Minneapolis & St. Paul Home Tour: A Cities-wide welcome mat

The moment he stepped into the 1983 Minneapolis condo, Mumtaz Anwar knew he wanted to live there. Windows offered views of the sunrise, the sunset and flooded the place with light in between. The concrete floors appealed to his post-industrial aesthetic. And he loved the unusual angles in the space. "The room was dynamic. It's not a box," he said.

Anwar, who trained as an architect and interior designer, renovated the condo to play up those angles. He designed cabinets along one living-room wall that taper to a near point, as well as a triangular table that echoes those lines.

But he also made the 975-square-foot space function efficiently. The living room features what looks like an armoire, but actually is a Murphy bed for guests. And, because he didn't want his home to be without a fireplace, there's a built-in heater concealed in the cabinetry. (The flip of a switch turns on a hologram with flickering flames.)

He also removed the 7-foot drop ceiling, which added another foot to the ceiling height and, in a nod to the post-industrial look, exposed the ductwork. Then, he removed the half-wall separating the kitchen from the living room and redid the kitchen using reclaimed materials.

It wasn't until Anwar was nearly done with the remodeling that he realized he had no place to work. So, at the 11th hour, he tore out the closet and pushed back the bedroom wall to create a small intermediate space for his computer and accessories.

While that cut into the bedroom, Anwar kept the smaller space clutter-free by adding underbed storage and in-closet shelving. For another unique touch, he designed a sliding bedroom door, also made of reclaimed materials, that doubles as a translucent sculpture. Even when closed, it allows for privacy but lets in the light he so loves.

When Kevin and Cheryl Kuenster and their three daughters needed more space in their 1940s Colonial, they found it in their own St. Paul back yard.

The new kitchen boasts a pass-through to the family room and a center island that not only functions as a work counter but also serves as a focal point. A partial wall of custom cabinetry separates the family room from the dining area and cabinets also house the entertainment center in the family room, built where a cramped three-season porch once stood.

In a nook behind the dining area, the family's command central has a washer/dryer, hooks and cubbies for their girls' coats, backpacks and gloves, and a workstation. Though not a glamorous area, Cheryl confesses it's one of her favorite rooms because it works so well.

Upstairs, the Kuensters added a master bedroom, but to cut costs, they chose not to add a full bathroom. Still, they designed a half-bath with double sinks and vintage detailing.

The Kuensters said they love the classic yet comfortable feel they've achieved. "We like it that we don't have to pamper the house," says Kevin. "We can just live in it."

Karl and Liz Brophey loved their location, location, location near Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis. But their 1948 home was marred by a series of additions by previous owners that gave it a patchwork feel. Worse, the tiny kitchen was wedged behind the dining room and the upper level was little more than a storage area .

The former kitchen became a butler's pantry and they installed a new kitchen with easy-to-clean features said Liz, who used to clean houses for a living. The Cambria countertops don't show spots, the ceramic floor tile "can't stain or scuff" and the peach-colored walls don't show grease.

In their remodeling, the Bropheys defied some conventional kitchen wisdom. The southwest corner is all windows, which ruled out an appliance triangle. And they decided against the ever popular center island. "There's no way we could have 20 loud, rowdy girls in here with a center island," said Liz, a member of the Northstar Roller Girls.

By reconfiguring the space upstairs and adding a dormer, they turned one closet-sized bedroom into an airy master suite. In the bathroom, which became part of the suite, they swapped a square bathtub for an open shower. They also carved out an office/exercise area for Karl.

As a finishing touch, they had the house re-stuccoed in an olive green. The renovation, which took them about three years to complete, was done in phases to allow them some breathing room. "We could have finished it in half the time if we hadn't taken breaks," joked Liz, "but we wanted to both emerge in one piece."