spring home improvement - south edition

& Please visit our website at www.TeamSolutions.info651-4-BURNET

612.386.7067612.396.6936

Lake Shore Living... It’s a Choice,It’s a Destination, It’s a Life Style

Team Solutions with Coldwell Banker Burnet isranked in the top 1% of all Minnesota Realtor’s.Our services include staging for “FREE”. Wework with sellers to get their property set fortodays market. With the use of the homeownersitems along with designated staging pieces,we make our listings shine. Statistics haveshown that a staged home will sell 26% fasterand staged homes on an average sell11% higher.

HOME

SOUTH EDITION

IMPROVEMENTSPRI

NG

2015

y e s t e r d a y , t o d a y , t o m o r r o w

PUBLISHED BY SWNEWSMEDIA.COM AND DISTRIBUTED IN THE SHAKOPEE VALLEY NEWS, PRIOR LAKE AMERICAN, JORDAN INDEPENDENT, AND SAVAGE PACER

2 | 2015 Spring Home Improvement, South Edition

BY AMANDA MCKNIGHT

[email protected]

With the weather finally warming up and buds form-ing on the trees,

many people are thinking about whether or not to plant a garden this year.

While determining what to plant, parents might also con-sider involving their children in the gardening process.

Laura Wood, owner of Gar-den by the Woods in Chanhas-sen, said many kids enjoy watching something they’ve cared for grow and bloom into a fruit, vegetable or flower. (And a few lucky gardeners might end up with children who are actually interested

in eating their vegetables for the first time ever.)

“The best things to plant are things that kids can pull off as snacks, like the little dwarf carrots,” Wood said. “And popcorn is something I would definitely grow.”

That’s right — it’s possible to grow the corn used for pop-corn in your very own garden. What kid (or adult, for that matter) wouldn’t love that?

Wood also suggests that pickle lovers grow cucumbers to turn into their very own style of pickle.

“Cucumbers to pickles can be a fun process to watch come alive for kids,” said Wood. “It’s a pretty simple process called ‘refrigerator pickles.’”

Steve Kokesh, owner of Kokesh Landscaping in Way-zata, also recommends plant-ing vegetables and fruits that kids can easily interact with and eat.

“It’s good to stay basic with your vegetables because if

kids can watch something grow, run outside, pick

it, and you cook it that night – it makes more sense to them,” said Kokesh.

A n y t h i n g f r o m dwarf carrots, like Wood mentioned, to

beans or strawberries or tomatoes would make for

a great gardening project for younger green thumbs.“Even beans can be deco-

rative in the yard,” added Kokesh. “The greens will grow up on a trellis. What’s really fun for kids is if you can put your garden on the side of

the house or somewhere you could let a few pumpkins grow or some sunflowers. Sunflow-ers get big, and you can watch them grow. The kids will be in amazement, and you can get the seeds out at the end and bake them in the oven.”

Even something as simple as watching a watermelon grow from nearly nothing to its final shape can be fun for kids. Not only does it teach them the growing process, said Kokesh, but it also teach-es them responsibility in car-ing for a living thing.

Kokesh said he always cau-tions those who are new to gardening: start small. It’s easy to become overwhelmed and lose interest in the project altogether if it starts too large.

“You can keep it very small so it’s not an elaborate and time consuming thing,” he said. “Think 8 feet by 12 feet. Families are so busy these days, so keep it manageable for the time you have.”

Some new gardeners might want to consider a straw bale garden. Vegetables and fruit can be planted in soil-filled holes in the bale, using the bale itself to take root and get its nourishment. This way, the bale can be thrown out after the harvesting season, and all remnants of a garden will be gone.

“You just tip a straw bale on its side and take whatever plant you have, make a small hole in the bail with just a little soil on it, and then the straw bale holds the moisture

Gardening ideas for kids and families

PHOTOS BY AMANDA MCKNIGHT

Laura Wood, owner of Garden by the Woods in Chanhassen, explains that Mason bees pack mud into the holes — rather than honey — of their houses.

