Pinterest Inspired Her Bath Oasis

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The ultimate measure of any remodel’s success rests on one thing: Are the homeowners happy? On that basis, Joan and Paul’s Eden Prairie master bath is a five-star, platinum level outcome.  “I’m still at the stage where I just go in there and look around and go , ‘Wow.’ It’s the nicest room I have ever had in my life. I feel so lucky to have it,” Joan said. Best of all, the project was completed for Christmas as promised.

Joan credits Wise Design President Philip Hide, who personally designed, priced and managed the bath project. However, she also cites his online project management tools for the positive remodeling experience. Wise Design uses the latest interactive software to share communications, budgets, schedules and files. The online portal ensures clients  keep informed and can collaborate efficiently from design and budgeting through production. 

“We loved the way we could view contracts, approve change orders, post photos, send messages and see the day to day schedule,” Joan said.  “We found ourselves logging onto the portal multiple times a week.” 

Pinterest inspirations

Joan is a self-described “Pinterest Girl.”  She shared countless photos with Philip to help him visualize what she liked.  “I  would say, ‘Got another Pinterest bath picture.’ And he would translate it into reality. It was a conversation back and forth. He would come back with, “What do you think about trying this? It’s going to end up like you want, but we need to do it a little differently to make it work.”

Meanwhile, Phil tapped his North London remodeling experience for special touches to enhance Joan’s vision. “In the beginning I had to learn his (European) terms, but he would steer me toward cool things you might see in a London home,” Joan said.

Shower niches
Large built-in linen
Serafina soaking tub
His & Hers storage towers
View of built in closet

A few of her favorite things

Joan loves her 67-in. free-standing Serafina soaking tub. It is not just a beautiful design focal point; It gets regular use. She also is pleased that Phil was about to create a private water closet. “Everything looks so nice. I didn’t want a toilet to ruin the aesthetics,” she explained.

Although many master baths have dual basins, Joan and Paul felt it was more important to make room for his and hers storage towers with built-in outlets and room for all their stuff. “We seldom get ready at the same time so we didn’t mind sharing a sink,” Joan explained.  “It was more important to have our own storage where we could keep everything handy but out of sight.  And I think one sink is much prettier.”

The couple appreciates the large built-in linen cabinet where the toilet had been in the original bathroom. They helped to control costs by purchasing and assembling  an IKEA PAX Interior organizer for the suite’s master closet. But Phil gave it a custom, built-in look by adding custom crown molding to reflect the bathroom millwork.

Wise is the smart choice for custom bath

“Wise Design’s attention to detail, careful planning, fine craftsmanship and excellent communication made the whole process an enjoyable experience. Phil is amazing. We highly recommend him,” Joan said. 

Phil has remodeled the couple’s kitchen, main bathroom,  master suite, and replaced flooring and siding.  They plan to have him remodel their loft  in the spring.  

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Wise Basement Remodel Earns 2019 NARI CotY Award

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) named Wise Design & Remodel a Minnesota Contractor of the Year for this project at the trade group’s annual CotY Awards dinner on Nov. 12, 2019. The project won in the Basement Under $100,000 category. NARI judges recognized the remodel for improving functionality and aesthetics, innovative problem solving, superior craftsmanship and meeting the clients’ needs. Nearly 340 fellow NARI members and guests attended the event at ARIA Minneapolis.

CotY Award winner Philip Hide with NARI President Guy Selinske

Wise Design & Remodel President Philip Hide, left, with 2019 CotY Award and NARI President Guy Selinske at annual awards dinner on Nov. 12, 2019.

Mary and Stu’s Golden Valley basement was a disaster. Previous owners had done a crude job of finishing it themselves in the 1970s. Since then, it had water issues and hazardous asbestos floor tiles were lifting. HVAC ducts and beams compromised headroom. Obtrusive structural posts divided the space. The wood-burning fireplace had back drafted dangerously and blackened the yellow brick surround. The only egress was up the narrow, head-tilting stairs. And small, un-insulated top-swing windows provided minimal natural light and ventilation.

The couple wanted a comfortable, safe, private lounge area, modern bath, and better laundry. After installing an egress window and drain tile, they chose Wise Design and Remodel to design and build out the new space.

