Lakefront All-In-One

Finished Basement Co., Saint Louis Park, Minn.

In a nutshell: The lakefront property had a dark, unfinished basement. The clients dreamed of a space that would blend modern and rustic materials and feel integrated with the outdoors. They didn’t want to worry about the effects of sand and lake water, so durable materials were a must. The design needed to include a bedroom, exercise room, family room, bar, and storage space. And the homeowners added a special request: floor space for their sons to play indoor knee hockey. 

Solutions: The transition from outside to indoors occurs via a brightly lit mudroom set next to large sliding glass doors. The room features two changing-room–style spaces, each with seating and storage above and below for lake toys and hockey equipment. Full-height cabinets with benches curve inward in a hexagonal-shape, so that seating generally faces the lake. A half-wall provides separation without blocking views from the exercise room.

Remodelers used repurposed barn wood for the ceiling beams in the new family room’s modern kitchen, which is finished with subway tile, Craftsman-style cabinets, a beadboard ceiling, and dramatic light fixtures. Two hefty barn doors allow for wide openings and act as moving walls, providing varying levels of connectivity between the spaces as needed. 

To avoid disturbing the in-floor heat in the basement’s concrete slab, the remodeler opted to locate the wet bar near existing plumbing tie-ins. For added flexibility, the team built a moveable bar island set on casters that can easily roll to wherever it’s needed, functioning as a serving area for large gatherings. 

The mudroom floor, meanwhile, works as a great indoor knee-hockey rink. 

See the full list of winning entries here.