Laura Wood tinkers with makeshift planters made from old toys and boots at her store, Garden by the Woods, in Chanhassen.

growWATCHING

THEM GROW

Grow to 3 �

Full service showroom - call for a free estimateLOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

1525 Dalles Drive • Shakopee(next to Country Inn & Suites) 952-445-0520M,Th, F,9am-5pmT,W, 9am-8pm, and Sat. 10am-2pm

Carpet • Laminate • TileVinyl • Wood

Window TreatmentsCelebrating10 Years herein Shakopee!

(not valid on existing orders, must present this offer at time of Estimate)Offer expires 7-1-15

$20000

Offany order over$100000

PRIOR LAKE/SAVAGERENTAL CENTER

952-447-700015233 HWY 13 S.Prior Lake

www.priorlakerentals.com

A RENTAL FOR EVERYPROJECT

• Lawn & Garden Equipment• Power Tools • Moving Trucks• Party Tents• Dinnerware• Linens• Tables/Chairsirs

$1000

OFFAny Rental

$3000 or morePRIOR LAKE

RENTALValid With Coupon

Not Valid With Other OffersExpires 5/27/2015

COUPON

Old toys can make for fun planters for children.

2015 Spring Home Improvement, South Edition | 3

the plants need and nour-ishes it. Then in the fall you just throw the straw bale on the curb and it’s hauled away,” said Kokesh. “It’s a way to introduce you and your family to it in a low cost and low maintenance way.”

CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM

Besides involving kids in the planting, growing and harvesting process, though, there are a number of other ways to get even toddlers playing in the garden.

A favorite landscaping trick of Wood’s is to use an old toy as a planter. This might make gardening seem like more fun to your child. If your kids are younger and not ready to actually plant yet, an old toy dumptruck will do the trick for them to dig in and get dirty with some soil.

The fun doesn’t have to revolve around the act of gardening itself, though. Kids can help contribute to the yard’s ecosystem by hanging Mason bee houses or making a holder for bird nesting material.

“Mason bees don’t pro-duce honey,” Wood ex-

plained. “They pack mud into the little holes in its nest. If you have orchards or need a pollinator, these will passively live in your yard and help your vegetables be healthier.”

To make a holder for bird nesting material, anything organic or natural is con-sidered safe to use. If it’s aesthetically pleasing, that’s just a bonus for the yard!

“The best materials are natural cotton or strips of fabric, six- to eight- inch strips of natural fibers and paper products,” explained Wood. “I would avoid plas-tics. You can use straw, or feathers are great, too.”

Stuff the materials into a straw orb or hanging gourd, and birds will flock to it for comfortable bedding.

When it comes down to it, Kokesh and Wood agree that it’s important to do what’s best for your own family. Busy families who don’t want to commit to an annual garden may opt for a straw bale garden, while others might want to work the garden into the yard’s landscape theme as a whole.

“This can give the kids a bit of responsibility and also bring the family together,” said Kokesh. “It’s something they all can relate to.”

Get There. Start Here.

FIRST CHOICEFOR A

SECONDMORTGAGE

your

Home Equity Loans& Lines of Credit

NEW SOUTHBRIDGE BRANCH COMING SOON!At Highway 169 and County Road 21

(952) 445-08882573 Credit Union Drive • Prior Lake, MN 55372

southmet.com NCUAFEDERALLYINSURED

BY AMANDA SCHWARZE

[email protected]

Refinancing a home can be a way to save money in the long-term, but it doesn’t

always work out that way.Refinancing means a

mortgage is renegotiated, and the existing loan is paid off with a new loan. The goal is get more desirable terms, such as a lower interest rate or a change in the length of the loan.

According to the Min-nesota Department of Com-merce, a decision to refi-nance a mortgage depends on the borrower’s current situation. What works for one person will not neces-sarily end up working well for everyone, they warn. Mortgage banker Alex Sten-back of Alerus Financial in Minnetonka agrees.

“There’s not a simple good or bad test for refi-nancing,” Stenback said. “There are many variables and many reasons people refinance.

“Traditionally, one refi-nances to pay less interest over the term of the loan. That can be accomplished through both a reduction in rate, and a reduction in term, say moving from a 15- to a 30-year loan,” he explained. “Sometimes a refinance makes sense to re-move mortgage insurance, or to consolidate multiple loans. Sometimes a refi-nance is situational — think divorce, job loss, change in household finances. Peo-ple sometimes tap equity through a refinance to im-

prove the home, or make a down payment on a second home.”

