Making Room for a Growing Family in Edina

Reclaiming Underused Square Footage 

With Elise and Brian both working from home, they were initially drawn to the property because it had an office that opened into the main living area with a ton of natural light. However, a massive brick fireplace extended from the basement to the main floor, dominating the space and taking up valuable square footage. 

While the home had three bedrooms on the main floor, one had been converted to an office. Although there was another bedroom in the basement, it wasn’t practical for one of the family’s two children to sleep downstairs. That meant reconfiguring the floor plan to add another main-floor bedroom without giving up the home office. 

The basement was largely unused because it felt separate from the rest of the home. That meant everyone in the family spent their time sharing limited space on the main floor. While the home had a converted porch, it wasn’t insulated, making it virtually unusable for much of the year. 

To address these challenges, the project needed a floor plan that let the family spend time together without feeling cramped or needing to go to the basement.

Creating a Luxurious Design

Aside from the layout issues that created bottlenecks and didn’t make full use of the space, the homeowners also wanted to upgrade the lower-quality finishes that were used when the house was flipped. 

To replace the builder-grade materials, JBDB designer Morgan Longhenry focused on higher-end materials, custom layout choices, and recognized brands. The design included: 

• A wet-room primary bathroom. Instead of a standard tub and separate stall, the bathroom was converted into a modern wet room, combining the shower and bathtub into one open, fully waterproofed space lined with Daltile wall tile.
• Solid stone backsplash. The vanity was updated with HanStone quartz countertops and paired with a full-height, solid-surface backsplash that runs all the way up the wall instead of stopping at a standard four-inch lip.
• Coordinated plumbing fixtures. All new Kohler components were installed, including the toilet, sinks, faucets, bathtub, and showerheads with trim.
• Custom water controls. Added digital shower controls that let the homeowners adjust the precise temperature and water pressure they wanted.
• Designer accent lighting. Generic light fixtures were replaced with statement pieces from lighting brands Mitzi, Visual Comfort, and Crystorama.
• Custom architectural additions. A dedicated reading nook featuring a large picture window was built in, bringing in natural light and adding functional character that the original flip lacked.

To prevent decision fatigue with so many new selections, Morgan helped the homeowners narrow down materials and finishes that aligned with their style throughout the process.

Addressing Structural Issues Mid-Project

The original plan focused on maximizing the space while staying within budget. But once the walls came down, the team found several problems left behind by the previous flip. The old brick fireplace was hiding issues on both levels, including damaged framing, uneven joists, and missing insulation.

“As a company, we couldn’t just turn a blind eye to those problems,” said Morgan Longhenry, the project’s lead designer. “The old brick fireplace running through the basement and main level was a major challenge due to beams, joists, and insulation all over the place.”

By handling unexpected structural repairs and interior design at the same time, JBDB kept the project organized, on budget, and completed in just four and a half months.

Increasing Energy Efficiency

One of Elise and Brian’s big requests was to try and make the home more energy-efficient by installing these features:

• A heat pump
• New smart electric panel
• Duct sealing
• Digital controls in the shower to better control water usage

The JBDB team was excited about implementing these ideas, working with the subs to ensure they had the resources and information to implement them successfully.