Moving is hard, and making a new house feel like home can take some work. With the help of local designer Amy Leferink of Interior Impressions, one Woodbury family was able to bring the charm of their southern roots to their Powers Lake home.
When Shannon and Mark Keesling were relocated to the Twin Cities from North Carolina three years ago, they had one weekend to find a home. “Mark didn’t even see it before we bought it,” Shannon says. “We had to make a quick decision.” Shannon found a beautiful 5,100 square foot home with five bedrooms in the Powers Lake neighborhood. The home was full of the classic warm and golden tones of oak woodwork and paint typical in homes built here in the 1990s; however, it did not fit the airy coastal aesthetic they were used to in homes in the south.
So with an intention to do some remodeling, the couple began to look into their options. “We’d done a renovation but never used a designer,” says Mark, who remembers feeling some sticker shock when pricing remodeling costs here compared to their experience in North Carolina. “We went to the Artisan Home tour and the Parade of Homes tour and we kept picking up Amy’s card,” Shannon says. “Little did we know she was right down the road.”
Designer Leferink helped the couple refine their ideas about a remodel within their budget, resulting in a completely new look for their main floor, almost as if it could have been a gut remodel. “They love the ocean, beach and nautical, so we brought touches of that in throughout the house to give them a reminder of home,” Leferink says. “There’s something about it that makes you feel instantly relaxed.”
This project had its share of challenges, including unexpected repairs that took more of the budget, including a dishwasher leak requiring a new wood floor. “Amy really helped to allocate and prioritize what we did and didn’t like. And looking at things for resale value, having her expertise was huge,” Mark says. Decisions such as keeping the kitchen cabinets and master tub saved money in their budget.
“I liked their furniture and they liked their furniture, so my idea was just to play up what they had,” Leferink says. “Accessories and color and fabrics and things that would make it all look and feel new. That’s something I strive to do with my business—to take a really affordable approach. Everything is very personalized and we work with individuals. We are not imposing a style on anybody; we are helping bring their style to life.”
With new paint on the walls, woodwork, kitchen cabinets and built-ins, the space began to set the scene for the beachy southern charm the couple love. The fresh white trim and neutral gray walls are accented with ocean blue, as well as pops of colors such as coral pink, green and yellow.
“The paint was dramatically impactful; I also wanted the home to have a little bit of that southern charm, and they were comfortable with it being slightly feminine, so we had fun with wallpaper in the dining room and powder room, and I felt like that brought so much personality to the house,” Leferink says. “This is a fun family. They love to laugh, they are happy people and I feel like it reflects them. Colorful, cheerful, light, bright and happy.”
In addition to freshly painted cabinets, the kitchen got new Cambria counters, tile backsplash, a new gas range and updated light fixtures. “I really love the pendant lights,” Mark says, which are a series of glass globes. The kitchen features a smaller crystal chandelier, giving the sophisticated casual space a pop of glamour. They also replaced the outdated ceiling fans and all recessed can lights that had yellowed.
The fireplace got a facelift with new tile, and the surrounding built-in cabinet shelving was reconfigured, also adding a dry bar on one side and new countertops to match the kitchen, thanks to local carpenter Woodworking by Chuck.
The main floor owner’s suite of the home was also remodeled, and the master bath was partially gutted and updated with a new vanity, counters, tile and glass shower. The Keeslings also remodeled the main floor powder room with a fun geometric wallpaper, new vanity and light fixtures. “Our daughter likes our powder room; she [said], ‘Oh my gosh, that’s our powder room!?’” Shannon says. Leferink agrees. “I love that bathroom. It’s blingy and glitzy, and I was living vicariously through Shannon with that one.”
Some of the nautical accessories in the home include a seahorse, coral and driftwood, which are carefully placed throughout the living spaces to give the beach feel without feeling overly nautical. “If I can’t live at the beach, I have to bring the beach to me,” Shannon says. And there’s even a “welcome y’all” sign over the den fireplace as an added reminder of home.
(Photo courtesy of Interior Impressions)
Highlights of the Keesling’s remodel include ocean blue dining room chairs, a crystal chandelier in the master bathroom, fresh pops of gray throughout the home, a sign with Southern hospitality in the den, and unique, colorul accents.
