Design & Living Feb/Mar 2021

F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 1

COMPLIMENTARY

MEET THE

TLC STAFF

Mariya Culp Describe yourself in a single sentence.

I am a caring person who loves to help others in any way I can.

What is your favorite thing about working at TLC Cleaning?

I love getting to know each client and over time have a great relationship with each. My clients become more like family with each passing year.

Why do you love cleaning?

I love cleaning because it makes me feel accomplished and feel I am helping others who either can’t or just want/need more time for themselves or family.

If you had to pick one thing you learned working at TLC Cleaning, what would it be?

I learned to be a better person. TLC Cleaning has taught me the value of hard work, the value of thriving for better and to never give up.

DESCRIBE THE MOST MEMORABLE JOB YOU’VE DONE AS A CLEANING TECH?

I was cleaning for one of my regulars and my clients husband came out to say ‘hello’ while his wife went to get ready for her day. I had asked how she was doing and he told me that she’s not doing well and her cancer is getting worse. He talked to me almost the whole time I cleaned. After I left that house, I knew that I wasn’t just a cleaner to them, I was more than that and it made me feel so good knowing I can help someone not only by cleaning but by listening.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love drawing, dancing and making memories with my little family each and every day.

Who inspires you most at TLC Cleaning and why?

Dana inspires me the most. She’s a hard working mom who always puts others first and is a great coworker and friend.

What advice would you give for maintaining a clean home?

Organization is key to a clean home, without it there is no place for anything and it becomes a mess.

If you had to pick one thing you learned working at TLC Cleaning, what would it be?

Working at TLC, I’ve learned different and better ways to clean. I always thought I was a decent “cleaner “ at my house, then after my training I realized there was so much more I was missing.

I’m so grateful to have such amazing people keep me up to date on new cleaning methods.

GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE

Serving Grand Forks, Detroit Lakes & Fargo Areas

www.tlccleaningexperts.com OR CALL

701-412-3298

GO ONLIN

E

FOR A INSTAN FREE T QUOT E!

contents FEATURE STORY

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Entertaining at Home

20

Designing with Joy

60

From Good to Gold

66

Creating a Community

70

Form & Function with Jackson Strom

74

Handled with Care

There are plenty of opportunities to turn your home's unused space into an entertainment hub. From home bars and theaters to basement remodels, innovative technology and surprising amenities, you can make your own home the go-to spot on Saturday night.

In each issue of Design & Living, residential and commercial designer Christen Anderson of Live Christen Joy showcases a joyful project of hers. This month, Anderson walks us through how she layered in visual interest at WE Ortho through art curation, greenery and styling.

ON THE COVER Mosaic Design and Build's remodel of the Kirschenmann's living space features thoughtful pops of color and custom artwork by Mosaic's Melanie Iverson.

Melanie Iverson of Mosaic Design and Build shows us how she elevated a family's main level with an eclectic mix of warmth, unique focal art pieces and mindful intentionality behind the aesthetics of the home.

Land developer Mark Ottis brings out the character of an empty parcel of land to build a community from the ground up.

Architect Jackson Strom of Strom Architecture dives into a different, important design discussion each month.

This month, Strom shows us the top five features being added to basements.

Ceramic artist Annette Marchand creates pieces that strike a balance between the sculptural and functional.

Motivated by a desire to continually push the clay further and innovate with form, Marchand opens up about her inspiration and process.

For more exclusive, original content,

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @designandlivingmagazine

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FROM THE EDITOR

FOR YOUR

More frequently I find myself becoming antsy once I get home from the workday. This is normally time I’d fill by going on a bike ride, meeting some friends in the park or just reading on a bench overlooking the Red River. The days where I could do that seem like ages away. As I’m writing this, it’s a brisk 7 degrees below zero. That was what partly inspired The Home Entertainment Issue. How can you recreate that same feeling of togetherness and activity of the warmer months in your home?

That and also how can you combat cabin fever.

Just the words “home entertainment” brings to mind a large swath of topics. To refine and simplify the issue, we broke it down into three major topics: technology, home bars and flexible spaces.

Our goal with this issue was to provide our readers with tips and tricks from industry professionals to integrate into their own entertaining setup,

whether that's as simple as installing a speaker or two or as intense as beginning work on a home bar. It was very fun putting together this issue, learning about new technologies that can essentially automate your entire home and walking through spaces that were designed as much for entertaining as they were for living.

One of the things that excited me most about this topic was seeing how quickly style, trends and technology change. There’s always a new and exciting idea on the horizon. Sky’s the limit. You can make your home whatever you want it to be.

You may even be surprised how attainable your biggest home entertainment dreams really are.

Of course, all of these amenities and features help make a great gathering, but good company is the most important ingredient. Given the times,

keep your gatherings small and limited to close contacts. Even with more intimate gatherings at home, there is a warmth and charm that you just can’t get from a night on the town.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for story ideas, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at jack@spotlightmediafargo. com.

JACK HASTINGS Editor

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 Design & Living Magazine is a free publication distributed six times a year. Our mission is to showcase all that the Red River Valley has to offer in terms of interior design, architecture and landscaping, profiling the people that make these possible. We also strive to provide a quality and fun reading experience and improve the way of life in our community. The publication is mailed to homes across the US and has stand distribution throughout North Dakota and Minnesota.

Publisher

EDITORIAL Editorial Team Lead Editor

Mike Dragosavich Drago@SpotlightMediaFargo.com

Nolan Schmidt Nolan@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Jack Hastings

Photographer

Josiah Kopp

Creative Strategist

Josiah Kopp

Graphic Designers

Christy German, Kim Cowles

Contributors

INTERACTIVE Business Development Manager Videographers Executive Sales Assistant

Christen Anderson, Kim Hochhalter, Melanie Iverson, Jackson Strom

Nick Schommer Nickschommer@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Tommy Uhlir, Laura Alexander Kellen Feeney

Graphic Designer

Ben Buchanan

Social Media Content Specialist

Emma Bonnet

ADVERTISING Senior Sales Executive Sales Representative Client Relations

Paul Hoefer Paul@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Al Anderson Al@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Jenny Johnson ClientRelations@SpotlightMediaFargo.com

Senior Leader of Digital Solutions

Brady Sprague

ADMINISTRATION VP of Human Resources

Colleen Dreyer

Account Strategist

Cassie Wiste

DISTRIBUTION Delivery

John Stuber

Design & Living Magazine is published by Spotlight, LLC. Copyright 2021 Design & Living Magazine & designandlivingmagazine.com. All rights reserved. No parts of this magazine may be reproduced or distributed without written permission of Design & Living Magazine and Spotlight, LLC is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on such information. Spotlight, LLC accepts no liability for the accuracy of statements made by the advertisers.

ADVERTISING: 701-478-SPOT (7768) spotlightmediafargo.com Send change of address information and other correspondence to: Spotlight, LLC 15 Broadway N. Suite 500, Fargo, ND 58102 or info@spotlightmediafargo.com

DESIGN & LIVING TEAM At Design & Living Magazine, our goal is to create a publication that is just as much fun to read as it is to view. Here are the writers, designers, photographers and contributors who so affably use their time and talents to tell a story and give our pages purpose.

JOSIAH KOPP PHOTOGRAPHER

Born and raised on the prairies of North Dakota, Josiah’s love for capturing the moment with his camera led him to Spotlight Media in 2020. He graduated from Concordia with a BA in Graphic Design and is currently a photographer for Design & Living. Outside the office, you can find Josiah writing and producing music or chasing a colorful sky with his camera.

Cabinetry • Windows & Doors • Roofing • Siding

CHRISTY GERMAN MARKETING DESIGNER

German is the marketing designer for Spotlight Media. She is a native of Watertown, S.D. and Northern State University graduate with a BFA with an emphasis in Graphic Design. In addition to designing marketing materials for print, she also is the graphic designer behind Design & Living.

