Photos by Andrea Rugg
When you first walked into this 1988 lakefront home in Wayzata and found only kitschy green walls, honey oak cabinets and a dark, closed-off design, some might have just turned around and never looked back. But Chad and Kate Ormberg saw only potential. “We wanted to be (closer) to the lake and found this house that wasn’t on the market,” Chad says. The previous owners had “color schemes that were green, blue, yellow… all these different colors everywhere, (but) I knew this thing had the potential to look sweet,” he recalls with a laugh.
But making that vision a reality wasn’t easy. As a family with children, the Ormbergs were looking for a space that would work for them and their children. They soon realized that doing so would require a major renovation of the main and upper floors to update both the functionality and aesthetics of the spaces while showcasing the lake views. As it happened, Chad knew Boyer Building Corp. through one of his best friends, who happened to be the son of company owner (and designer of this project) John Boyer. “The spaces were really cramped,” explains Tim Forsberg, new construction and remodeling sales specialist at Boyer Building Corp. “There were no features the owners wanted to keep (from the original design).” Instead, they stripped the house down to its foundations, leaving only the basement untouched.
And so the remodeling process began – the house was gutted, stripped down and demolished down to the beams. Chad says, “When they gutted the entire main floor, I was really excited because I saw everything opening up. I thought, ‘This is going to be amazing.'” As for the interiors, the couple wanted a bright, fresh look, including white oak floors, light wood tones and earthy materials. “They wanted a clean, not too modern look,” says Natalie Talley, principal designer at Talley Jane Interiors.
There were countless structural elements to consider when remodeling the main level, and the design-build team even decided to redesign the entire kitchen. “(The house) is on a hill, so Chad and Kate wanted to have a large door to access the patio and overlook the lake area,” explains Forsberg. The 12-foot Marvin Ultimate sliding door, which Chad called a “money shot,” instantly transformed the space by allowing for water views and letting in tons of natural light. “Integrating that indoor-outdoor (connection) allowed them to experience a lakeside lifestyle while still having a functional, modern and fresh home to thrive in,” says Talley.
The focal point of the kitchen is a custom natural white oak island, complemented by quartz countertops and custom Riverstone cabinetry. Forsberg notes that “changing the kitchen space made a huge difference for entertaining and the overall view.” But the nearby sunken living room also needed updating, so the Boyer team remodeled it to ensure continuity with the main living spaces. The fireplace – adorned with a natural stone veneer from Fond du Lac – is a standout element of the space, instantly drawing attention and contributing to the natural look found throughout.
The bright, fresh aesthetic continues in the foyer, which features 17-foot ceilings and a paneled accent wall. “When you walk in (through the front door), the accent wall around the stairs and the beams on the ceiling dramatically change the look of the home,” says Forsberg. “That wall gave the home the flair it needed.” At the top of the stairs, the team created a dedicated play area for the kids. “We wanted to create a safe place for them to hang out when the parents are upstairs,” notes Talley. Keeping kid-friendly elements in mind, she also used durable fabrics, furniture and carpets throughout the home.
Perhaps the most shocking remodel, however, was that of the master suite. “They had to do a lot of work…running sewer lines and plumbing,” Chad recalls. “If you saw (the room) before, you saw this huge, ugly hot tub and green walls.” So when the design team renovated the room, they added a new double vanity, a walk-in shower and a freestanding tub. To brighten the space, every surface was decorated with a palette of different shades of white.
During the five-month process, the family visited the site every weekend. “We saw (the progress) piece by piece. I was so excited every week to see what they were working on, but when you see it all together, it’s better than you see it in one rendering,” Kate says. And while the journey was marked by many twists and turns, it resulted in a stunning realization of the family’s vision – one that unfolded gracefully, piece by piece.
