We’re honored to see our Brick Colonial Revival project featured in Artful Living Magazine. The article, “Quartersawn Design Build Writes a New Chapter for a 1920s Minneapolis Home,” highlights a transformation that perfectly reflects what we love most about residential design: helping homeowners stay rooted in the neighborhoods they love while creating spaces that support the way they live today.
Located in Minneapolis’ East Harriet neighborhood, this 1923 brick Colonial had been home to our clients for decades. While the home was rich in character and memories, it no longer met the needs of their current lifestyle. Rather than move, they chose to invest in thoughtfully reimagining the spaces they use every day.
A Renovation Designed for the Next Chapter
The project centered on creating a more functional, welcoming environment for entertaining, spending time with family, and enjoying retirement. Key improvements included:
- A completely reimagined kitchen designed for gathering and connection
- Improved access and flow between the home and backyard
- A new mudroom and back entry experience
- A renovated lower level featuring a playroom, exercise area, sauna, and home office
- Updated living and dining spaces that better showcase the homeowners’ art collection and personal style
One of the most rewarding aspects of this project was balancing contemporary functionality with respect for the home’s historic character. Throughout the renovation, careful attention was paid to architectural continuity, material selection, and craftsmanship, ensuring every addition felt as though it belonged from the beginning.
Honoring the Past While Embracing the Future
As Quartersawn Principal Jeff Nicholson shared with Artful Living, the homeowners’ connection to East Harriet played a significant role in their decision to renovate. Their ties to the neighborhood, local institutions, nearby lakes, and longtime friendships made staying put the clear choice. Our goal was to help them fall in love with their home all over again while preparing it for the years ahead.
The renovation ultimately expanded the home’s functionality far beyond its original footprint. Although the addition itself was relatively modest, strategic planning unlocked nearly 4,800 square feet of usable living space and created a much stronger connection between the home, the backyard, and the way the homeowners entertain.
In Closing
Projects like this demonstrate how thoughtful design-build work can preserve the character of a beloved home while creating new opportunities for gathering, comfort, and everyday living.
Read the full feature in Artful Living
We’re proud to have been both the builder and architect for this project and look forward to helping more homeowners reimagine the homes, and neighborhoods, they love.