
Behind the Scenes: Hale House
Our team is busy across the board managing several home renovations in various stages – from kick off consultations and demo to the final touches and punch lists. As members of the design build industry we are feeling hyperaware of the importance of home right now. We have a couple projects that are mid-renovation and we will make sure our clients’ homes are a place of peace and security through this time. That being said, we would like to introduce you to a fun project in the works: the Hale House.
Before + Will-Be-After
This charming Tudor style home in the Hale neighborhood of South Minneapolis is maximizing its space with an attic master suite renovation. The attic was “finished,” consisting of two large rooms and not much else. Having minimal walls in place and mechanical systems in our way, it made space planning a smooth ride. The original owners of the home had five sets of bunk beds in this space for the 10 children who lived there. Here’s hoping they weren’t snorers. Here’s the new floor plan and some mid-demo images:

This home is quaint in size with two bedrooms, one bathroom on the main level for this young family. The new master suite in the attic will include a sleeping area, walk-in closet, adding a bathroom, and a bonus space for a nursery or home office. Unlike many attic spaces in older homes, the ceiling heights are quite comfortable here, which you can see in the before images above. There is a slight slant around the perimeter, going as low as 74 inches tall. Having these considerably higher ceiling and wall heights, compared to other attics, allow us to incorporate storage and utilize wall space.
Design Options
Let’s focus on bathroom design. Since there wasn’t an existing bathroom on this level we are building it from scratch. Existing plumbing pipes that ran up from the main floor required us to place the bathroom in this spot near the stairs. It was one of our only limitations. Still, this bathroom is going to be large enough for a roomy shower, double vanity and custom made linen closet for additional storage.
We partnered with Jeffrey Court to showcase the beautiful tile options in their Home Depot line. This line is expansive and filled with tile styles for every project. The homeowners had a pretty clear design direction: black and white with wood elements. Luckily, there are plenty of tile options in this color wheel in the Jeffrey Court Home Depot line. Honestly, it was kind of hard to narrow it down to just three designs.



Final Design, Almost

And here’s where we are today with the bathroom design. It’s going to be beautiful! The Century Star floor tile is my favorite – a gray and white marble that is complements the timelessness of this home. A contemporary take on chevron on the shower floor will pack a punch against the basketweave Carrara marble Hudson tile. To add warmth to the heavily gray and white space, we’re going to stain the vanity and linen cabinet that will be made in our cabinet shop. Matte black Delta Trinsic plumbing fixtures are going to add a deep contrast we need.
We’re hopeful our clients will enjoy this completed space within a matter of weeks. This project will end with a large retreat for these homeowners to relax in a space of their own, hopefully never occupied with five bunk beds again.
Here’s your millionth remember to wash your hands, stay home, and support local businesses when you can.
Be well,
Katie Dean Miller + the Jkath team
Interested in connecting about your home renovation?
Say hello here.
Some recent projects from our team we think you might like:
Keep up with our latest inspiration by following us on Pinterest and Instagram.
#liveinthedetails #designbuild #homerenovation #mastersuiterenovation #tudorhome #mastersuite #masterbathroom #masterbedroom #masterbathroomrenovation