Regardless of the reason-ing behind refinancing, the Minnesota Department of Commerce advises people to think about how long they plan on being in their home before deciding to re-finance. If a person is going to remain in the home long enough to recoup all costs involved in the refinancing, such as the appraisal and closing costs, then it could be a good idea to refinance. It may not be a good idea to refinance for people who plan to sell their home soon.

Once a borrower decides to pursue a refinance, he or she needs to start doing research, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce. They suggest contacting various lenders to inquire about interest rates, terms of available mortgages and closing costs. Borrowers should under-stand the various loan op-tions and what impact each will have on them, they said.

Stenback said that bor-rowers shouldn’t just con-sider interest rates when it

Refinancing: Not just about interest rates

Holders for bird nesting material can be a fun project for kids — just don’t use any plastic!

GROW� continued from 2

comes to refinancing.“Most consumers carry the

intuition that the lowest rate is always the best,” he said. “This is true, but only to the extent that one also considers the fees to get that rate. I am firm in my belief that the vast majority of borrowers are best served by taking a rate that in-volves the absolute minimum in up-front costs. The best way for consumers to navigate the landscape as it relates to fees, closing costs, and interest rates is to speak with two or three reputable lenders, ask them to break down rates and costs, then make a comparison and choose the best fit.”

When looking for a repu-table vendor, keep in mind that mortgage companies and individual loan officers need to have a valid Min-nesota Mortgage Originator

license. License holders may be looked up online. Stenback also suggests getting a recom-mendation from a trusted acquaintance.

“If you don’t have a relation-ship with a mortgage banker, pick a good, reputable service-oriented lender by getting a personal referral from some-one you know, love and trust,” he said. “Anything else can have mixed results.”

Online resourcesThere are some good websites that can be used to research refi nancing options before talking to a vendor. The staff at the Minnesota Department of Commerce recommends the following sites:

www.mnhousing.gov

www.portal.hud.gov

www.fha.com

People may also go online to see if a mortgage company or loan offi cer has a valid Minnesota Mortgage Originator license. That information may be found at http://mn.gov/commerce/banking-and-fi nance/consumers/license-lookup/.

FILE PHOTO

Borrowers should do research before deciding to refi nance their home mortgage.

Must have a High Efficiency Rating to Qualify. Carrier Rebates up to$1,525.00 or Zero% financing on select models (Not Valid with other

Offers) good 4-1-15 to 6-30-15. CenterPoint Energy Rebates up to$525.00; Xcel Rebates up to $450.00.

Good Through 11-30-2015. Local Service Area Only.Residential Service & Installation Only.

Not Valid with Other Offers.

Energy Star Furnace &Air Conditioner Installation

A/C or FurnaceTune-up

$100 OFFAir Conditioners

$100 OFFFurnaces

$250OFF

Above Combination

• LICENSED• BONDED• INSURED

Radon Testing& Mitigation

Shakopee (952) 403-1110www.Quality-Heating.com

[email protected]

&AIR SERVICES, INC.QUALITY HEATING

only$86

BOULDER & BLOCK WALLS

PAVER DRIVES,WALKS,

PATIOS

LAKE SHORE RESTORATION

DRAINAGE CORRECTION

HYDRO SEEDING

952-492-3160• Jordan •


3451 W. Burnsville Pkwy, BurnsvilleOpen M-F 8am-6pmSat., 9am-4pm952-846-4300

Find us online • www.nstile.comValid with coupon. Not valid with

other offers. Original couponmust be present for discount.

Expires 12-31-15

25%offTile

Purchases(Some exceptions apply)

Over 250,000 Square Feet of Stone & TileLowest Prices Every Day • Huge In-Stock Selection

BY CRISTETA BOARINI

[email protected]

As w e M i n n e s o -tans have slogged through another depressing winter,

it is our right, nay our duty, to get outside and enjoy the few warm months granted to us.

Whether you’re a king of the grill, an aspiring Top Chef or a domestic goddess, one way to bring your out-doors game this spring is with a new entertaining space in the backyard.

