Tessa Terrace Transformation

[ Beth Kemmer CKD, CLC - Wood Specialists ]

Story by Tracy Nicholson 
Photography by Dan Francis Photography

When Kristin and Matt Nelsen purchased their house in Moorhead's Tessa Terrace neighborhood, they needed an expert to help them reconfigure the space, capture the view and give their busy family of six, room to grow. With National Kitchen & Bath month upon us, there's no better time to feature this stunning remodel with Certified Kitchen & Lighting Designer, Beth Kemmer, of Wood Specialists in Fargo. ​

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Assessing Space & Style

Built in 2008, the Nelsen's Moorhead home was beautiful from the beginning, but they knew it needed a few functional updates to suit their family. The original kitchen was closed-in with dark cabinets and black countertops, but the bigger issue was a lack of storage, lighting, seating and natural light. 

With four kids, they quickly noticed a lack of usable storage and they needed to adjust the heights of the appliances. Kristin has a history of back issues and her husband, Matt, is six-foot-seven, so crouching over to reach conventional appliances was not ideal. About a month before they closed on the house, the Nelsens reached out to Kemmer to assess their new home and their list of needs. ​

Reconfigure & Renew

Working with Kemmer meant working with a Certified Kitchen and Lighting Designer, so each element could be planned, organized and executed. A look at the floor plans show the prior layout, then the transformed space where they worked to completely flip-flop the original space and reinvent adjoining rooms. The team, consisting of Kemmer, contractor, Randy Iwerks and Monica Hart Interior Design, began demo last July and completed the renovation in November of 2018. The bulk of the work would extend from the entry, to the formal living and dining room, kitchen, pantry, powder room and family room. 

An Expert Overhaul 

Before they closed on the house, the Nelsens knew Kemmer was the right expert for their kitchen overhaul. They had worked with the kitchen and lighting designer on many projects, from their prior home to their lake home. This project would allow them to keep the same footprint, but reinvent the way the space was used. "I've been a kitchen designer since 2001 and I worked in lighting design for over 16 years before that. I believe this is one of the biggest kitchens I've worked on," said Kemmer. "There was a lot of open space in this kitchen, so we had to find really good ways to use it." 

"It was really nice that Beth has worked on the lighting side as well - she was very conscientious of where lights, under cabinet lighting, and switches should be," said Kristin Nelsen. ​

Kitchen Envy

One of the major reasons the Nelsens chose this house, was the beautiful, established yard and river view. Reconfiguring the walls and adding windows on the sink side created a major focal point which flooded the space with natural light - it also allowed them to keep a closer eye on their kids when playing outside. 

The Nelsen's new, bright and airy space features Alabaster cabinetry, glass tile, a custom range hood, and sleek, polished nickel elements. Upper glass cabinetry with vintage-style latches feature half spindle details and plenty of room for lighted display. The farmhouse sink is from the 1897 Shaws England line of fireclay and required a custom fit since each one arrives with unique specs. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Smart Solutions

Taking into account the family's organizational needs and height, Kemmer made sure to include a raised dishwasher and plenty of hidden storage tucked into cabinetry. The Nelsen's home has hidden organizers for spices, knives, hanging dish towels, pull-out corner storage, and even bi-fold appliance garages. "Beth really took into account the ergonomics of the space. We talked a lot about things like when I pull something out of the oven, where I would set it. The kitchen is the hub of your house, and to be able to have so much space is so nice," said Kristin Nelsen. 

Within the wall of cabinetry, Kemmer has even hidden a 30" freezer and 36" fridge within custom wood panels. "One of my favorite things about designing kitchens is getting to work with clients and finding creative solutions to their problems. Designing a good kitchen is like putting a puzzle together. You have to put the pieces together, it all has to work, and it has to look great," explained Kemmer. 

#islandgoals

While the original kitchen had a large island, it lacked seating. The new design allowed for a 14-and-a-half-foot, Gravel Grey island with a prep sink, toe kicks, and storage all around. Although the Nelsen family once preferred dining at a traditional table, they now love dining at the island, and save the formal table for overflow or holidays. 

