer
- Finish carpentry
- Fireplace
- Flooring
- Framing: house, interior remodels, deck
- Garage door
- Glass, shower & mirror
- HVAC
- Insulation
- Landscaping
- Painting
- Plumbing & plumbing supply
- Roofing
- Solar panels
- Stucco: repair, tie-in for remodeling, new construction
- Tile setting
- Wallpaper hanging
Just ask our clients about our service and craftsmanship:
I really appreciated the additional time I was given to evolve through the process. Input along the way brought me to the best possible outcome.
-Customer Feedback via Survey Monkey
Excellent service! I loved being able to discuss large and small projects for my home for different options. Exceptional quality of work. I hired Refined Homes at least 3 times each year over a 5 year period and was extremely pleased with the work, outcome and communication. If you have a home project, please call Refined Homes! You will not be disappointed!
-Anna R., Bloomington, MN
Everything went great and we appreciate the personal attention and commitment to the agreed upon timeline. Our kitchen update looks fantastic.
-Customer Feedback via Survey Monkey
We have nothing but great things to say! We hired Refined Homes to do a complete basement overhaul and are so happy with the outcome! We had a unique structural component that we debated about dealing with due to cost. But we are so happy we went for it, adding an entire bedroom with a closet and egress window. Our home feels so much bigger with the finished space. The work quality is fantastic! Ian and Tricia were true professionals throughout the entire process and the nicest people to work with. All of the subcontracts they used were just as great. They did a great job cleaning up after their day; we always knew where things were at with orders and timelines, and they were quick to respond and explain any questions we had. You will not be disappointed with Refined Homes!
Not only were the contractors respectful and courteous, all of the subcontractors were as well. If I had more projects, I'd hire them again in a heartbeat.
-Customer Feedback via Survey Monkey
BUILD It
Refined Homes takes pride in process, meticulous attention to detail, and working with trade partners who are closely aligned with our mission to make building your dream home exciting and rewarding. Let’s Build Yours
THE REFINED APPROACH
Refined Homes founders Tricia and Ian Wiitanen, personally focus on each project to provide superior craftsmanship and customer care. Discover Our Approach
How would you like to refine your home?
A butler's pantry with beverage station...