MELANIE IVERSON CONTRIBUTOR

Decking • Insulation • Lumber • Hardware

Melanie Iverson is the Principal Designer and CEO of Mosaic Design and Build, a boutique interior design studio and general contracting firm she co-founded with her husband James. Although Melanie and James’ focus is remodeling and renovating residential properties in the area, Melanie has worked with several commercial design clients, including an international hospitality company, multiple restaurants and boutique salons.

JACKSON STROM CONTRIBUTOR

With over a decade of experience, Strom’s passion for the architectural profession led him to found Strom Architecture in 2019. Within his new firm, Strom Architecture strives to elevate the ordinary elements that exist in all projects. Outside of the office, Jackson loves to spend time with his wife, Lindsey, and their son, Sully.

CHRISTEN ANDERSON CONTRIBUTOR

stenersonlumber.com DETROIT LAKES • 218-847-2188 FERGUS FALLS • 218-739-4481 MOORHEAD • 218-233-2754

Anderson is a Minnesota native with an eye for decor and design. She is the owner of Live Christen Joy and is known for her exceptional remodels, expert staging and accessorizing high-end living spaces. Anderson is also a passionate art collector, world traveler and home cook who frequently entertains friends.

MEET OUR TEAM AT

BRADY - Digital Solutions

CHRISTY - Design

PAUL - Sales

EMMA - Social Media

BEN - Design AL - Sales

JOSIAH - Editorial

LAURA - Videography

COLLEEN - HR & Operations

CASSIE - ADMIN

NICK - Digital Services

JENNY - Client Relations TOMMY - Videography

JOHN - Distribution NOLAN - Editorial

BRADY - Editorial KIM - Design

JACK - Editorial

KELLEN - Digital Services

“We have been working with SWL for 8 years. They help us with HR practices, contracts, and other legal issues that come up. I love how progressive and proactive they are.

They have always felt like a partner and not just a law firm we call when we need something.”

MIKE DRAGOSAVICH

Founder, Spotlight

by Kim Hochhalter, Building Concepts, Inc. 2021 HBA of F-M President

A solid, dependable shade and a bright lemon yellow is the dynamic duo that serves as Pantone colors of the year.

TOP COLOR TRENDS

For over 30 years, Building Concepts, Inc. has built custom homes throughout the Fargo, Moorhead, and lakes area communities. Kim owns the company with her husband, Alan, and serves as construction manager, scheduler and accounting specialist.

FOR YOUR HOME IN 2021 There’s nothing like a New Year to bring inspiration, and that definitely applies to brightening up our homes with color!

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new meaning and purpose to the concept of home as a place to live, work and play. The colors in your home can create a rejuvenating environment that improves your mood or outlook. Each year, the leading paint manufacturers announce their most inspiring color and color palettes of the year. Not surprisingly, each manufacturer this year selected hues for homes that evoke comfort and optimism.

ULTIMATE GRAY AND ILLUMINATING

A solid, dependable shade and a bright lemon yellow is the dynamic duo that serves as Pantone colors of the year. The classic color paired with the shining standout hue is sure to invite warmth and comfort into any space. Color trend analysts at Pantone say the two colors exude “A message of happiness supported by fortitude … we need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit.”

URBANE BRONZE

Sherwin Williams also opted for a more resilient tone with its strong neutral, Urbane Bronze. The inspiration for this year, says Sherwin Williams, was a focus on finding sanctuary within your home, “As we're looking to create the ultimate retreat for reflection and renewal, we're turning to a hue whose natural simplicity and nature-inspired energy cultivate a sense of calm from the ground up.” Rooted in nature, the hue mixes well with other biophilic elements to help bring the outdoors in and create a sense of relaxation and serenity.

AEGEAN TEAL

Reflection and renewal played a role in Benjamin Moore’s

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selection Aegean Teal. While the name may be a standout, the calming blue-green provides a sense of stability and tranquility to combat the chaos of the past year. Benjamin Moore describes the choice which “Creates natural harmony and invites us to reflect and reset … rooted in the elegant, handspun textures of the home … the palette comforts as it uplifts.”

TRANSCEND, BIG CYPRESS AND MISTY AQUA

This trio of colors from PPG is a healthy blend of earth tones and tranquil blues as its signature “Be Well” color palette for 2021. PPG’s hues for your home evokes a similar theme to other paint manufacturers this year of embracing comfort and style. The colors “showcase natural hues that are comforting, compassionate and optimistic … celebrates beauty of all kinds and relates to those who prioritize wellness in mind, body and spirit,” PPG said.

Watch for these trends and many more during the HBA of F-M’s Spring Parade of Homes coming the first three weekends in May! Visit paradefm.com for all the details.

Watch for these color trends and many more during the HBA of F-M’s Spring Parade of Homes coming the first three weekends in May! Visit paradefm.com for all the details.

Home Builders Association of F-M Nurture a thriving, innovative and diverse housing industry in our community.

For more information, contact: hbafm.com info@hbafm.com facebook.com/ HBAFargoMoorhead twitter.com/hbafm

TAKE A LOOK AT

Spotlight's Other Magazines

We all have a sugar craving every once in a while, a hankering for something sweet and delicious.

While it may send out dentists heading for the hills, there is something special about a treat that tickles the tastebuds with sugar and glee. We're here to celebrate those sugary delights provided by local bakeries, pastry shops and candy companies. The next time you have that sugar craving, look no further.

Everyone loves a good underdog story in sports.

There is just something about an athlete or coach who has to work extra hard to find success within the field of competition.

North Dakota State is not without those figures. Look up and down Bison rosters and you'll find a host of student-athletes who were lightly recruited, had to overcome injury or just showed up one day and ended up making the team. In the face of adversity, these student-athletes made the most of their opportunities and are finding themselves competing and succeeding at the Division I level.

The reason one can go on and on about the value of life lessons learned through athletics is because those old adages are true. In the realm of competition, athletes face the sorrow of loss, experience the elation of victory and develop strategic thinking, analytical thinking, leadership skills and goal setting strategies all along the way.

Sports really do build character. It's no surprise that the six former high-performing athletes we featured in this magazine have used the character they have forged during their careers to continue making a mark beyond their playing days.

DESIGNING

with joy

The Art of Orthodontics:

WE ORTHO'S WEST FARGO LOCATION

BY Christen Anderson | PHOTOS BY Hillary Ehlen

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W

INSPIRED INTERIORS AND EVENTS WITH CHRISTEN JOY

E Ortho, a local orthodontics clinic, recently expanded to its second location in West Fargo. Partnering with Coloradobased architects JoeArchitect and local construction company Olaf Anderson Construction, WE Ortho found their next home nestled in a gorgeous modern building with an interior that was perfectly outfitted for an orthodontist clinic.

Walking in you’re greeted with concrete floors, bricktiled walls, exposed beams and metal accents that lend a modern elegance to the space. The clinic's walls and shelves were a blank canvas ready to be painted! WE Ortho reached out to Christen Joy requesting expertise in art curation, greenery and styling. We were thrilled at the opportunity to add to an already gorgeous space, as well as layer in visual interest for their patients.

WELCOME AREA You’re welcomed into the space by the WE Ortho sign, which was recommended for great brand placement and as a welcome, identifying the space. As you continue to move into the space, your eye is drawn to six large 32-by-32 inch artwork pieces printed on what looks like a paper mache.

The colors are placed in an order to balance out the more saturated colors and the height for hanging ensures you have the opportunity to take in the full selection. When selecting these pieces, we enjoyed how there’s a playful quality with the depiction of origami, something most enjoy first as a kid, yet how it’s modern and clean lines are still appealing to a more mature crowd. The perfect balance for kiddos and adults.