When it comes to outdoor entertaining, you can do so much more than a grill and some chairs out on the patio. And the time to upgrade is now. Matt Blanchard, who runs the masonry and con-tracting company The Brick and Stone Artist out of Min-neapolis, said his company has seen about a 15 percent annual increase in business each year for the past few years.

So what kind of features

should go in your new back-yard digs?

FIREPLACE

With snowstorms that come as late as May and as early as October, keeping warm is a priority. So when your afternoon barbecue turns into an evening over drinks, keep everyone toasty with a nice fire.

Wood-burning or gas, a fireplace becomes a great cus-tomizable centerpiece to your outdoor entertaining space. A fire pit allows for everyone to get around the fire, while a grand fireplace not only of-fers warmth but a beautiful conversation piece. You could also go for a wood-fired pizza oven, to make crisp personal pizzas with a touch of char taste. All are great for toast-ing marshmallows with the kids or a special someone.

Blanchard said granite, stone and polished concrete are extremely popular with his clients for fireplaces. He said he builds them from

scratch on a foundation, with an efficient design

“The great thing about these kinds of fireplaces is you can use them year-round,” Blanchard said.

SPACE TO PREP

Whether it’s a graduation party or a family reunion, one of the frustrating things about entertaining in the backyard is constantly going in and out of the house. Getting drinks, prepping food — the back door is constantly opening and closing to let in bugs or let out all the air conditioning.

But with space and ap-pliances to do all that work outside, a host can get all the work done while still entertaining with guests. Having a polished concrete countertop in the backyard with some built-in appliances like a stainless steel fridge or warming drawer means more time outside for everyone. And these features are built to last even through the toughest Minnesota weather.

IT’S ELECTRIC!

Blanchard said the most c onven ient fe at u r e you could include in a new out-door entertaining space is wiring in some electrical sockets and lighting. If you want to have some blended drinks, keep a crock pot out for the party, or even plug in a bug zapper, it’s much more convenient to have a plug easily accessible right on the patio rather than run-ning an extension cord from inside the house or across the yard.

Another great feature? Ambient lighting. With the installation of a grand fire-place or a brick oven, ambi-ent feature lighting not only higlights the beauty of the piece, but also allows you and your guests the ability to maneuver once the party continues after dark — no stubbed toes on chair legs!

Whatever you choose to do in your backyard, remem-ber the options are endless. Happy entertaining!

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BRICK AND STONE ARTIST

This customized fi replace was built by Matt Blanchard.

OUTDOORentertaining spaces

612-590-6318www.markannexstad.edinarealty.com

Mark Annexstad

Over 34 Yearsof Satisfied Customers

SOLDThe best satisfaction for me

comes with helping someonefind the right home for them

and their lifestyle.

• Residential Resales• New Construction

• Relocation• Lifestyle Properties & more.

COMMERCIAL SERVICES

PROFESSIONAL • SAFE • RELIABLE

One Call Does It All...Mr. Handyman of Chanhassen, Chaska and [email protected]

NEED HOME MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR?

Trust your home or business to a professional.Handymen are not all the same.WHY MR. HANDYMAN?Mr. Handyman is a professional, propertyrepair and maintenance company.• Employees are background checked and skilled in many trades.• We’re proud of our professional appearance & company owned vehicles• We are fully insured—General Liability and Workers’ Compensation coverage

952-937-6225WWW.MRHANDYMAN.COM

PUT MR. HANDYMAN TO WORK FOR YOU!

2 HOURSOR MORE.$25 OFF

MN LIC. #BC676897

one perhousehold, notvalid with anyother offer.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!


BY ALEX HALL

[email protected]

Does your garage look like a small tornado whipped through the inside of a stor-

age unit?You’re not alone. In fact,

Ted Wood has probably seen worse.

“So many garages we walk into, everything’s piled on the floor.”

Ted and his son Steve Wood are authorized dealers of Monkey Bars, a unique garage storage system that in-corporates shelving, cabinets and overhead racks. They are based in Jordan and serve the counties of Hennepin, Scott, Carver and Wright.

Ted Wood said that too often, the garage is the most neglected space in a house.

“It’s kind of the forgotten room, or the last area of the house people really pay atten-tion to,” said Steve.

The only way to get the most out of a garage is to make use of all its possible space. The first step is getting items off the ground and uti-

lizing space on the walls and the top corners of the garage. Getting items off the floor is important because it makes it easier to clean the garage floor, and it also keeps stored items safe from the elements, especially during the winter.

