Fridley Custom Homes

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FRIDLEY CUSTOM HOMES EUROPEAN FARMHOUSE

Kathy Stephens

THE STYLE

We began designing this 2019 Tour Home in one of our favorite neighborhoods of Salem, Mossy Ridge. I believe this was our 9th home in this upscale subdivision and we wanted to design something that would add value to the community. The overall style was created by mixing European inspired details with traditional Craftsman design, and of course adding a hint of Modern Farmhouse flare. We partnered with some of our favorite companies Progress Lighting and Emtek to feature their products. The finished concept resulted in a charming home for the city to tour where we shared our full design and build workmanship.

From the curb, you will see just about all the components that we used throughout this design. I chose a white body color, Shiplap, and a warm trim named Sunday Stroll, both by Magnolia. I really like how the darker trim contrasts the lighter body color. To keep it warm, we added wood tones to the porch ceilings, posts, window boxes, and front door. The contrast of black metals helped give it a little bit of interest since everything else is so soft and neutral. We pulled this black metal in with our hardware and lighting.

On the front door I was looking for a black hardware that seemed simple and upscale but also functional. Emtek Emtek EMTouch Electronic Keypad Handleset from the Brass Modern Collection was the perfect fit. The lighted touchpad added an additional functionality that we are seeing many homeowners wanting in their builds. It allows you to program 20 unique user codes for guests and visitors. This set was the perfect blend of form and function.

The other important black metal accent was brought in through the lights. We chose this Large Santee Wall Lantern from Progress Lighting. It is a classic colonial wall lantern with contemporary touches. I love the candle detail inside giving that nod to the European cottage inspiration when mounted on the tumbled brick.


THE KITCHEN

The Kitchen is often one of the areas where our main design styles are most obviously merged. We bring the white walls, moody gray trim, wood accents and crisp black metal together again to create the flavor we will sprinkle throughout the interior of the home.

The biggest statement here was the large modern lights. We used the Blakely Four-Light pendants and you should have heard our electricians when they pulled them out of the box! “These are some big mamma-jammas”… I LOVE statement lighting and these were a great addition to our design goal. Progress describes them as a “fashion-forward design style,” and I would have to agree. The rectangular frame celebrates geometric interplay with clean, straight lines. The mixed metal makes it ideal for Modern and Traditional interiors.

We applied a grey washed stain on the alder island to contrast the grey perimeter cabinets. This two-tone effect was also included with the countertops. The light quartz on the island is super easy to maintain, and gives you that look of white marble without having to seal it. On the perimeter we chose a honed black granite (leathered). I love it because it’s not super smooth and has a matte finish which reminds me of organic soapstone you would find in an old European kitchen. It’s great for a kitchen with a lot of natural light and also adds contrast. For the backsplash we chose this hand tossed white/gray tile with a natural gap grout line. It’s interesting because we installed this same tile with white cabinets and it looks white! Here, it looks more gray. I love it when a product is versatile!

One other area we decided to add contrast was the pulls in the kitchen. We went with black on the perimeter and polished nickel Rejuvenation, on the island. I love that you can get a matching longer pull for the trash pull-out. The polished nickel matches our Delta plumbing fixtures.

This was our first feature of the new Café appliances and now they are some of my favorites! They come in a lot of mix and match colors which is very helpful designing a kitchen. I almost went with the matte white appliances and a brass pull for the handles, but I got nervous. At the time I thought I would doing white cabinets and I didn’t think the white appliances would pop enough. Now that I went with gray cabinets I think it would have really worked – but hindsight is 20/20, right? Even being the traditional stainless, they still have a lot of sweet features. Café’ is a new line put out by GE so they have a history of great appliances behind them. They really look like the Monogram series which is a commercial line with quite a bit higher of a price tag. This Café oven gives you this commercial look with the feet on the bottom and a large cooking area, but at a much more affordable residential price tag. We also have the matching refrigerator, with a Keurig component that you can easily slide off, fill with your cartridge, slide back on, and get your cup of coffee from your fridge! This saves space on your countertop which leaves room for pretty things to style.