After embracing the first set of art, you may take a journey shelf-to-shelf on a custom furniture piece that’s a blend of metal and woodwork. Tasked to style the wide and tall shelves, we opted for neutral pieces that pulled your eye up and over via stacks of off-white books. Then a mix of greenery, sculptures and interesting objects completes the space. We love the saying, “What is simple doesn’t mean it’s easy.” The thoughtfully selected pieces create an impactful display that isn’t overwhelming, allowing the origami to have its moment as well as the other pieces… let’s say “hello” to them!

Christen Joy Tip: We love utilizing a mix of mediums – photography, print, paint, etc. Mixing it up creates interest!

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Christen Joy Tip: When installing be sure to hang with the right hardware; not utilizing the appropriate hanging hardware can warp the shape of your pieces or result in pieces falling off the wall (ooops!).

LOBBY AND KID’S SPACE As patients and friends or family wait, we wanted to ensure the space had color and life brought in, which isn’t always the focal point of a commercial office space. We wanted to create a space that left a great engagement!

Proposing two dogs, perfectly perched in front of wild wallpaper, we thought it would be a hard pass, but luck was on our side and, oh, it’s so good! Interesting and welcoming conversation pieces. One of our favorite experiences?

Hearing over and over how “the dogs” are a fan favorite. We get it! #puppylove To complement the off-leash dogs is an abstract piece of green and neutral tones. A floating frame and flanked furniture make this abstract piece feel right at home. Two nine-foot fiddle leaf trees were ordered with matte, black concrete pots to highlight the industrial nature of the surrounding spaces. If you’re looking to add life into a space, greenery is always a great place to start – even if faux.

Lastly, grab the record player – the kid’s space is adorned in playful vinyls.

OFFICE SPACES As you’re escorted to the exam spaces, you’ll pass the offices. To create cohesion among the spaces, white books, artwork and greenery were carefully selected. Continuing an established look and feel throughout a space is the perfect way to ensure guests feel a warm welcome through the space – not just in the entryway.

Fun fact: The artwork in the offices is based on the locations of education Dr. West and Dr. Emerson attended. While working with the WE Ortho team on selections they wanted to integrate work that pulled in some sort of tie back to the cities and we loved the idea. We love incorporating personal nods without being overly apparent or literal so we were on board! It brings it back to interest and conversation – a great quality of well-selected artwork.

Christen Joy Tip: We’ve found over the years of installing artwork that 60 inches to the center of the artwork, off the floor, is the perfect height.

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Christen Joy Tip: If you have a knee jerk reaction to a piece of ‘I LOVE it’ (yes, all caps!) then buy it – you’ll always find a space for it.

Christen Joy Tip: Framed artwork has a more finished look and can also make your art collection look higher end.

PRIVATE EXAM SPACES One of our favorites is this barn y’all. The recessed lighting in this space combined with the leather and warm wood tones couldn’t be more perfect for this piece. The lights feel as if they’re casting the shadow on this roofline – you start to reach your hand wanting to know if that’s the case. The floating frame pulls in the surrounding features. This is for sure a piece one will gaze at pre- or post-exam in curiosity.

LARGE EXAM ROOM With large, flanking wall spaces, WE Ortho was craving color and pieces for patients to enjoy throughout their time

spent in the comfortable chairs. Six pieces were selected that echoed the visual interest of the architecture in the space. The selections are modern and clean yet intriguing with bursts of prominent color. We loved how the room was brought to life with the six, perfectly hung pieces – each having their own moment in the open space.

“The artwork and décor upon entry has quite the WOW factor,” Brandi Deutsch, director of business operations at WE Ortho, said. “It makes you feel like you are right at home.

The dog artwork is a huge hit with our team as we have many dog lovers. It is a fun take on a New York loft feel. We love coming in to work every day with artwork that portrays our fun and personality. It has been a great pleasure

Meet Christen Anderson of Christen Joy: Inspired Interiors & Events Anderson is a Minnesota native with an eye for decor and design. Christen Joy specializes in new-construction commercial projects, exceptional remodels, furnishing high-end living spaces and creating memorable special events. Anderson is also a passionate art collector, world traveler and home cook who frequently entertains for friends.

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working Christen Joy and we highly recommend her.”

Whether it’s the special day of starting your journey to a beautiful smile or the day you get to see that oh so sweet straight smile – the Christen Joy team is sure you’ll enjoy the experience at WE Ortho’s new West Fargo location.

Sources: Architecture & Interior Design – JoeArchitect Construction – Olaf Anderson Construction

Join me on Instagram and Facebook to see my latest projects and email me at christen@livechristenjoy.com for design inquires.

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E N T E R TA I N I N G AT

HOME In the midst of winter, each day can feel like a repeat of the last. The subzero temperatures keep us confined to our home with little escape to the outside social world. This begs the question, why not bring some entertainment inside. You can turn your own home into a hub of activity to foster connection among family and friends. This issue celebrates and showcases the many different ways homes can be a gathering place. Turn the page and discover audio and theater systems that create a full sensory experience, flexible spaces that maximize a home’s utility, a basement remodel inspired by flow and functionality, home bar design tips from an interior designer and much more.

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Rod Shafer of Arctic Audio creates high-quality audio/visual setups, including state of the art home theaters.

H O M E T E C H N O LO G Y :

ARCTIC AUDIO ARCTIC AUDIO CREATES HOME AUDIO AND THEATER SYSTEMS THAT ARE A FULL SENSORY EXPERIENCE

BY Jack Hastings | PHOTOS BY Josiah Kopp

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“THAT’S HOW GOOD MUSIC CAN BE. MOST PEOPLE NEVER KNOW BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER LISTENING IN THE CAR, OR T H E Y ' V E G OT A PA I R O F HEADPHONES ON. YOU JUST CAN'T GET THAT S PAT I A L D I M E N S I O N WITHOUT A PROPER P A I R O F S P E A K E R S .”

ROD SHAFER, ARCTIC AUDIO

R

od Shafer, a self-proclaimed audiophile, brings his passion for creating dynamic audio and visual experiences into homes across the community.

Shafer is the owner of Arctic Audio, a 2-channel audio, home theater and smart home consultant in the Red River Valley with an enthusiasm for attaining the highest quality sound possible. Arctic Audio boasts top of the line audio/visual equipment, home theater systems and expertise in smart homes and acoustics.

Audio The prospect of installing an audio system may sound daunting, but Shafer recommended taking it slow, noting that more and more systems have amazing sound quality, are very user-friendly and have an attainable price point.

“Sonos is a great way for anybody to add music to their home,” Shafer said. “It's super easy to run, it's got the best interface in the business.”

Today's audio technology is especially useful in older historic homes to install an audio system without compromising the house’s integrity. Shafer recommended starting out by putting wireless speakers above a cabinet if there is a gap between the cabinetry and the ceiling.

Then put a linked soundbar on the TV and all of a sudden the entire room is easily filled with sound. For the finishing touch, throw in a subwoofer to fill out the bottom end and now you have a fulfilling sound system for your kitchen and living area. There are new options now that offer flexibility for people to play around with their audio set up without a large upfront financial commitment.

Dolby Atmos technology has also made it easy to bring high fidelity surround sound into the home by just triangulating a few speakers. Shafer demonstrated this with a soundbar that is able to create a sound in 3-D space. As cars zoomed across a racetrack on the television, revving engines could be heard behind our heads even though the only speaker was in front of us underneath the TV. There are continual advancements and tweaks in audio technology and Shafer keeps his fingers on the pulse, finding the best functionality at the best price point.

“People just want to make sure it's super easy to run,” Shafer said. “Ten years ago, it was only a volume control knob and maybe it wasn't so easy to use. Now it is. And the price points keep coming down. With Sonos, you can put two of those $200 speakers together, say one is left, one is right, and then you have a stereo pair that sounds really good. The barriers to entry are much lower now.”