Nelsen and Kemmer worked together to choose the Cambria countertops which were inspired by fabric from the chairs in the family room. "For Kristin, blue and yellow were a must. The countertop doesn't seem like it has any blue or blue-grey in it, until we laid it all together with the fabric, and then we really saw it. There's a little bit of glam in it - not too overdone, just the right amount of sparkle," said Kemmer. To create a timeless look, the Nelsens chose a fresh color palette, artwork, lighting and finishes that could transition into the adjoining rooms. Near the pantry, they proudly display a commissioned piece by artist Stephanie Astrup, which includes a bible verse, sheet music, and personal sentiments hidden within.

A Recipe for Success 

Kemmer and Nelsen made perfect use of the bonus corner by adding in another bi-fold appliance garage and creating cabinetry catered to baking supplies. A double oven is raised to a more manageable height with help from lower cabinetry storage.

Pantry + Mom's Den 
​

While the old, smaller pantry is now a closet near the entry, the new pantry and "Mom Den" was created by adding walls and a pocket door. Inside is an organizer's dream, expertly measured by Kemmer to accommodate various containers, bins and appliances. The Barnwood stained maple cabinetry makes use of every inch, extending all the way up to the nine-foot ceiling and crown molding. At the entrance, Kristin Nelsen has her own desk space and media station, with room to file paperwork, pay bills and display a few fun items of sentiment without cluttering up the main living area. ​

Redesigned for Family

When the Nelsen's moved in, this family room had beautiful, beamed ceiling details, but was completely walled off. Opening up the space served to unify the rooms, giving this communal room a more comfortable sunroom feel. To update the fireplace, the family worked with Kemmer to create custom built-ins and redesign the fireplace finishes. ​

Formal + Functional

On the opposite side of the kitchen, is the new, formal dining room and sitting room which took a collaboration between Iwerks, Kemmer and Monica Hart Interior Design. "Working with Kristin on this remodel project was such a joy," said Hart. "While I assisted on the selections and interior design for much of the home's remodel, one of my favorite rooms was the multifunctional formal sitting/dining room. The oversized room didn't seem to know its purpose, so we planned for it to be a dining room and a sitting room. However, we did things a little backwards - we chose their beautiful, custom furniture, mixing multiple fabrics, before we did the remodel. The furniture became our inspiration!"

For easy kitchen access, the team had to alter the floor plan and take out the kitchen's pizza oven that was protruding into the space. As a new addition to this room, Kemmer helped design a custom, built-in hutch with space for delicate display, accented by jewelry-inspired knobs. "To define the dining area, we added a gorgeous crystal chandelier. That chandelier, along with plenty of can lights and large windows, make those dark colors feel dramatic and inviting," said Hart. 

"We chose a navy, patterned wallcovering when we saw the furniture in place. When it came time to choose the carpet, we looked at the furniture and the sample of wallcovering and concluded that our only choice was the color navy. It wasn't a typical choice, but it certainly was the right one. I love that Kristin isn't afraid of color, mixing fabrics or worried about doing things that are 'safe'." 

• Monica Hart, Monica Hart Interior Design ​

Monica Hart

Powder Room Pretty

Originally, the Nelsen's half bath was located directly in the kitchen. Instead of a costly move, Kemmer devised a plan to make the kitchen side wall longer, giving the half bath some much needed privacy. Hart worked on choosing finishes such as a new vanity, flooring, lighting, and a beautiful, custom wall covering. 

"We built our home prior to this, so I wanted to make this house our own, giving the main floor a more open feeling. Before the remodel, each room was disconnected, and now it all flows together perfectly. You wouldn't even think it was the same house," said Kristin Nelsen. 

Find the Finishes: 

• Kitchen, lighting & cabinetry design - Beth Kemmer, Wood Specialists 
• Interior Design - Monica Hart Interior Design 
• Contractor - Randy Iwerks, R.J.I. Contracting
• Tile & flooring - Floor to Ceiling Carpet One 
• Lighting - Valley Lights
• Appliances -  Rigel's Appliance 
• Wallcovering (living room & powder room) - Monica Hart Interior Design
• Formal dining table/Windsor chairs & artwork - SCHEELS Home & Hardware 
• Upholstered furniture - Hom Furniture
• Artwork  - Stephanie Astrup

For more information, contact: 

Wood Specialists Inc.

• Beth Kemmer CKD, CLC
• 701.281.2427
• 3221 4th Avenue South, Fargo
• beth@woodspecialistsinc.com

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