“You also don’t get the crit-ters in your boxes, which is a big one for me,” said Steve, “and you’re not tripping on things.”

Ted added that by getting items off the ground, you may be saving money in the long run.

“With everything on the floor, things are getting lost or getting damaged, people are going out and buying things they already have,” he said.

With the Monkey Bars system, a shelf is installed to hold long-term storage items like camping equipment, spare tires or bins. Each shelf is made of melamine and designed to hold up to 1,000 pounds for each 4-foot area.

Underneath the shelf or shelves is a system of poly-coated steel bars and hooks that allows items to be stored several layers deep on a wall.

“In most single-stack sys-tems people have, you just hang one item, then the next and the next [along a wall],” said Steve. “With this, you can layer or tier the storage… We can get your stuff in about a third of the space as other products.”

Steve said that anything with a hole or a loop or a “T” would hang on the racks.

“Basically things that don’t fit in a cabinet or a box, and that’s a lot of garage stuff,” said Ted.

While the shelving and bars and hooks system is at the heart of what Monkey Bars offers, the company also offers cabinetry and over-head racks. The racks are key to making sure you’re getting the most out of your garage space, said Steve. The design and steel structure of Monkey Bars’ overhead racks make them capable of supporting up to 750 pounds of storage.

The Woods say it’s impor-tant to take into consider-ation many different factors before deciding where to put shelves and cabinets, such as where a person typically

parks and the length of ve-hicles.

For many homeowners they work with, a simple re-organization allows them to park in their own garage for the first time.

“The difference is dra-matic,” said Steve.

STORAGE WAR Simple reorganization methods can bring a garage back to life

SUBMITTED PHOTO

A before (left) and after comparison of a garage that was organized by Monkey Bars.

Go big or go homeLooking to do something a little more adventurous than a simple reorganization of your garage?

One of the simplest ways to add some pizzazz to your carport is to replace the fl ooring.

“That’s been kind of a big, popular one,” said Gary Bannochie, general contractor and owner of Bannochie Builders, Inc. “Sometimes garage fl oors, in time they’ll start pitting and cracking. You put a polyurethane [fi nish] on there, and it puts a nice little smooth fi nish on there.”

But putting in new fl ooring is small potatoes compared to some of the renovation projects Bannochie has been involved in. Bannochie has helped turn garages into home offi ces, music studios and “man caves,” and he’s even taken out part of a roof in order to put a second level into a garage to be used as a billiards room.

The fi rst step is making sure the garage is properly insulated and sheetrocked.

“Some guys are just so excited to get the thing cleaned up and sheetrock up and paint it, they forget to insulate it properly, give it a proper vapor barrier,” said Bannochie.

In addition, if you plan on living out your rock star dreams in your garage, you may want to take some steps to avoid alienating your neighbors. Proper insulation and sheetrocking should help to soundproof, but having some heavy duty garage doors doesn’t hurt, either. Bannochie keeps his drum kit in his garage, and he has 2 1/2 inch commercial garage doors on his.

“You still can hear,” said Bannochie, “but if you’re going to try to push that next level, where your going to really be jamming in there, then there’s products you could put up to defl ect sound.”

SPRING IS HERE

Think MandinecLandscaping

www.mandinecgroup.com

952-226-1813

Commercial & ResidentialDesign • MaintenanceIrrigation • PatiosRetainingWalls

Ash Borer Treatments

PREMIUM PAINT. INSPIRING COLORS. HELPFUL ADVICE.

Discover our new

PAINT STUDIO!

>cfXUb�5WY�<UfXkUfY��)($�&bX�Gh"�K��>cfXUb �AB�))')&��-)&��(-&!&,()Jordan Ace Hardware540 2nd St. W, Jordan • (952) 492-2845

Carlson Ace Hardware16281 Main Ave SE, Prior Lake • (952)-447-2240

Prior Lake Ace Hardware16820 Duluth Ave SE, Prior Lake • (952) 226-6820


No Other Garage Door OpenerOpensYourWorld Like a LiftMaster®.