The equipment carefully curated by Arctic Audio creates incredibly clear and full soundscapes and ranges from entry-level to "cost no object." Most importantly, Arctic Audio sets up the audio systems themselves, using their experience to tailor the system to fit best in your unique home.

“That’s how good music can be. Most people never know because they're either listening in the car, or they've got a pair of headphones on," Shafer said. "You just can't get that spatial dimension without a proper pair of speakers.”

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The Arctic Audio showroom features a simulated home theater.

Home Theaters In addition to providing excellent sound quality, Arctic Audio is also a home theater and smart home expert.

With Shafer’s knowledge of automated screens, lighting and shade control, any space can be transformed in a comfortable home theater.

Arctic Audio’s showroom contains a fully outfitted 11.4 home theater system, equipped with a 4K Laser projector showcasing crystalline image quality and lighting placed perfectly to complement the screen.

One thing Shafer has noticed is that it’s not just the $600,000 dollar houses that are getting home theaters.

Now he is seeing younger professionals buy lower margin homes and still installing entertainment systems as this technology becomes more attainable.

Acoustic Engineering A unique service that Arctic Audio provides to elevate audio experience significantly is acoustic engineering. “The room is 50 percent of your listening experience,” Shafer said.

Arctic Audio partners with local acoustic and recording professionals to adjust any room for its optimal sound quality. This process utilizes various acoustic solutions that predictably absorb and scatter sound waves. Each solution is implemented to help the room bring out the best from a customer's speakers.

it’s just muddy, harsh and fatiguing to listen to,” Shafer said. “You want to hear the sound directly from the speaker drivers, then you want the sound to go away. Unless you have something to absorb it, it's not going away.”

In a properly tuned room, sound is less reverberant and more controlled. Voices become distinct and you can hear every nuance. Arctic Audio is the only business in the area that can tune a home theater by ear. Every space has unique acoustic profiles that can’t be measured with electronic tools. Shafer's team is able to tune any room so the audio system is perfectly set to the space. The size of the room, flooring and furniture all can have an effect on the theater’s sound quality.

“In terms of home automation, I challenge you to think of anything that you would like to have done technologically that we can't do. It really is to that point where whatever you can think of, it can be done.”

Arctic Audio 3045 Main Ave, Fargo, ND 701-298-2998 arcticaudio.com

TECH TIPS Rod Shafer offers his insight into getting the most out of your audio/visual setup.

“Things like the Sonos Beam, put that under your TV and you've got great sound. The built-in speakers behind the TV bounce against the wall, which sounds indistinct. It's nice to have them facing forward because it makes a lot of the speech clearer for people.”

“If you're budget-conscious, Sonos is a great place to start because it allows you to piece on and put it throughout the entire house.”

“Typically, if speakers are good for music, it's going to be just fine for theater. Sometimes speakers are okay for theater, but might not be the best for music.”

“When you have 11 plus speakers firing in a room, it can build up sound waves and echoes such that pretty soon 31

TrinSpin delivers home audio and video as well as smart home solutions to the F-M area.

H O M E T E C H N O LO G Y :

TRINSPIN

BY Jack Hastings | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY Trin Spin

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TRINSPIN OFFERS TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN AUTOMATE YOUR ENTIRE HOME, FROM AUDIO SYSTEMS TO SECURITY CAMERAS

“DON'T BE AFRAID OF T E C H N O L O G Y. T H A T ' S THE BIGGEST THING I SEE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTIMIDATED

BY IT STILL OR THINK IT'S GONNA ADD COMPLEXITY TO THEIR LIFE. YOU KNOW OUR SLOGAN IS ‘SIMPLIFYING T E C H N O L O G Y.’ W E K E E P T E C H N O L O G Y S I M P L E .”

T R I N I T Y S C H A F F, OWNER, TRINSPIN

Y

ou now have a home theater, installed a security system and brought your audio/visual dreams to life to take your home to the next level. But with more technology comes the trouble of figuring out how to efficiently control all of it. Technology is supposed to make your life easier, not make it any more complicated Trinity Schaff, owner of TrinSPIN, shares how his team can automate your home by taking control of all your technology systems and putting them into a single, easyto-use control system.

Control Systems TrinSPIN makes it possible to manage the technology across your home through one localized and easy-to-use platform. With the touch of a button, you can control your lighting, sound system, thermostat, garage doors, door locks, sprinkler systems and almost anything else you can imagine.

“They can control virtually everything," Schaff said. "The one I'm writing right now will control everything from the client's water feature, to turning on the fire pit, to being able to monitor the temperature in the swimming pools and the hot tubs, to light control, to operating the shades, to the whole house audio system, to the furnace and the doorbell system.”

From just one device, like a tablet, smartphone or touch panels installed throughout the home, anyone can control these various systems. A tablet or other smart device is all one needs to host the control system. Since most households already have a tablet, the main component for installing a control system is already taken care of.

“To have one common platform, without having to open up a bunch of different apps is just another way to make one’s life a little easier. This also allows you to see the entire status of your home in a single view. Great for the main home, your lake home or a seasonal home.”

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TECH TRENDS Trinity Schaff offers his insight into current trends in the home tech industry.

Home Theaters “I would say the biggest thing right now has been anything to do with entertainment in the home.

Home theaters have always come with winter around here. As it gets colder, people tend to hibernate, but now with so many people working from home and it being wintertime it has quadrupled in demand.”

Home Security Camera Systems “With ‘porch pirates’ and other crimes increasing in our area The demand for security cameras continues to rise at a rapid rate.

We are fielding more calls in a single day than we used to in an entire month. People that have no cameras want cameras. The people that have cameras want more cameras added to their current system.”

IP Video “One of my personal favorites for sharing video has come down substantially in price for 2021. You can have all your sources such as Apple TV, Roku Player, DVD players, DVR or any other sources in one location, and be able to watch any of those sources on any TV that's on the home's network, all through a single Cat 6 cable!”

TrinSPIN can customize its control systems for clients, such as this system being personalized for a Bison fan.

The control system has pages that display what's playing in what room or what temperature it is in what room. You can even view footage from your security cameras all through one application. Is everything on, everything off? Are all your doors closed? Did I shut the iron off?! All of this and more can be determined through TrinSPIN’s customized control systems.

the lights is manipulated by moving footballs up and down the field’s yard lines. The scoreboard below shows the level of the lights, the possession arrow lets you know if the lights are on or off, the time clock at the bottom shows the current time for your time zone. Pause a TV show? Expect a time out to be called out on the screen, and the sound of a whistle when you press resume.

“The main thing is to allow the client to control what they need to, or what they do most commonly, with the fewest button presses or no button presses at all,” Schaff said.

“Say you’re on your way home from work, you pull up and its dark, your outdoor lights turn on to lead you up to your garage, the garage door opens, garage lights turn on, the door from the house to garage unlocks, the security system disarms, the lights turn on in the home to lead you to you your go-to spot, your garage door shuts, your garage door lights turn off, TV is turned on to your favorite station and playing through your surround sound system. All that is left is to sit down and enjoy. All you had to do is pull into your driveway!”

“I just give some quirkiness and a little personality to it,” Schaff said. “I have a few clients out there that started off with just basic one-room worth of lights and now their whole house is on there, their theater systems, the whole house audio is on there, they got the weather modules and more. I think a lot of them don't know if they're going to use it and then they start seeing the value in it after a while.”

Customization Now that you have a control system, TrinSPIN goes one step further. Schaff and his team are able to customize the control system itself to the client.

“Our specialty is building a system for our clients,” Schaff said. “We don't do anything cookie cutter so every one of our systems has a unique flair to it. Right now we're working on an NDSU Bison control system for a huge fan of the Bison. We make all of our own icons, make all of our own buttons, make all of everything and bring it to life for them, when they pick up the control it is theirs, built for them, the client.”