***Check out Jayme’s design notebook at the end of this article to view all of the specific selections we used.

Dining Room

I like open shelving in a kitchen if you can afford the cabinet space. We could afford it here because of the built-in hutch we added in the dining space. The hutch is painted the same color as the trim and cabinets. It is the perfect traditional feature to compliment the linear Blakely 6 Light we used over the table. Traditional mixed with modern is a match made in heaven. To give you an idea of the size of the dining room, we staged it with an 8ft farmhouse table and there was plenty of room all the way around it! We found it very convenient to have an open concept dining room right off the Great Room and Kitchen.

THE LIVING SPACE

We chose to create a slight curve on the fireplace with the sleek shaker cabinet doors, mixing a straight edge with soft curves. This is called a cast stone fireplace. We met onsite to sketch the design and then they poured it in a factory. You can have cast stone poured in any shape that you can think up! I love how traditional it feels but even slightly European with the almost concrete feel. We went with the Gresham chandelier which is just a less modern take on the wagon wheel that is on trend right now. Additionally, we installed the gray crown molding which helps draw the eye up implements another subtle curve in the room. We kept the same theme that was shared for the exterior: white and gray, black for interest, and wood and terracotta tones for warmth.

Powder Bath

Off the entry way is the powder bathroom. We like to show a little bit of extra detail in the powder bath since it is a fun place your guests will almost always visit. We went with the hand tossed tile wall for the feature wall and a custom floating vanity with a white oak apron. I chose these Cordin sconces with the linen shade just to soften the light a little bit – since they are at eye level, I did not want them to be too harsh. They paired well with this slightly smaller mirror that brings in the black metal and subtle arch. In most of the bathrooms we did this wall mounted Delta faucet in brushed nickel. I really love the brushed nickel because it has a warmth to it compared to chrome.

The other mixed metal in this room is the Norwich knob and larger backplate from Emtek. I appreciate the old-world element it adds. Not all our black metal accents needed to be contemporary. I will link the Norwich knob with standard Quincy plate here. If you want the larger plate, I recommend working with your local Door Supply Company to custom order.


Master Suite

This wall of windows looks out into the backyard. We ended up pouring the patio to go past those windows, so in hindsight we could have done French doors which would be a fun addition to this plan. I wanted plenty of natural light, so we added these large windows next to the King bed. I had my sights set for a feminine but not fussy chandelier. We selected the Gulliver 5-Light. The ring is more of a wood tone and the black iron swags are just feminine enough that it gives it a soft interest.

We designed with a custom oversized barn door that is 4’x8’ which helps make the room feel even larger. I found this barndoor handle with backplate from Emtek. I love how chunky it is but also simple. My favorite part is that it doesn’t feel too much like a farm but gives you that on trend feel. The flooring is a Tuftex Carpet called Parkwest which has a waffle-weave effect with beige, tans and taupe. It provides the appearance of a high-end wool carpet and is really durable, but for an affordable price point.

On a side note, we had so many comments during the Tour about these roman shades from Wayfair. They are white but insulated with a honeycomb on the back. They block a ton of light and heat and are super easy to install! The problem with woven shades is they often are not very private, which is why I went with these ones.

Master Bathroom

In the master bathroom we added more blinds from Wayfair. In here since the windows are opaque and privacy was not an issue, we installed cordless woven shades. As far as master bath design, I really wanted it to feel open and there were a few design challenges that we ran into during the planning phase. First off, I knew I wanted a free-standing tub next to a walk-in shower. So, we went ahead and created this little arched tub nook. For interest we added the wainscoting and a barrel ceiling just to make it feel a little bit more important, but also private so you are not staring straight into the tub right as you walk into the door. For the walk-in shower next to it, I chose to use this 24×24 marble-looking porcelain tile but needed to add little interest to the floor. This fun marble mosaic was just right. We went with the Delta Tesla shower fixtures in the polished nickel again little warmer than chrome which helps it bounce well off the gray and white tile. We used the same tile on the floor as we did on the shower walls but in a matte finish.

