Grassy Greens and Watery Blues Draw Nature Into a New Great Room
A designer gets inspiration from the landscape in this lakeside Minnesota living area and kitchen
A wall of sliding glass doors, not pictured, leads from the kitchen area to the backyard and to the shores of Lake Minnetonka just beyond. Koroloff gave the kitchen area new porcelain tile floors, which are great for wet feet coming in from the lake. The seating area features wool carpeting, which is ideal for when the temperatures drop, though radiant heating keeps both the carpet and tile flooring warm all year long.
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The seating area includes a large cream-toned sectional, a blue swivel chair and two blue-and-white herringbone ottomans stationed around a custom wood coffee table. “The coffee table is a nice sturdy piece that is perfect for playing board games on,” Koroloff says. The built-in bookcase was existing, but the designer painted it white, added new brass hardware and had the wall behind the open shelves covered in blue grasscloth.
While the walls, the carpeting and the sectional in the seating area are all neutral, Koroloff turned to the views outside to inspire the room’s accent colors. “During the summer there are beautiful views of green grass and the blue lake, so I wanted to bring those colors inside to create a connection to the outdoors,” she says. The artwork on the wall above the sectional was painted by Koroloff, who was a fine arts major in college.
While the walls, the carpeting and the sectional in the seating area are all neutral, Koroloff turned to the views outside to inspire the room’s accent colors. “During the summer there are beautiful views of green grass and the blue lake, so I wanted to bring those colors inside to create a connection to the outdoors,” she says. The artwork on the wall above the sectional was painted by Koroloff, who was a fine arts major in college.
Koroloff painted the shiplap-clad island in Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy to connect the kitchen area to the seating area. The three pendant lights above the island are made of hand-blown glass and brass. “Brass light fixtures in both the seating area and kitchen connect the two spaces and add a modern touch,” the designer says.
The kitchen includes all major appliances other than a range and oven. A sink and dishwasher are located on the kitchen’s back wall and an undercounter refrigerator and microwave are located on the backside of the island. The back wall of the kitchen features a white subway-tile backsplash, a shiplap-clad wall and two wire-brushed oak floating shelves that add a warm, natural touch.
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Great Room and Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two teenage daughters
Location: Orono, Minnesota
Size: About 600 square feet (56 square meters)
Designer: Kristen Koroloff of K2 Interior Designs
A rarely used recreation room on the lower level of this Orono, Minnesota, family’s home provided the perfect opportunity to design a great room with easy access to the lake and a second kitchen ideal for hosting family and friends. The family turned to designer Kristen Koroloff to create a fresh and functional great room that has become the most popular spot in the house, especially for the family’s two teenage daughters and their friends. “The girls regularly have their friends over to play games, make snacks and hang out here,” Koroloff says.
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