On this particular NDSU-inspired system, the brightness of

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TrinSPIN’s dedication to creating the perfect automated home experience for each of its clients is evident in the time and energy put into personally customizing every control system.

“That's what it's all about. It's just simplicity, making their life more simple by just pushing a button and having something happen,” Schaff said. “What drives us too is to see that end result where the client can just pick up the remote. I'll hand it over and I come back in to do training and they're like, ‘Yeah, we got it all figured out already.’ That just puts a smile on my face.”

TrinSPIN 3042 39th St S Fargo, ND 58104 701-361-0358 trinspin.com

B R I N G I N G

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BY Jack Hastings | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY Design Studio 360

ELEVATE YOUR HOME ENTERTAINMENT GAME WITH TIPS AND TRENDS FROM AN INTERIOR DESIGNER

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Designed by Joann Sevald

Designed by Krystal Anderson

Following an interview with a client, Knutson and her team will produce a computer rendering to conceptualize the bar design.

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he spectrum of home bars is much broader than just a designated area to serve alcoholic beverages. Whether it be a coffee bar near your front door to grab a hot brew on your way out or a beverage center the whole family can enjoy, a home bar can be anything you make it.

“When somebody says bar design to me, I think all of those things,” Rebecca Knutson, principal interior designer at Design Studio 360, said. “It's a very much an interview on their lifestyle and how they're going to use that space.”

Space and Budget Space and budget are the two primary considerations to make when beginning the process of designing a home bar.

“You can spend as much or as little on a bar,” Knutson said. “A bar could be a couple of base cabinets and a shelf. It can be super simple.

We've also done bars where the client had picked out a specific black marble countertop or stone countertop where we wanted the bar top to flow with the veins down the water, it can get very specific.”

While the budget can dictate the extent of the bar, space is another key factor. Knutson emphasized that clients have a dedicated space for a home bar. If you plan on having a wet bar, make sure you

have accessible plumbing hookups. If not, budget for plumbing services. If you’re going to have appliances, TVs and lighting, make sure you have the electrical infrastructure to support that.

By adequately preparing and understanding your family’s own particular needs, you can have a home bar that will serve you now and into the future.

Knutson noted that the usage of the space for families with young children and families with older children is very different.

Designed by Joann Sevald

Knutson just had this conversation with a family that had younger children. “In their kitchen, we're going to do two dishwashers knowing that maybe down the road when the kids are in sports and the family isn’t eating every single meal together every single night, that one of those dishwashers will get pulled out and become a secondary beverage fridge.”

It’s important to ask how you see yourself using that bar now. Even interviewing your friends who may or may not have kids at home is a good way to determine how you can best design a space that can be useful through all stages of life.

“I would try not to think about the world that they're in right now," Knutson said. "We always try to get them out of their zone that they're in right now and think about the next stage of life.”

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“ I T ' S A F U N S P A C E , I T ' S F O R E N T E R T A I N M E N T. I T ' S A N U P L I F T I N G S PAC E . M Y A DV I C E I S I T ' S A SMALLER INVESTMENT THAN DOING YOUR WHOLE KITCHEN. SO MAYBE YOU DO ALL OF THE CABINETS I N T H AT G R E E N PA I N T T H AT YO U LOV E . D O A F U N B A C K S P L A S H T H A T ' S A L I T T L E B I T D I F F E R E N T. H A V E I T B E A L I T T L E P O P O F A R T.” REBECCA KNUTSON, P R I N C I PA L I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R AT DESIGN STUDIO 360 Designed by Rebecca Knutson

Displays Knutson noted that the glassware display trend is going away in favor of new storage solutions.

“We used to do a lot of glass doors and glass shelves and lighting up the glass cabinet. That still happens but it’s definitely not as prevalent,” Knutson said. “A lot of floating shelves, they're pretty much everywhere.”

With floating shelves, there is also the opportunity to run LED lighting tracks inside of the shelves to light down on the bar and bottles. Lighting has become a more integral component of bar design and there are plenty of other ways lighting can be used creatively to display bottles.

When displaying bottles and designing cabinets, there are several factors you need to consider. Do not store wine bottles over a refrigerator. The heat the fridge gives off can affect the taste and aging process of the wine. “Typically, we want to make sure that the bottles are always laying on their side.

That helps seal the cork,” Knutson said. “Keep them away from bright light in a dark, cool, dry place.”

Liquor bottles are a bit easier to display. Since most liquors are in a darker bottle, bright lights have less of an effect on the liquor’s chemistry. However, the cork should not be in contact with the liquor because the higher alcohol content would eat away at the cork. This is avoided by simply keeping the bottles upright.

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Ice makers are also becoming more common in beverage stations. Knutson has even had requests from clients for ice makers that produce a specific kind of ice.

When picking out appliances, there are many more finish options out on the market to further customize your space.

“The finishes of appliances have changed so much,” Knutson said. “It's not just stainless steel anymore. Now it's these high-gloss glass-fronts. We do a lot of white. There's also a lot of dark steely grey finishes.”

When heavily colored painted finishes came on to the scene, people were hesitant to do the whole space in one color. The island would be one color, the perimeter of the space another. The bar is meant to be a fun space in the house, so Knutson suggests pushing yourself out of the box.

Knutson asks all these questions about her clients’ lifestyles and tastes to ensure that the bar is as functional as it is beautiful.

“In a bar, I don't think people should hold back,” Knutson said. “It's a fun space, it's for entertainment. It's an uplifting space. My advice is it's a smaller investment than doing your whole kitchen. So maybe you do all of the cabinets in that green paint that you love. Do a fun backsplash that's a little bit different. Have it be a little pop of art.”

Appliances and Finishes Combo fridges have gained popularity in home bars. These refrigerators can have dual temperatures, with wine racks at one temperature on the bottom shelf and soft drinks and juice on the top shelf at another temperature.

Design Studio 360 360 36th St S Fargo, ND 58103 701-237-6601 designstudio360fargo.com

DESIGN & LIVING | F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 2 1

Designed by Krystal Anderson

Designed by Rebecca Knutson

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BY Jack Hastings | PHOTOS BY Josiah Kopp

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hen remodeling her basement, Rachael Boyer, president and CEO of The Home Authority, custom designed the space to meet her entertaining dreams. With a theater, game table, full bar, exercise room, home office and guest bedroom, Boyer’s remodel fully realized her basement’s unutilized potential.

From the floorplan to the fixtures and finishes, Boyer offered her professional insight into the process behind the basement remodel.

“There's nothing normal about anything The Home Authority does and so it gives us the opportunity to problem solve and do unique things where other companies probably wouldn't have that ability,” Boyer said.

A guiding concept of this basement remodel was to maximize the function of the home’s entertainment space. The resulting solution is a fully outfitted basement entertainment area complete with its own private entry.

Home Theater The basement’s home theater boasts an 85-inch TV underlined by a narrow, linear fireplace. The resulting effect is sleek and modern, requiring creative problem solving to be executed so seamlessly. The house is designed with a bump-out. Boyer utilized that extra space to do a reverse design of the TV and fireplace to make them flush and put all the components behind.

WEAVING TOGETHER PRACTICALITY AND STYLE TO CREATE T H E U LT I M A T E ENTERTAINING SPACE

“Most basements that are being remodeled are older homes or they’re homes that haven't been finished before,” Boyer said. “You just have to plan appropriately when you're picking out your fireplace. Some people want the traditional square fireplace and you just can't do it and get the big TV at the same time.”

The home theater also includes a sound system that runs throughout the entire home. Everything is automated off of an iPad system and the sound system can be controlled from any room of the house.

