The challenge: Update, brighten and warm up a cold, dark-paneled great room in a 1960s rambler in Mendota Heights. "The great room had great potential," said homeowner Rose Agnew. "Plus it had a 'Mad Men' bar."

The design team: Architects Sylvia Frank and Peter Carlsen, Carlsen & Frank Architects, St. Paul, 651-227-4576, www.carlsenfrank.com.

The solution: The new design updated several key aesthetic elements: Cold-on-the-feet beige ceramic tile floors were replaced with unstained white oak hardwood, and dark-paneled walls with cream-painted drywall. All the dark-stained wood trim was painted off-white. To preserve some of the room's midcentury character, Frank kept the mosaic stone tile fireplace, as well as the vaulted-ceiling paneling, which was a medium-stained pine. "It was nice wood, and it wasn't oppressive," she said. "It provided a nice contrast to the lighter-colored walls."

"Mad Men" bar: Frank kept the bar nook for its cool retro vibe. But she brought it into the 21st century by removing the heavy wood shelves and adding a black granite countertop. The dark wall paneling was replaced with mocha-painted drywall. The bar has a cabinet, sink and mini refrigerator. "It works great for entertaining," said Agnew.

Fireplace color palette: The original brick-and-stone fireplace was placed at an "eccentric angle," said Frank. "After we removed the wall paneling, the room seemed lighter and simpler, and the fireplace could become a period accent." She used the multicolored mosaic stone surround to set the color scheme for the walls and finishes in the great room and other remodeled areas of the home.

Great dining: Agnew decided to turn the space into a gathering and dining area, which is off the newly remodeled kitchen.

BEFORE: The dark-paneled great room.

"This great room and kitchen function successfully together as spaces for entertaining, each flowing into the other," said Frank. "When remodeling, it's important to think about the whole and how the kitchen relates to adjacent spaces."

The result: "Now it's a bright and inviting social room," said Agnew. "It's the centerpiece of the home."

Lynn Underwood • 612-673-7619