8550 DC BatteryBackup Belt Drive

Garage Door Opener

$349

8500 DC BatteryBackup CapableWall Mount GarageDoor Opener

$428

LiftMaster 8355LM ½ HP ACBelt Drive Garage Door Opener

What garage door opener alerts you whenit opens or closes with MyQ® Technology?Gives you the ability to control it fromanywhere? Safeguards your home withadvanced security features, and providesyears of quiet, reliable operation?

The LiftMaster® 8355 ½ HP ACBelt Drive Garage Door Opener.

PROFESSIONALLYINSTALLED

$321Service and Lube included. Prices shown for 7’ highdoors. Offer cannot be used on previous orders andprices subject to change.

www.actionoverhead.com

952-447-4487

18077 MURPHY LAKE BLVD, PRIOR LAKE, MN 55372-9745

SERVICINGTHE AREAFOR OVER35YEARS

BY HANNAH JONES

[email protected]

Th e f a l l o f 2 0 1 2 brought two big de-velopments to the Lyseng family in Ea-

gan. First, Jordan Lyseng, a recent college graduate, left for Japan to visit his fiancée. Then, Brenda Lyseng, his mother, got pneumonia.

While she was resting up a nd recoveri ng, she fou nd hersel f watchi n g a lot of HGTV. The more she watched, the more she thought about her son’s va-cated bedroom.

The Lysengs had always been an artsy family, but their crafting supplies – paints, fabric and more – were relegated to a closet in the basement. With Jordan out of the house and his room conveniently unoccupied, Brenda saw a chance to use the space a new way.

“I thought, ‘We need a sew-ing and art studio,’” she said. She text messaged Jordan and got his permission to totally repurpose his room.

Brenda did what a lot of homeowners do after years in the same space. As their

lifestyles change and their homes stay the same, it becomes increasingly ap-pealing to repurpose and revitalize rooms. There are essentially two ways to do this: on your own, or with a professional.

Brenda chose to do it

alone.She spent a week just lay-

ing out everything on graph paper, rearranging and re-organizing, and keeping a Pinterest board for inspira-tion. After that, the carpet was torn up and new hard-wood floors were installed.

Then she painted the walls a butter yellow and added various vintage bookcases and furniture — a shelf from Brenda’s graduate student days and a table from an old library — to the room. One of the few brand new items, a high craft table with a spa-

cious top, was installed in the center of the room.

So, how did that go?“It went according to

plan,” Brenda said.The whole project cost

about $1,500, and today, Jor-dan’s old room is a bright, su n ny cra f t spac e wit h

shelves loaded with art sup-plies. Brenda even found a way to use the room to get a return on her investment. She started her own busi-ness, “Sew Together,” which offers the room and supplies,

PHOTO BY HANNAH JONES

Brenda Lyseng of Eagan turned her son’s old bedroom into a craft studio, which she uses as a space for her new business venture, a company called Sew Together.

PHOTO BY HANNAH JONES

Roberta Kortes is the owner and principal designer of Crabapple Cottage Designs based out of Prior Lake.

Rooms reborn:TWO WAYS TO REPURPOSE

Reborn to 7 �

Largest stocking retailer in the southern metro

8745 West Highway 101, Savage, MN 55378Monday-Thursday 10-8 • Friday 10-5 • Saturday 10-4

952-445-9140 • www.thoroughbredcarpets.com

Abbey Carpet & FloorsFamily Owned and Operated for 30 Years!

Hundreds of new soft styles in rolls & remnants

have arrived at liquidation pricing

FREEValid with coupon. Offer cannot be combined with other

offers. Not valid on glue down installations. Only one couponper customer. Retail jobs only. Expires 5/31/15Abbey Carpet & Floors

Family Owned and Operated for 30 Years!

STANDARD PADOR

REMOVAL & DISPOSAL


as well as her expertise, for groups taking on sewing projects.

All of that happened after a nasty bout of pneumonia, a couple weeks of preparation and a month of execution.

But of course, her success was couched in her extensive planning, which took a few weeks for a reason.

“Just f iguring out the layout was the most difficult part,” she said. “But that was always fun.”

With the proper amount of planning and some gump-tion, Brenda’s D.I.Y. method can certainly work. How-ever, for those who aren’t as crafty, hiring an interior designer is also an option.