Philip Hide and his trade partners addressed and overcame each obstacle to create a beautiful and functional environment that exceeds the simple man cave the clients had first imagined. The new space features an open lounge area with a gas fireplace and large wall-mounted TV. Tile bath, improved laundry with café hinge door and efficient under stairs storage with custom doors. 

 

View from bathroom
Laundry with café hinge door
Decorated pillars
3/4 basement bath
Hidden storage
Luxury vinyl plank flooring
Granite mantle
Custom pillars
New egress window

Mary says the project doubled their living space and was well worth the expense. Here are the highlights:

Comfort Features

  • Walls and rim joists are insulated with spray foam for maximum R-value and HVAC registers are strategically positioned for even heat.
  • The fireplace is fitted with an efficient sealed-combustion gas insert to improve heating efficiency, air quality, fire safety and convenience.

Headroom Gains

  • HVAC ducts were moved alongside the central support beam to minimize the soffit width. The soffit is finished with 3/8-in. beadboard rather than standard framing and drywall to gain 1-5/8-in. of headroom. 
  • The main beam down the center of the basement is left unclad and finished dark.
  • The ceiling framing at the bottom of the stairs was modified and finished with bead board to reduce the need for head tilting.

Open, versatile floor plan

  • The upper portions of structural posts are finished unclad and bottoms enlarged with bead board bases and drink rails to transform concrete posts into attractive, functional design elements.
  • The door to the storage area was customized to fit under the beam.

Floor Upgrade

  • Certified technicians dissolved and removed the asbestos-laced floor tile adhesive. The concrete surface was leveled and finished with durable, easy-clean Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring that resembles wood.

Design Details

  • Granite and quartz remnants were used for the fireplace mantel, bathroom vanity top and windowsills to add attractive, quality elements to those areas.
  • The laundry door features a themed glass insert for character and allow light to enter the area.
  • Service access to plumbing was concealed with discrete, attractive and removable covers.

Better Bathroom

  • The new ¾ bath was installed near the laundry room to shorten the waste line and eliminate history of clogging.
  • A glass block window admits natural light without sacrificing privacy.

Enhanced Laundry

  • The laundry was replumbed, rewired and enlarged.
  • A 180-degree swing café style door with decorative glass insert provides hands free access and light.
  • The family cat can access a discrete litter box via a pet door in the wall.
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Continue ReadingWise Basement Remodel Earns 2019 NARI CotY Award

PPC, The Pride of Lindstrom

Lindstrom-based Plastic Products Company (PPC) prides itself on being 100 percent employee owned.  With 9 US facilities and a partnership in Mexico, PPC decided to reclaim and remodel its original building for a new headquarters this year to honor the legacy of founders Willard and Marlene Smith, who had demonstrated a personal commitment to their workers and the community since 1957.

It chose Wise Design & Remodel for the project because it trusted the Minneapolis remodeler to balance its vision for a modern, international caliber, no nonsense facility that would reflect its common sense, not too “flashy” culture.

“The goal was to create a functional space that did not look like the Taj Mahal because that’s not our culture,” explained VP Operations Greg Krueger. “At PPC, everybody’s got a job. Everybody is important in the organization. So to create lavish surroundings would not be who we are. I think Phil Hide really understood that when we planned this project.”

The long vacant building had started life as Willard’s Smith Metal Products shop and saw several additions over the years. Krueger turned to Hide to overhaul 8,500 sf of the space for executive and administrative offices and perform a complete exterior facelift. When demolition was completed only the floor, walls and roof remained. And, in time, even some of slab would go.

“The floor was a challenge. I think there were five or six additions in the footprint that we renovated. The floor levels changed up to 2 inches from one area to another. We had to take out segments of concrete to level the floor, but that enabled us to run all the pipes for the plumbing,” Krueger said.

Increasing light was a key goal in the remodel design. Wise started by installing windows in the solid exterior walls.  He fitted inner offices with glass walls and doors to spread the natural light from outside. Finally, he equipped the space with 147 LED ceiling lights controlled by motion sensors or dimmers.

“I worked with Phil and his suppliers to create the glass walls for the offices. The objective was to make sure we got the light inside the building and reflected throughout,” Krueger said. “In the old workplace we had very little natural light. Before this building was renovated it had no windows at all so adding windows was one of the suggestions. The glass walls worked out really well. It was economical compared to putting in hard walls and hard doors with windows and wood casings.  We do have some film on the glass for privacy, but it still gives the impression of openness.”