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Game Table The focal point of the gaming area is a beautiful live-edge gaming table with a stream of clear epoxy running down the center resembling a shallow riverbed.

“This is a piece that's really meaningful to us for many reasons,” Boyer said. Within the epoxy are stones from Boyer’s grandparents’ house. Boyer’s grandmother even put some of the stones into the table herself, adding sentimental value to the table.

The Home Authority creates custom tables using locally sourced lumber. They can custom build a table to best serve the form and function of your space. In the case of Boyer’s table, it is built with memories from the past and is used as a gathering space to create future memories.

The wood slab of the table was also used to make end tables that can double as additional seating.

Bar This basement also features a full bar designed to be the hub of the space. Boyer designed the bar so that if someone is standing behind it, they have complete sightlines to all other areas in the basement.

“A lot of the time, people disconnect in the basement. They have these little areas and not everyone can fit in those spaces,” Boyer said. “The general concept I think a lot of people miss out on is that everyone wants to see everyone and be with everyone. So we created that space.”

Even with the space’s openness, it still feels cozy and personable. Boyer credits this to their decision to do 8-foot ceilings rather than 10-foot ceilings.

Boyer considered the practicality and aesthetic value in all of the design choices.“We leave everything wide open because you have no question about where your coffee is, no question where the dishes are and no question where the drinks are,” Boyer elaborated on the decision to use primarily floating shelves. “It makes it easy for people to feel at home."

An iridescent metallic backsplash paired with thick wooden floating shelves adds an industrial feature to the bar without sacrificing any of the space’s warmth. The prominent use of wood throughout the basement brings a natural element to the modern palette. One can even see the relationship between the natural and the industrial in the bar’s quartzite countertop, as the slab’s markings resemble the roots of a tree.

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“A LO T O F T H E T I M E , P E O P L E D I S CO N N E C T I N T H E B A S E M E N T. T H E Y H A V E T H E S E L I T T L E A R E A S A N D N O T E V E RYO N E C A N F I T I N T H O S E S PAC E S . T H E G E N E RA L CONCEPT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MISS OUT ON IS THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE EVERYONE AND BE WITH E V E R Y O N E . S O W E C R E A T E D T H A T S P A C E .”

- RACHAEL BOYER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HOME AUTHORITY

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Exercise Room Just off the bar is an exercise room complete with mirrored walls, rubber floors and metal barn doors custom-designed by Boyer. When closed, the doors act as a sound barrier, giving the room a spa-like feel.

When open, whoever is behind the bar has a direct view of the TV. Bed and Bath The basement also includes a guest bedroom and two bathrooms. In the bathroom near the entry, Boyer wanted to show how you can maximize your space. “I wanted to show what a standard size bathroom is in normal homes, and how you can take out a tub and make a beautiful tile shower and still have a good-sized vanity,” Boyer said. “People don't realize that because they're used to their little enclosed area.”

The second bathroom is located just off the guest bedroom, which contains one of the most memorable features of the remodel, a petrified wood sink. Past the bathroom is a bright and airy home office with white cabinetry, live-edge floating shelves and a metallic floor that sparkles when caught in the light just right.

Boyer’s remodel expertly balances both industrial and natural design elements while emphasizing the flow and function of the space.

The Home Authority Homeauthorityinc.com 701-936-5610

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BY Jack Hastings | PHOTOS BY Josiah Kopp

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DESIGNING WITH BOTH FA M I LY A N D ENTERTAINING IN MIND

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ne of the primary appeals of building a new home is the ability to personalize it to best serve your current needs for whatever stage of life you're in. This two-story, three-bedroom home by Thomsen Homes is a floorplan that suits growing families and those that like to entertain.

Upon entering the home, a large mudroom serves as a convenient receiving area for guests. With ample space for shoes and coats, the host can forgo stashing guests’ winter gear in a spare bedroom. This space also becomes especially useful in everyday use for both children and parents with room to shed and store those extra layers.

Immediately to the left of the entry is a stairway with natural light cascading into the mudroom from a large window on one of the staircase's landings. The home was originally designed with the stairs facing the living area, but with this floorplan option, the stairs are flipped to

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face the front door to create a grand stairway effect.

“We work with our homeowners to personalize their floor plan and give them options within that plan,” Korey Zellers, New Home Consultant, said, “We work with the homeowner and create a space that is functional for them. This sometimes entails the moving of walls, positioning of stairs or plumbing."

The main living and dining spaces is completely open.

There are no walls blocking sightlines to help facilitate conversation and connection throughout the entire space. Windows fill the area to allow for plenty of natural light, along with a fireplace to tie in the beauty of the room.

Building off of that feeling of openness, the kitchen sink is placed in the island and faces toward the living area.

Even as someone is cleaning dishes or preparing food, they are still connected with their guests and can interact easily. There is also plenty of storage, including a walk-in pantry, making it easy to store countertop appliances.

Off to the side of the living space is a flex area that can act as an office or children’s play area. This space could even be used to extend the entertaining space further. In the warmer months, the living space can easily expand outside to the patio, which has direct access to the main living area.

Multiple bathrooms were deliberately planned on both the main and lower levels to accommodate large groups.

Downstairs is a large, open room with the potential to be converted into a home theater or gaming area.

A large egress window introduces plenty of natural light, continuing the main level's feeling of openness

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downstairs. The primary focal point of the lower level is a wet bar. With its satin brass finishes and black undermount sink, the bar adds another layer of visual interest and entertainment opportunities.

All the bedrooms are on the upper and lower level, which helps keep the main floor a completely communal space. The second story has three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Thomsen Homes’ 2191 Two-Story plan typically has 4 bedrooms on the upper floor, but in this home, the fourth bedroom was redesigned as a loft at the top of the stairs that leads to each bedroom. Once again, functionally placing parents close to the children to help streamline bedtime and laundry day.

“What's nice about our floor plans is we've got a variety of different plans and price points, but we have options within those floor plans,” Lauren Huff, Marketing Brand Manager, said. “So if you are walking through a model home, and you're like, 'I'd rather have the island face this way,' we have different options within our standard floor plan so you can go beyond it. Our clients feel like they can customize and personalize that space to fit their family.”

The floor plan offers flexibility for clients, as they can tailor the space to perfectly meet their needs. If anything, this plan shows that you shouldn’t have to sacrifice a beautiful home for functionality.

Thomsen Homes 3280 Veterans Blvd. Suite 120 Fargo, North Dakota 58104 701-478-3000 ThomsenHomesLLC.com

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P L A C E

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BY Jack Hastings | PHOTOS BY Josiah Kopp

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usiness upstairs and party downstairs. The Quincy Rambler by Heritage Homes definitely knows how to keep it fun. With an open concept main floor and flexible use lower level, this home utilizes every square inch to its highest potential.

The main floor’s open living concept makes it a highly functional space. The living space is adorned with clean white detailing and exposed beams for a modern chic feel.

But downstairs is where the fun really begins.

“The Quincy lower level is designed for entertaining all ages,” Tyrone Leslie, CEO and president of Heritage Homes, said. “The lower level great room is designed for gathering all your friends and family for movie nights or watching one of your favorite sporting events.”

The downstairs amenities include a wet bar, a wine grotto, a theater, a pool/game room and a play nook for children adjacent to the main entertainment area. There are also several flexible spaces that can be designed for other purposes to best serve your needs well into the future.

“With our Woman-Centric Approach, all these rooms have flexible living and can be designed to your wants and needs. For example, these rooms could be designed for fitness, work, school, arts and crafts and so much more,” Leslie said.

Heritage Homes’ Woman-Centric Approach is a design philosophy that approaches design with an understanding and appreciation for women’s preferences in the home.

This philosophy focuses on flexible-living, plenty of storage, a place to destress and entertaining.

