Kitchen Islands: Heart of the Modern Home

A home's design reflects that family's lifestyle. Few floor plans have risen to prominence as much as the island-anchored, open concept kitchen. Most of us know the virtues of open concept homes; they’re bright, welcoming, and visually appealing.

Flowing floor plans offer a lived-in vibe. Instead of formal, one-purpose rooms, these homes have a cohesive family-friendly feel. Each space is designed to multi-task and accommodate the different rhythms of everyday life.

Centerpiece kitchen islands have been popular for a while now, but lately, they’ve become bigger and better! Islands have evolved to include everything from entertaining areas, minibars, prep stations, eat-in tables, and so much more.

Recently, the double kitchen island has also become incredibly popular with our clients. This trend allows for hosting with elegance and ease; one island is the workhorse, while the other remains clutter-free for guests!

Islands are a gathering place. They're the kitchen MVP of weekend pancakes, holiday gatherings, late-night study sessions, weekday snack time, work-from-home conference calls, family baking parties, and so much more. We’ve pulled together a few of our favorite kitchen islands below – take a peek!

white farmhouse kitchen Edina mn

Creating a Bedroom Oasis

The bedroom is a sacred space. Perhaps the most intimate room in any home, bedrooms are private and personal. They're where you get away from the rest of the world, a cozy sanctuary and warm safe-haven. Besides being the spot where you rest your head each night, the bedroom is where deep family bonds are forged and lasting memories are made. Bedrooms are a place to steal away and gather your thoughts, comfort little ones during bad storms, whisper pillow talk into your partner's ear, and lazily snuggle together on Saturday mornings.

Your bedroom should make you feel comfortable, safe, and at ease. A place of peace, it's where you can let go of stress and unplug from responsibilities for a little while. The worries and to-do list may overtake your day, but if only briefly each morning and evening, your bedroom should be a secluded oasis. We take great joy in collaborating with our clients to create each of their calming bedroom retreats. Browse through the photos below of a few standout client bedrooms we love, hopefully they'll inspire to start planning your own hidden bedroom refuge.

Oaklawn Bedroom

Building Process: All REFINED Homes Include

We feature a lot of beautifully finished client homes on this blog, but today we thought we'd go in a different direction and zoom in on our building process.

At REFINED, we create custom homes in Edina and the surrounding area. Together, our team has partnered with over 100 families to design their ideal homes.

When collaborating with clients, we work to keep our process simple, worry-free, and tailored around their wants and needs.

However, there are a handful of elements and services that all of our REFINED homes include. Read about these six features below!

Full Architecture Service
Each REFINED custom home includes complete architecture design services. Creating a custom home is all about the details, and our job is to fine-tune every structure and space to your lifestyle.

Full Interior Design Service
Besides planning the layout and finishes of your home, our process also entails full interior design services. An entire home should feel harmonious, which is why we think interior design is essential.

Complete Landscaping Package
Families don't only live inside their homes, especially in a state like Minnesota where the weather can be so perfect throughout the year. We offer a complete landscaping package so our clients can enjoy the great outdoors in style!

Construction Financing for the Entire Project
Financing a new home can be stressful and confusing for anyone. We want the building process to be memorable and fun for our clients, which is why we take this concern off their plates.

Highest-Quality Building Materials
At REFINED, we pride ourselves on using only the finest, high-quality building materials and finishes. Our homes need to stand the test of time, so we hold ourselves and our partners to rigorous standards.

Smarthome Technology/Security System
Lastly, each of our homes includes the latest in smart home technology and security systems. Incorporating technology into home design is far more than a trend, it's the future of our industry.

Real Home Feature: Fresh and Modern Family Home

It might be our favorite feeling: a freshly finished home just waiting for a family to move in and fill it with their memories. Our team recently completed this beautiful 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom Edina home. Modern, clean, and classic, each space in this lovely house is airy and bathed in natural light.

If we could choose one word to describe this home, it would be sophisticated. Each room is carefully calibrated, creating an elegant balance between current trends and timeless taste. Even the color palette throughout is neutral and minimal, made up of crisp white, cream, grey, black, and light wood tones.

We can't wait to see what this home looks like once this family furnishes it with their prized possessions! Until then, scroll below to see more photos of our favorite design elements, cozy corners, and sun-soaked spaces.