New and improved in the city

The house: A 1926 colonial in Minneapolis' Willard Hay neighborhood.

The owner: Blake Zochert.

Hard to pass up: Handsome woodwork, hardwood floors and "an open floor plan [from] before they were in" are some of the reasons Zochert bought the charmer in 2006.

The mission: In 2011, the fierce north Minneapolis tornado caused the home's entire roof "to pop off like a pop can," said Zochert. Heavy rain soaked the interiors, including all the cosmetic fixes he had done over previous years. He had no choice but to gut the house and save whatever he could before rebuilding. The damage didn't dampen his desire to stay in the neighborhood. "I'm two blocks from Theodore Wirth Park, where I can play golf or bike," he said. "And I can go three miles downtown and watch a Twins game."

Green-minded: Zochert's homeowners' insurance paid for part of the reconstruction but he also invested additional money to add energy-saving features, such as spray-foam insulation, new plumbing, electrical and windows. He was able to save and re-use the oak floors, wood trim and a built-in dining-room buffet. A smart decision was installing in-floor heat on both floors, he said. "Your feet are comfortable, and my heat bills have been insanely low."

Kitchen revision: To gain space, Zochert removed an eating nook and inserted a more efficient layout in the tiny 1920s kitchen. It's updated with a farmhouse sink, granite countertops, dark merlot-stained cabinets, marble mosaic backsplash and period-reproduction chandelier. "The kitchen is still off by itself — but I like it that way," he said.

Dining-room drama: For an Arts and Crafts flavor, Zochert put in a coffered oak ceiling accented with mirrors that match the original oak buffet.

Biggest splurge: His high-tech house-automation system. "I can turn on lights and unlock doors with my cellphone," he said.

Jack of all trades: Zochert, who owns a remodeling business, has rehabbed several homes featured on past tours. In his own home, he did the demolition, wood refinishing, painting and acted as the general contractor for the massive project, which took four years to complete. At the tour, Zochert will share his tips and advice. "My home pretty much has something for everyone," he said.

The house: A two-bedroom unit in the Schmidt Artists Lofts in the West 7th neighborhood of St. Paul.

The resident: Matthew Rucker.

Brew and bottle: Rucker's loft and 260 other rental apartments and townhouses were recently carved out of the former Schmidt brewhouse and bottling house, a West End landmark. Artists such as Rucker, who is a painter, use the spaces as their studios, offices and homes. Many of the studios and galleries also will be open for the St. Paul Art Crawl held the same weekend as the home tour.

Modern airy kitchen: The main-floor ceilings are 22 feet high, and two transom windows were strategically placed in a bedroom wall. "I love being high up and looking down to the kitchen from the master bedroom," he said.

Warm energy: At first the high-ceilinged industrial space felt a little cold and echo-y, said Rucker. After hanging some of his paintings and living there for a while, "the energy is flowing, and it feels more homey."

The house: A 1915 Arts and Crafts-style bungalow in St. Paul's West Side neighborhood.

The owners: Jeff Conrod and Sarah Wovcha and their three children.

The mission: In 2005, the couple found an older home with Old World box-beam ceilings and leaded-glass windows. A bonus was that large windows overlooked bluffs of the Mississippi River. The property was affordable because it required some cosmetic upgrades and repairs. "It was a good, solid house that just needed some TLC," said Conrod. But they never planned on the pipes freezing and the radiators bursting right before closing. "Water was dripping from the second-floor bathroom into the dining room," he said.

Small spaces live large: The 250-square-foot addition on the back of the house doubled the size of the tiny kitchen, as well as creating space for a main-floor bathroom, new back entry with storage and office/guest room. "The kitchen has turned into the family room," said Conrod, noting that original cabinets were re-used.

Sun lovers: Photovoltaic solar panels facing south generate all the electricity the family needs. "We wanted to reduce our carbon footprint," said Conrod.

Faux fireplace: Previous owners had painted the bricks on the living-room fireplace. Tearing them out proved too costly, so Conrod hired a faux painter to mimic the look of glazed Arts and Crafts tile on the fireplace surround.

Period-appropriate: The new bathroom lacked an exterior window, so the couple found tulip motif stained-glass windows at an antique shop to draw light in from other parts of the house. "Everyone thinks we saved the original windows," he said.

Lynn Underwood • 612-673-7619