USING FLEXIBLE SPACES TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SQUARE FOOTAGE

This home takes on the challenge of best utilizing every square inch to be practical and is wildly successful. One of the most innovative ways this home maximizes the use of space is the wine grotto underneath the staircase. What would have otherwise been completely wasted space has been transformed into a fun and unique feature that offers additional counter space and storage for a wine collection.

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In addition to the wine grotto is a wet bar that completes the dynamic gathering space and entertainment hub in the lower level.

When planning your own home, it can be beneficial to create similar flexible spaces in order to adapt to your changing lifestyle and needs. By thinking ahead and giving your family the room to expand and change, you’re not only increasing your home’s value but also increasing its livability for your family.

“This home, along with all the homes we build, focuses on the livability of the home to complement the homeowner’s lifestyle,” Leslie said. “This home specifically helps future clients capture and envision the possibilities of what could be. The choices they have, the flexibility of the space and the unique details all come together to make this their dream home. We build our homes to be a place for our homeowners to embrace their space, creating just the right space for everything that matters to them.”

Heritage Homes 1815 38th St. S Fargo, ND 58103 701-281-7184 heritagefargo.com

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HOME E N T E RTA I N M E N T Trend Rewind Every month we have the privilege to step into many different homes and share emerging trends and ideas with our readers. In this home entertainment issue, we wanted to take a look back at some of the most stunning, innovative and just plain fun entertaining spaces we've had the pleasure of featuring. See what trends we discovered through the years and glean some inspiration for your own space.

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A liquor cabinet is a stylish alternative to a full home bar. This bachelor pad's port-hole liquor cabinet is a work of art itself. Paired with a full wine rack, these pieces communicate that the condo is a fun hang-out zone.

A Tale of Two Condos, October 2020 Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography

This lower level entertainment area combines a wet bar, billiards table and shuffleboard table with minimalist design elements, creating a sleek and refined gathering space.

A Modern, Minimalist Lake Dwelling, February 2018 Photo by Dusty Bias provided by Chris Hawley Architects

That empty room in your home can easily be converted into a home gym. Just lay down some rubber floors, mount a mirror and fill it with your favorite exercise equipment.

Healthy & Efficient, April 2020 Photo by Kayleigh Omang

What better way to escape the North Dakota winters than a backyard sauna. Saunas can help homeowners embrace winter and have something to look forward to when the temperatures begin to drop.

A Sauna for the Stadums, November 2018 Photo by Hilary Ehlen

This theater room was already wired for an entertainment system when the home was purchased. However, the design team painted the ceiling and area behind the screen black to give the room its own unique feel.

A Handsome Interior, August 2018 Photo by Hilary Ehlen 57

This soft and tranquil game and bar area achieves a quintessential coastal flair with its light, airy color scheme and nautical references.

Coastal Comfort, June 2020 Photo by Jordan Weitzel

This family replaced their primary-colored, sportsthemed sunroom for the perfect shade of charcoal.

This color played well with the existing pine ceiling and live-edge wood bar, giving it that desirable mid-century modern aesthetic.

A Dash of Character, August 2020 Photo provided by Kelly Rasco

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This theater room, outfitted with theater seating and a projector, is perfect for family movie nights or for hosting sleepovers.

A New Home For A New-to-Fargo Family, September 2018 Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography

An existing shelf or nook can always be repurposed as a bar cart.

In this home, two built-in shelves acting as both a bar cart and a bookshelf are made from wood sourced from where the homeowners grew up.

Room to Grow, February 2020 Photo by Hilary Ehlen

Designed for an avid pool player, this pool table was custom-built to convert into a dining table by adding walnut tabletop panels and adjusting the height. The benches also double as hidden pool cue storage.

A Modern Eclectic Abode, November 2017 Photo by Hilary Ehlen

From Good to Gold

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BY Melanie Iverson, Principal Designer and CEO of Mosaic Design and Build | PHOTOS BY Josiah Kopp

hen Lana and Korey Kirschenmann contacted James and me, with Mosaic Design and Build, they wanted us to have full creative license to design a space they’d be proud of for years. As small business owners of Medical Pharmacy South in the Osgood Hornbachers, their lives are busy and full with their family of four. They wanted an eclectic mix of warmth, unique focal art pieces and mindful intentionality behind the aesthetics of their home.

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"I love thinking outside the box with my clients and helping them envision what they can’t quite imagine yet. In my years of experience as an interior design consultant and the Principal Designer of Mosaic Design and Build, I’ve noticed that people can’t always explain what they want, but they can explain how they want to feel in the space."

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Now that their two girls were almost grown, they wanted a more mature space that could not only entertain family at holidays, but also the girls’ Trollwood acting cast, bible studies and host epic gettogethers. A few of their concerns were that the main level felt dark, even with all its natural light. The kitchen was dated with honey oak, brown tile and old commissioned art on the walls. Although the Kirschenmann's both grew up on farms in rural North Dakota, their design goal wasn't a modern farmhouse look.

“We wanted a modern feel, but not the monochromatic palette of gray on gray. We were excited about a space that is unique to us and that no one else has,” Korey and Lana said during that first meeting.

“We love modern design, but wanted our home to feel warm and not sterile.”

Melanie Iverson is the Principal Designer and CEO of Mosaic Design and Build, a boutique interior design studio and general contracting firm she co-founded with her husband James.

Although Melanie and James’ focus is remodeling and renovating residential properties in the area, Melanie has worked with several commercial design clients, including an international hospitality company, multiple restaurants and boutique salons. As the cofounder of her nonprofit, She Overcomes, she loves working with women to accelerate their growth in local businesses.

As a graduate of MSUM with a bachelor’s degree in advertising, public relations and marketing, Melanie has also raised over $1 million to fight human trafficking, impacting hundreds of thousands of people in over 23 countries. After serving Syrian and Iraqi refugees in the Middle East, her humanitarian work brought her to Iraq while ISIS was still in control in 2017 to support a female-ran humanitarian organization based out of Tennessee and a local nonprofit.

While Melanie loves restoring homes with James, she’s a passionate speaker and author on overcoming PTSD, anxiety and depression and social justice issues.

I was elated because I love thinking outside the box with my clients and helping them envision what they can’t quite imagine yet. In my years of experience as an interior design consultant and the Principal Designer of Mosaic Design and Build, I’ve noticed that people can’t always explain what they want, but they can explain how they want to feel in the space. After those first exploratory sessions with the Kirschenmanns, I went to the drawing board to help them identify their style, budget and timeline to start the demo process.

Demolition and Design On the top of the renovation list was: relocating the ill-placed pantry to the kitchen, removing the center wall that separated the kitchen and living room, and reconsidering where the dining area would be.

We wanted to add even more light and brighten it up, without being locked into the same color palette.

I designed the kitchen with them until we had every detail - even to the point where we all knew where the tupperware would be placed!

Steve Jobs once said, “Design is not just what it looks like. Design is how it works.” We wanted their kitchen and entertaining space to look and function well for large and small groups of people. With an 11-foot island at the center of their home that seats four, a buffet that acts as a serving area for large groups and two separate dining areas, we knew this was going to be a home where many could gather.

We opted for a neutral waterproof floor that could withstand their girls’ friends coming inside from the pool and hot tub, which is part of their entertaining space that extends outdoors.

In an effort to keep a modern and clean flow, we decided to exchange the existing older windows for a more sophisticated look.

We also added two skylights to bring the outdoors inside yearround. The ceiling was a fun challenge because we wanted to create clean lines by adding shiplap and beams that elongated the space.

Additionally, we rerouted the lighting so it accommodated the new layout.

The pantry was relocated to the back corner of the kitchen, and we added a surprise cement print tile that makes organizing the space even more fun. We added more useful storage and walnut butcher block countertops in the walk-in pantry and installed an automatic light so they wouldn’t even need a light switch.

