Photos by Andrea Rugg
When first walking into this 1988 lakeside home in Wayzata, greeted with nothing but tacky green walls, honey-oak cabinetry, and a dark, closed-off design, some might have been inclined to simply turn around and never look back. Chad and Kate Ormberg, however, saw only potential. “We wanted to be [closer] to the lake, and we found this house that was off-market,” Chad says. The previous homeowners had “color schemes that were green, blue, yellow… all these different colors everywhere, [but] I knew this thing had potential to look sweet,” he recalls, laughing.
But achieving the vision was not easy. As a growing family, the Ormbergs sought a space that would work well for them and their children, which they soon discovered would require a major “fluff and buff” of the main and upper levels to update both the functionality and aesthetics of the spaces, as well as showcase views of the lake. Coincidentally, Chad was familiar with Boyer Building Corp. through one of his best friends, who just happened to be company owner (and designer on this project) John Boyer’s son. “The spaces were really confined,” explains Tim Forsberg, new build and remodeling sales specialist at Boyer Building Corp. “There weren’t any features the owners wanted to keep [from the original design].” Instead, they brought the home back to its bones, leaving only the basement untouched.
And so began the remodeling process—gutting, demolishing, and stripping the house down to the studs. Chad says, “When they had the whole main level gutted, I got really excited because I saw everything opening up. I thought, ‘This is going to be awesome.’” When it came to interior design, the couple desired a light, fresh look, including white oak flooring, light wood tones, and earthy materials. “They wanted a clean, not-too-modern look,” says Natalie Talley, principal designer at Talley Jane Interiors.
In transforming the main level, there were myriad structural elements that required addressing, to the extent of the design-build team opting to redefine the entire kitchen. “[The home] is perched on a hill, so Chad and Kate wanted to have an expansive door [to get] on the deck and view the lake area,” Forsberg explains. The 12-foot Marvin Ultimate Sliding Door, referred to by Chad as the “money shot,” immediately transformed the space, capturing views of the water and letting in tons of natural light. “Incorporating that indoor-outdoor [connection] allowed them to experience a lifestyle on the lake [while] having a functional, updated, and fresh home for them to grow,” Talley says.
Anchoring the kitchen is a custom natural white oak island, which is complemented by quartz countertops and custom Riverstone cabinets. Forsberg notes how “changing around the footprint of the kitchen really made a drastic difference for entertaining purposes and general views.” But nearby, the sunken living room was also in need of an update, so the Boyer team built it up to ensure continuity throughout the main living spaces. The fireplace—adorned with a Fond du Lac natural stone veneer—is a standout element of the room, capturing immediate attention and contributing to the natural look found throughout.
The bright, fresh aesthetic continues into the foyer, which boasts 16-foot ceilings and a paneled accent wall. “When you walk in [the front doors], the accent wall around the staircase and the beams on the ceiling made a dramatic change to the look of the house,” Forsberg says. “That wall gave the house the flair it needed.” At the top of the stairs, the team incorporated a dedicated play space for the kids. “We wanted to create a safe space for them to hang out when the parents were upstairs,” Talley notes. Keeping kid-friendly elements top of mind, she also incorporated durable fabric, furnishing, and rug selections throughout the home.
Perhaps the most shocking transformation, though, was the primary suite. “They had to do a lot of stuff … moving sewer lines and plumbing,” Chad recalls. “If you had seen [the space] before, there was this giant, ugly Jacuzzi and green walls.” So, in renovating the room, the design team added a new double vanity, walk-in shower, and freestanding tub. To brighten the space, a palette of varying white hues was used to decorate each surface.
Throughout the five-month process, the family visited the site every weekend. “We saw [the progress] in pieces. I would be so excited each week seeing what they worked on, but seeing it all together, it’s better than you see in a rendering,” Kate says. And while the journey was marked by many twists and turns, the result came together in a stunning realization of the family’s vision—one that gracefully unfolded piece by piece.
