A new, extended light fixture and table draw the eye to length of the area and emphasizes the windows. It also provides a great transition from the dining area to the living room. Photos: Spacecrafting
New trend has homeowners opting for contemporary remodels instead of teardowns.
Driving around Edina, one would find signs in front of ramblers and two-story walk ups, noting a home is for sale and a great candidate for a teardown. However, what if those homes could be saved from the bulldozer? Local designer Kelly Vickers of Zimmer Design says there is beauty in an existing footprint.
“Edina is so full of these types of homes. We all live in ramblers or two-story walk ups,” Vickers says. “There’s so much potential in them if you honor the age of the home. You can contemporize and make it look a little more this generation but pay homage to the genre it was.”
Classic Rambler
One such rambler is the home of Abby and Ryan Metzler. Their 1969 home in West Edina was exactly what they were looking for.
“We liked the one level of living and trying to find a place that has three bedrooms on the main level,” Ryan says. He adds not having to tote laundry and young children up and down a flight of stairs makes life much easier. “It was the house style we both grew up in and are familiar with,” he says.
Even though the home was familiar and convenient to their family, the decor was stuck in decades past. “We like the midcentury modern style,” Abby says. “We were excited to keep the layout. We needed some help in what to do with this big, open space in the living room area, dining room area and entryway.”
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They reached out to Vickers, who begins every project by sitting down with her clients and asking what they want in their home. She also inquires about their jobs, hobbies, hopes and dreams. “That’s how I hone people,” she says. “I want to know how they want to live in it. I want it to be personal and comfortable.”
“She’s actually able to take our input and find the pieces and create a look around it that works,” Ryan says.
The Living Room
The Metzlers wishlist included more overhead lighting in their living room and a wood paneled ceiling.
“We always liked the midcentury modern style, and a lot of homes had wood on the ceiling,” Abby says. “Ours didn’t, but we thought, ‘Would it make sense to bring that into the house?’ [Vickers] was very on board and was able to come up with a plan to incorporate it.”
Vickers’ plan included a very unique ceiling created out of custom millwork and a bespoke black stain with lighting. “A black ceiling was risky, but they get so much natural light,” Vickers says.
The Metzlers adore it. “We would not have done it on our own without her confirming that it was a reasonable plan.”
Vickers also added built-in shelving in a rich green hue. The end result is a room with texture and meaning.
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The Entryway
Meaning permeates the home’s entryway. There is also a beautiful art print from a Finnish design house, Marimekko, adorning the original brick fireplace. “My dad’s side is from Finland originally,” Abby says. “I was excited with the idea of using Marimekko design, a Finnish design, in the space … I was happy we could honor that.”
The entryway of the rambler was a unique challenge. Upon opening the door, guests were greeted by a half metal, half drywall staircase that leads to the basement level. Vickers replaced it with a chic, horizontal, matte black metal railing.
“We never even considered knocking those down and replacing them with wrought iron railing,” Ryan says. “That has really changed the feel of the entryway area, and it feels a lot more modern and gives it a cohesive vibe with the rest of the space. It brings some of the dark elements from the ceiling and uses that in the railing and the furniture and brings it together in those ways.”
Achievable Elegance
Small tweaks and adjustments elegantly elevated the Metzler home.
“It just fits the house and the space. It all works nicely together,” Abby says. “We really appreciate honoring the 1960s time period and that style. We are very happy that we were able to use the existing space. With a few changes, we were able to make it work for a modern lifestyle. We couldn’t have done it on our own. Kelly is particularly good with ramblers in Edina. She can walk into a space and make it exactly what it needs to be in a way that adds character that wouldn’t be there in a new build.”
Vickers is adamant that to achieve an elevated look, all one needs is a few simple changes. “You don’t have to spend $300,000 to get your house elevated. It is going to take some money … under $100,000 … but there are ways you can come at it. A few tweaks here, a few additions that can transform your house and can make it feel like it always belonged but also new,” she says. “I want people to say, ‘Hey, let’s rethink how we tackle these houses. We don’t have to tear them all down.’”
Zimmer Design
612.470.5660
Instagram: @zimmrdesign