Wise and Krueger worked together throughout the project to control costs. By adding fireproofing and insulation, they were able to use the area above the ceiling tiles as a return-air plenum, thereby eliminating the need for ducted return registers in each room.

“We worked with the inspector for Chisago County and he made sure every ridge and ripple in the roof was tuck pointed so it is a complete 2-hour-burn firewall,” Krueger said. This eliminated the need for a sprinkler system. 

They also positioned restrooms and the main break room at the rear adjacent to a 20,000 sf space reserved for future remodeling so they can serve both areas.

 “Our thought process was that we can put in more offices for our engineering department, sourcing or estimating there or expand with higher technology production manufacturing without having to put in another kitchen or bathroom.”

Wise also worked with Krueger to select a combination of new, used and refurbished furniture and cubicles to create a professional décor keyed to PPC’s red, gray and black branding colors and optimize the budget.

“We were able to save money in all of the offices by going with used and refurbished items and reserved the new stuff for the high visibility areas,” Krueger said.

The company held its first quarterly, 30-person management meeting in its new conference room, which is furnished with four large screens that are interconnected with units in other offices and facilities around the country.

“Everyone fit very well. Phil identified what would be good for comfort: the chairs and the HVAC to make sure we didn’t have an overheated room in the winter or too cool in the summer,” Krueger said.

All that’s left on the project is to add the 10th  facility photo of the new headquarters to the conference room wall next spring when the gazebo is completed and the new landscaping emerges from its Minnesota snow cover.

See a full gallery of the PPC project here.

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Wise Design 2018 NARI Newcomer of the Year

Newcomer Blog - bar photo_cropped

Wise Design & Remodel LLC received the 2018 NARI Newcomer’s Award from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry at the group’s annual CotY Awards Gala on November 13. It earned the honor because CotY judges gave Wise’s Contractor of the Year Award entry the highest score of any remodeling project submitted by a broad field of first-time CotY participants.

Wise President Philip Hide’s entry was part of a whole house remodel he designed and managed at the home of Robin Westin Schmitt in the exclusive Cottagewood neighborhood on Lake Minnetonka. Philip entered the family room portion of the remodel, which featured a unique sunken wet bar at the bay window bump out that preserved the lake view from the living room. He also installed a massive steel beam that enabled him to remove walls that had further blocked the lake view from the front entry and kitchen.

Robin had seen this sunken bar design in California and asked us to try to make it work at her Lake Minnetonka home,” Philip explained. “It was harder because the floor joists ran perpendicular to the area we needed to lower. That meant pouring new footings and installing a bearing wall in the basement to carry the weight of the floor.”

Robin congratulated Philip for his well-deserved recognition by the country’s largest remodeling industry organization.

“I cannot thank you enough for giving us this beautiful home! Your steadfast professional talent is reflected in the most fabulous outcome,” she said. “We never dreamed our home could be so perfect! Not only do we attribute it all to you, we will be forever indebted to all you have done for us to make our dream house more true.”

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The judges agreed. “Very nicely done.  The sunken bar is a great solution and opening the walls for direct views of the lake really enhance the property,” one judge wrote. “Cool idea,” another remarked. And the last offered, “I like the sunken bar to give the lake view. Looked like quite a bit of structural work was involved. Overall nice project.”

Robin’s goal was to create a welcoming, easy care entertainment space for large events and impromptu lake community visits. The practical luxury vinyl plank flooring looks like real wood but withstands lake traffic. But the bar, itself, features luxury appliances and fixture and custom tile and stone.

“With the low bar guests can sit and enjoy the lake view without the bartender blocking the scene and people in the kitchen or by the pool table can see right over the bar top,” Philip said.

Although Philip is new to entering the CotY Awards program as Wise Design & Remodel LLC, he is no novice to remodeling. He got his start remodeling homes in North London before moving to Minneapolis in 2014 and joining a larger General Contractor here. He is a preferred interior remodeling partner of exterior remodeling specialists Hoffman Weber Construction.

Continue ReadingWise Design 2018 NARI Newcomer of the Year