Back to the design challenge. To keep the room balanced, we centered the windows straight across from the tub. The issue was that it made the vanities not perfectly symmetrical in size. We designed a “his” and “her side with a little extra storage on the left which made it feel intentionally balanced.

These pretty Tinsley Collection 1-Light sconces are from Progress Lighting. They are intentionally simple. We did not need a ton of added light because of the windows, just a little jewelry. We carried that into the matching chandelier over the tub. By now you see my plan to mix the straight lines of the wainscoting and then the more feminine curves of the lights. I think mixing delicate details like that really add a visual layer and keep it from being too sterile or too over the top. Again, you will see this in the vanities with the shaker doors being clean lines and then we have the scalloped feet and mirrors creating the softer curves. It is the little things that really keep a space feeling inviting.

Jack & Jill

We designed these Jack and Jill suites on the opposite side of the home from the master suite. They we incorporated the Ratio lights because of their white linen shade and black metal accents.

Each room has a door leading to the shared bathroom. All of our design elements are present providing a natural design flow. We decided to go with a hanging pendant over each sink. The pivot mirrors serve this narrow space well.

For the locking sliding door between the toilet room and sinks, we used the Emtek modern rectangular lock. We love the little gold “button” that operates the pull/lock mechanism. This is definitely a beautiful example of form & function.

Pantry, Drop Zone, Laundry

One of our favorite spots designed for this home was the desk, laundry, pantry and drop zone off the garage entry. We grounded the entire space with a natural black slate tile. It pairs nicely with the honed granite counters and stone fireplace. We incorporated some custom cubbies under the stair nook to provide a place to hang a purse or jacket. The other fun drop zone feature was a desk for setting mail and keys and organizing items that often find their way to the kitchen counter. A custom bulletin board was built into the cabinets for added organization. (Desk Light)

On either side we used a frosted pocket door with custom decals to close off the pantry and laundry areas. The laundry area has plenty of storage and folding ledge on our subway tiled wall. We used the charming wall mounted drying rack and Kohler sink to create this casual mudroom feel reminding us that hardworking spaces do not have to feel industrial. The Judson pendant was the perfect addition.

Patio

This Canvas colored cultured brick veneer by Cultured stone was used on a large part of the front of the house. I’m a huge fan of tonal texture and this complimented our Shiplap colored siding perfectly. We used it to create a backdrop for our porch swing on the patio. Combined with the Edisto canvas fans, it easily became a favorite spot for visitors during the Tour.


Jayme’s Design Notebook

Hard Finishes

  • Interior Wall Color : Shiplap (by Magnolia)

  • Interior Trim Color: Sunday Stroll (by Magnolia)

  • Cabinets: Clear Alder with Gray Wash Stain & Amazing Gray (Sherwin Williams 7044)

  • Hardwood: Olde Towne European White Oak- Ocean Mist

  • Tile: On File at Cherry City Interiors

  • Countertops: Pental Quartz Carrara & Absolute Black Leathered Granite by Bella Pietra

  • Exterior Paint: Shiplap (by Magnolia)

  • Exterior Trim: Sunday Stroll (by Magnolia)

  • Brick: Canvas Cultured Brick Veneer

Lighting

Door Hardware

  • Front Door: E4827HLOLHUS19 EMTouch Brass Keypad Entryset, Ares Style, Helios Lvr, LH, US19

  • Main Doors: Emtek Norwich Knobs w/ large Quincy backplate, 8104NWUS19 & 8204NWUS19

  • Barn Door: 8” Baden Pull with Modern Rectangular Pull Plate 86184US19 & 86437US19

  • Barn Door Rail: 8’ Modern Rectangular, Face Mount, spoked wheel with flat fastener

  • Pocket Doors: Passage, Modern Rectangular Pocket Door Mortise Lock, US19 211419 Privacy, Modern Rectangular Pocket Door Mortise Lock, US19 211519