Sure, Dan Ordway had the kitchen and master bathroom in his dated Dellwood home completely remodeled. But what he loves most is the custom-built wet bar made of distressed wood with vintage-style glass cabinets off the kitchen.

"I wanted it to look like it was a part of the house the whole time," he said. "I think they nailed it."

Ordway's extensively remodeled 1950s home is among 10 residences on the Midwest Home Luxury Remodeling Tour, Aug. 13-14 and Aug. 20-21.

The upscale home improvements featured on the tour have budgets of $150,000 and up, and include whole-house renovations, back-of-the-home additions and gourmet kitchens. There's even a $700,000 extreme home makeover at a 1940s Orono lake place.

Big-buck projects such as those on the tour are gaining momentum, said Peter Hagstrom, owner of Hagstrom Builder, which was responsible for the Ordway home makeover. More homeowners are moving ahead on spendy projects because of the stronger economy and increased consumer confidence.

"They want every space in an older home refreshed, not just one or two rooms," he said.

While that provides plenty of eye candy for tourgoers, there also are examples of budget-friendly solutions, even in Ordway's home. Instead of putting in a new fireplace, the ho-hum stone surround was updated with textural black tile, giving it a more modern look.

"I insisted on keeping the old wood-burning fireplace," said Ordway. "It's been great in the winter."

Highlights from the Ordway home

The starting point: Dan Ordway wanted to stay in the Dellwood area, where he grew up, so he snapped up the 1950s French Chateau-style home in 2015. "The bones were great and it had a nice layout," he said. "But it really needed some updating."

The design team: Peter Hagstrom and Jill Vosberg, Hagstrom Builder; and interior designer Greg Walsh, Martin Patrick3.

Masterful makeover: The reconfigured navy-blue master bathroom created space for a bigger tiled shower and double sink vanity. A moisture-proof window inside the shower is covered with tempered film to let in light. Ordway chose unique horizontal stone tile inspired by a bathroom he saw on Houzz.com.

Walk on wood: The main-floor spaces were covered with various kinds of flooring including tile, brick and stone. Walsh put in dark-stained hardwood floors to create a cohesive flow.

Kitchen refresher: The space had been recently remodeled, so all that was needed was new accents, including polished nickel hardware, granite on the island, Caesarstone countertops and a farm-style sink.

Final flourish: Ordway replaced the warped plywood doors with five-paneled doors made of alder and stained a rich dark mocha. "They really fit the French chateau look," he said.

Lynn Underwood • 612-673-7619

@LyUnderwood