Join Us for the Spring 2025 Remodelers Showcase!
We’re beyond excited to be part of the Spring 2025 Parade of Homes Remodelers Showcase with a stunning Burnsville home transformation that you have to see to believe! This remodel—spanning the main floor and owner’s suite bathroom—proves that you don’t need major floor plan changes to make a big impact. Whether you’re planning your own remodel or just love a good before-and-after, read on for all the details. Then, mark your calendars for April 4-6 and stop by to see it in person! We’ll be at stop R29, ready to answer all your questions.
When this couple decided to merge their lives, they knew they needed a home that reflected their new chapter together. After searching for a new house and coming up empty, they realized the best option was to stay—and transform his existing home into a space that felt fresh, functional, and uniquely theirs.
Finding the Right Partner
Once they committed to remodeling, they set out to find the right team for the job. After meeting with several firms, White Birch Design stood out right away. “From our very first meeting, Steve was already brainstorming solutions to what we thought were major design obstacles. That willingness to collaborate and problem-solve made all the difference,” they shared. They wanted a partner who would listen, bring ideas to the table, and help them create a home they truly loved—a process we were honored to undertake with them.
Dreaming Up the Perfect Plan
With an inspiration-filled ideabook and a clear wish list in hand, they set their sights on a few key goals:
- Brighten up the main floor. The choppy layout and lack of natural light made the space feel dark and closed in.
- Create a dream kitchen. As someone who loves to cook and bake, she wished for a large kitchen island, more counter space, better storage, and improved flow.
- Reimagine the living spaces. The sunken sitting and living rooms made the space feel disconnected.
- Refresh the owner’s suite bathroom. They wanted a more stylish, spa-like retreat—complete with a bathtub, something the current bathroom lacked.
- Incorporate a mudroom and main-floor laundry. This was high on their must-have list, even though it meant overcoming some plumbing challenges.
- Neutralizing the honey oak. With oak plentiful throughout the home, they knew they needed to work with it, rather than fight it, seeking a way to lessen its presence and while blending what remained with the new design.
Bringing the Vision to Life: The Kitchen
Every great transformation starts with creative problem-solving!
To open up the kitchen, we removed the half-wall separating it from the front sitting area, instantly improving flow. A peninsula is replaced with an oversized 4’ x 9’ island, providing ample workspace, extra storage, and seating on two sides. Statement lighting above adds drama, while thoughtful storage solutions—like a spice drawer, a pull-out towel rack, lazy susan corner cabinet and a new pantry—enhance functionality.
The cabinets, finished in Benjamin Moore Natural Cream, now reaches almost to the top of 10-foot ceiling. Drawing the eye up and maximizing storage, this is a vast improvement over the short cabinets that previously reached only 2/3rd way up the wall. The sink, now relocated to an exterior wall, features polished nickel faucets and is illuminated by personality-filled sconces sitting high above. A travertine backsplash and quartz countertops with gold and charcoal veining bring warmth and texture, while enlarged windows flood the space with natural light.
Completing the Main Floor Transformation
The updates didn’t stop at the kitchen! The former sunken sitting area is now level with the kitchen, creating a cozy spot for morning coffee.
A deep step replaced the railing to the sunken living room, making the space feel more cohesive and open. A new gas fireplace with a natural stone surround and enameled shiplap and mantel—flanked by two new awning windows—adds both warmth and light.
The previously underutilized office is transformed into a functional mudroom, complete with main floor laundry—a challenge we tackled by creatively routing plumbing and venting. A refreshed powder room, new LVP flooring, and a fresh coat of paint throughout the main floor tie everything together, leaving the main floor feeling updated, bright and welcoming. A beautiful new beginning for their new chapter together.
Upstairs: A Spa-Worthy Owner’s Suite
For the owner’s suite bathroom, we wanted to balance function with a touch of luxury. The original space felt uninspired, and with no tub, it wasn’t the relaxing retreat they envisioned.
By removing an awkward closet, we made room for a soaking tub and a larger window, bringing in more natural light. The new cherry vanity includes a linen cabinet for extra storage, while the shower—featuring a glass door, white subway tile, and a charcoal hex floor tile—feels both modern and timeless. Polished nickel fixtures, marble-patterned LVT flooring, and dramatic black veined marble countertops complete the transformation, creating a space that’s as beautiful as it is functional.
A Bright New Beginning
Striking the perfect balance between welcoming and modern, the newly transformed home feels warm and fresh, awash in creams and whites with brushed gold accents downstairs and elegant neutrals upstairs. A truly fresh start for our homeowners, one they can enjoy for many years to come.
Your Kitchen, Bath and Home Remodelers
Feeling dissatisfied with your current space but unsure where to begin? Start with a call to White Birch Design, Minnesota’s trusted remodel team. With decades of combined experience, we specialize in uncovering the hidden potential in every home. Whether it’s a kitchen remodel like this one, a bathroom remodel, a lower-level renovation, or other home renovations, we guide homeowners through every step—from design to construction—to create spaces they truly love. Our solutions bring both beauty and functionality, and we’re committed to making the process seamless with clear communication and exceptional customer service. Contact our Lakeville, MN remodelers today, and let’s begin transforming your home into a space you’ll love living in! Contact our Lakeville, MN remodelers today and begin transforming your home into a space you’ll love living in.