Roberta Kortes of Prior Lake is the principal de-signer of her own interior design firm, Crabapple Cot-tage Designs. It’s her job to act as a voice of authority on interior design projects and find tasteful arrangements everyone can agree on.

“This is what I do, and it’s my passion,” she said.

One thing that sometimes drives potential customers away from hiring an expert like Kortes is the perceived cost. As a more experienced interior designer, Kortes’ services run at about $150 per hour for consultations.

“The biggest myth is that we’re too expensive,” she

said. “In fact, we’re usually saving people money.”

By hiring an interior de-signer, Kortes’ clients are en-suring that projects will be right the first time around, and that the materials will all be appropriate for the job. Interior designers also usually have relationships with vendors and can get dis-counts on materials, which they can then pass on as savings to the homeowners.

Kor tes a lso has tech-niques to make more so-phisticated designs fit into a more modest budget. She often does what she calls an “Ikea hack,” taking an inexpensively made piece of furniture and adding a fin-ish or embellishments that make it look more high-end. She’s even used wallpaper to customize a table and add value.

Even if hiring a designer seems like a totally differ-ent approach from Brenda’s craft room remodel, Kortes actually has some similar

advice for potential room renovators.

“I encourage people to re-ally think about it a while, about what makes sense at that point in their lives,” she said. Planning, whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring help, makes for a suc-cessful room repurpose.

Other general tips: make sure a redesigned room has a clear purpose, which adds value to the home. Be hon-est with yourself about your budget and your expecta-tions. When possible, reuse, recycle or modify older or cheaper furnishings. And, in that all-important planning phase, start with a blank slate, not with the current identity of the room.

A note to all empty nest-ers looking to reclaim their childrens’ old rooms, too: It turns out, Jordan did come back to the Lyseng’s home later on.

But, Brenda said, he was more than happy to stay in the basement.

952-492-2300223 1st Street E., Suite 100

Jordan, MN 55352www.ibjordan.com

Call or Visit us

More informationBrenda Lyseng’s new business, Sew Together, provides space, materials and guidance for sewing and craft projects. Learn more at her website:

http://sewtogethergathering.com/

Roberta Kortes is the owner and principal designer of Crabapple Cottage Designs in Prior Lake. See more of her work and contact her at her website:

http://www.crabapplecottage.com/index.htm

REBORN� continued from 6

Prime Security Bank helps homeownersand builders turn dreams into reality.

• New Construction and Remodel Loans• Quick response times• Personalized service relationships• Local decision-making• 90 year lending history• Convenient South Metro locations

1305 Vierling Drive, Shakopee, MN 55379 • 1595 Thomas Center Drive, Eagan, MN 55122

Tony StockerNMLS # [email protected]

Lisa R. FiegelNMLS #[email protected]

952-447-8124www.metroairmn.com16980 Welcome Ave SE, Prior Lake

WE TREAT OURCUSTOMERS LIKE

family

Rebates paid only on qualifying units and systems.Offer expires June 30, 2015.

$1,500in Rebates or

Special Financing

Up To

ON A BRYANT EVOLUTION SYSTEM

$89.00Furnace and A/C Tune-UpSPECIAL


Serda Remodeling LLCFor AllYour

Remodeling NeedsInside & Out

952-261-8208Savage, MN

www.serdaremodeling.com22 years of experience & locally family owned

License# BC639151 • Insured

• Decks • Porches• Roofs • Siding

Exceeding Our Customer’s Expectations...We Offer Top Quality Sales & Installation

16861 Welcome Avenue SEin Prior Lake

952-440-WOOD (9663)www.aboveallhardwoodfloors.comProudly serving the area for 20 years

FREE ESTIMATES AND FINANCING

• Hardwood Flooring& Refinishing

• Prefinished/Laminate• Ceramic Tile/Vinyl• Carpet• Custom Window Coverings

Now Offering FriendlyWallFeature walls, bars and mantles, the

possibilities are endless!

Quality FlooringTo Every Customer, Every Time

Enjoy summer evenings with abeautiful outdoor fireplace or fire pit table!

Expires 5/30/15

Jordan952.492.9276

100 Eldorado Drive

Burnsville952.808.0754

3850 Highway 13W

spring home improvement - south edition

Documents