Alder wood pantry with reeded glass doors.

Six Things We Would Do All Over Again In Our Custom Home

Cabinet Shop, Design Trends, Kitchen Renovation, Sustainability

February 10, 2024

We finished our home and moved in 2021, with a featured Dream Home designation on our local Parade of Homes Tour. Since then we have lived through a a few rounds of seasonal changes, used our space tirelessly to entertain, and have been fortunate enough to share many details with our online community. Watching Studio Mcgee unveil the remodel they just did on their new construction home has us pondering the items we love and would do all over again in our custom home.

Front porch, modern tudor white and beige home.

Custom Alcove Range with Niches

The alcove range is an architectural element that dates back hundreds of years to contain the heat of the range, not only functional but a timeless design for our modern tudor home. We added recessed niche details to hold basic cooking essentials and keep our countertops clutter-free. A custom design element that requires strategic planning on the front end, but is worth every precise measurement and execution.

Alcove range hood with two tone cabinetry and statement island pendants.

Range hood alcove with 48 inch range and polished gold pot filler over quartz backsplash, custom cabinetry and alcove niches

Two-Toned Custom Cabinetry

We are so thankful to have our own custom cabinetry shop and have developed a team of talent that feels irreplaceable in the Twin Cities. With that in mind, we had the privilege to design anything we dreamt up and no limitations. The foundational pieces to our space are a mix of painted and wood tones, setting the stage for what would become our most used color in 2021-2023 for ‘off white’ cabinetry, Sherwin Williams Limewash. This is a decision that feels just as relevant today as it did in 2020 when we made these final decisions.

Sherwin Williams Limewash painted beaded inset kitchen cabinetry

Unlacquered Brass Cabinet Hardware

We used a live finish on all cabinet hardware and passage door hardware in-house for an old-timey look and one thousand percent would do this again and again. Without blowing our client’s budgets, we often recommend this as a long-term investment option, and one they will not regret. One thing we will consider changing is our kitchen faucet and pot filler to the same brass finish for 100% cohesion. However, we love that this is a great example of blending a live finish with a lacquered finish for a good balance. There are far more options in the market that hit an approachable price point for lacquered plumbing options.

Blue painted laundry room with natural brass door hardware.

Unlacquered brass kitchen hardware, limewash painted cabinetry.

Beaded Inset Custom Cabinetry Design

While inset design is a premium to build, and we even hear of some builders that refuse to do this with our seasonal climate changes in the Midwest, we’re big fans and always say yes. Wood elements, aka cabinetry, can shift with drastic temperature swings, but we have only experienced positive results with our inset installations. A true sign of expert craftsmanship that we have come to adore.

Alder wood kitchen island, integrated refrigerator with apron sink.

Hidden or Integrated Appliances

If you’ve been around for a while, you know how much we appreciate the splurge of integrated appliances as a seamless integration to the cabinet design we provide. Storage is not compromised, in fact, it lends itself to increased clearances within the kitchen, and a greater focus on customized details, that become an investment within each space.

Reeded Details and Drop Hardware

Adding several reeded details to our home included bathroom vanities, a sliding picket door, and custom pantry glass doors. Pockets of visibility, while leaving permission to leave the cabinet interior less than perfect. The drop hardware is an embellishment furniture makers love, leaving our pantry feeling like a true furniture piece not built into the wall. Obsessed.