The cafe appliances complemented the black and white custom

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cabinets, floating shelves and white quartz and walnut countertops on the buffet, perimeter wall and island. We wanted each detail to feel like a work of art. Even the locally made, custom metal stair railings highlight the clean lines and modern touch of elegance in the Kirschenmann’s home.

Restoring Kintsugi - an Ancient Art Form With a name like Mosaic, I always process the tile work we do with great intent. As an artist, I’d learned about the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi, which is where an artist takes the broken pieces of ceramic vessels and pieces them back together, using gold, silver or platinum.

The philosophy behind the art form is that it treats the breakage and repair of an object as something to celebrate and not disguise.

The Kirschenmanns could have simply sold their home to upgrade somewhere else. Instead, they decided to go through their own demolition and rebuilding process to ultimately make their home even more beautiful - much like a Kintsugi artist would do - and cherish the memories created while looking forward to new ones that continue to bind them together even stronger than before.

I was so excited they chose to move forward on the hexagon hombre backsplash I presented - utilizing every single part of their home as a canvas to create a one of a kind art piece. We chose the black, grey, white and metallic gold bronze honeycomb hexagons to install, piece by piece. The grout is a metallic gold that shimmers when the sun hits it - highlighting the cracks and honoring the placement of each honeycomb tile.

Choosing furniture with the Kirschenmanns was done intentionally to add splashes of color and even a built-in bay window seat for their sweet dog, Ellie, to sit. I couldn’t be more honored that they even allowed me to paint a custom set of paintings, pulling all our colors together and adding just a few touches of the metallic golds to coordinate with the other accessories on their main level.

Good to Gold It’s such an honor when a client invites us into their home, shares vulnerably about their space and allows us to partner with them in the design and remodeling process. The Kirschenmann’s home was good before we got there, but our goal is that when our job is complete they feel and see the gold in the remodeling process. James and I always tease that although people love seeing the progress, they love to see us leave even more. It means that our job of transforming their good to gold is done.

CREDITS: Floor Finishes: CoreTec Cabinets: Clearwater Custom Cabinets Countertops: Northern Stone Backsplash: Bedrosians Railing: IMS Supply Millwork: Selzler Homes Island Counter Table: Grain Designs Dining Chairs: Article Counter Stools: Four Hands Rugs & Pillows: West Elm Home Decor: EcoChic & Four Hands

C R E AT I N G A HOW A HOUSING DEVELOPER TURNS A N E M PT Y P L O T O F L A N D I N T O H O M E

BEFORE

The Newport Ridge housing development in Kindred used its location adjacent to the city and airport as an asset.

AFTER

BY Jack Hastings PHOTOS PROVIDED BY Newport Ridge

efore you move into your new dream house, before the groundbreaking and even before the roads are paved, careful thought and planning goes into a housing development. Mark Ottis was part of the team that created the Newport Ridge housing development in Kindred, ND, his first development.

Newport Ridge is an airpark housing development with mostly single-family lots and a few hangar home lots. Ottis pursued this endeavor with three partners: Kelly Perhus, Dean Merhiy and Marlowe Rud. Ottis was born and raised in Kindred by a family that has farmed that land for generations. He is also an aviator. Having farmed the land surrounding the Kindred airport and having an interest in aviation, Ottis nurtured a vision of a hanger home community. The dream of a community where someone can have their house and airplane together near an airstrip is what got Ottis started in development and marked the origins of the Newport Ridge development.

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“ YOU KIND OF HAVE TO HAVE THE HEART OF A D E V E LO P E R . Y O U H A V E T O B E A LW A Y S L O O K I N G AT THINGS AND THINKING, ‘HOW CAN I MAKE THEM BETTER? IS THERE SOMETHING I SEE HERE T H AT N O B O D Y E L S E H A S SEEN?’ YOU CAN BRING O U T T H AT C H A R A C T E R O F T H AT PA R C E L O F L A N D . ” - MARK OTTIS

“That's how I got to be a developer. It was more of the passion for aviation that got me started,” Ottis said. “Once I got rolling into it, I actually really enjoyed the other pieces of it.”

Now in the final phase of development, Newport Ridge has become home to many families. What began as an empty plot of land is now a community.

BEGINNINGS The Kindred airport is nestled into the community, making it a desirable location for prospective homeowners.

“When you're going to develop a piece of property you have to find the right piece of land and then you have to have the right vision for that piece,” Ottis said.

It’s important for the land to be connected to a community that makes sense, meaning that the infrastructure of the community is compatible with that of the development. The perfect chemistry between a developer’s vision and the piece of land is a good indicator of success for a budding development.

“You kind of have to have the heart of a developer,” Ottis said. “You have to be always looking at things and thinking, ‘How can I make them better? Is there something I see here that nobody else has seen?' You can bring out that character of that parcel of land.”

Ottis saw a unique opportunity in Newport Ridge with its proximity to the airport, school and a park and capitalized on it. Some developers may have been hesitant to utilize land adjacent to an airport, but Ottis and his partners turned what could have been a liability into an asset.

Once the vision was conceptualized, Ottis worked with the city government to execute the plans. Cities have established ordinances and lot sizes that need to be accounted for, as well as existing water, sewer, storm sewer and traffic infrastructure the development needs to be compatible with.

Engineers become a major component in this stage.

CREATING COMMUNITY Once the land has been acquired and the property subdivided into lots, there still remains the challenge of turning the development into a community.

How does one instill a sense of camaraderie and togetherness among the residents to truly build a neighborhood?

“You want to create communities where people participate in the community, they're not just spectators in the community,” Ottis said. “In Kindred, the community itself has a certain culture and we just try to build on that.”

The appeal of a small-town lifestyle is drawing in residents, in addition to the airport itself. Newport Ridge also took the initiative to mix its smaller and larger lots together. According to Ottis, this decision has led to a stronger neighborhood.

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The existing community and residents should also be taken into consideration when planning a development. “They see the value of the community growing and they also see the value of bringing in new citizens to the community,” Ottis said. “I tell people the person that builds on that lot down the street may turn out to be your best friend or your children's best friends, but you'll never have that opportunity to meet that person if they don't build a house on that lot.”

The development itself can be a promise of new possibilities. Like anything, this comes with occasional challenges.

“We can't create a community and a street and a lot that's going to be absolutely perfect, all the way through your life,” Ottis said. “There's going to be things that you're going to have to adjust to. I think it's a matter of helping people manage those expectations.”

BUILDING YOUR FUTURE HOME A successful development is created with the future residents in mind.

Understanding the demographics of the people interested in living in your development is key. For Newport Ridge, the primary demographic is young families.

“The school is the drive in the Kindred area; it's the center of the town,” Ottis said. “Everything revolves around school activities, but that's pretty much any small town. So creating lots that will fit families and at a price point where those younger adults can afford to build is important to us.”

Moving to a development also provides homeowners with the opportunity to build a new house that perfectly serves their needs. Many of the people moving into the development will be new to the community as well. What drew you to the development could be same for someone else, creating a common ground between neighbors. Perhaps that common ground could be the unique character and aviation focus of Newport Ridge.

“There are some developments that are very sterile,” Ottis said. “They're just straight streets and the houses pretty much all look the same and I don't think that's what people want when they come to our community.”

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THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENTS With his first development nearing completion, Ottis has already begun planning the next one, this time with his family. The second development is taking note of current trends and the lessons he’s learned from developing Newport Ridge.

One of the elements he’d like to incorporate into this next development is eliminating backyard neighbors by setting up lots that back up into green space or a water feature. People have also become comfortable with smaller lots as long as there is easily accessible green space nearby. There has been dwindling demand for housing developments along golf courses, as they are expensive, labor-intensive and many people don’t have the time or resources to commit to golfing.

“There's actually developments where they have golf courses incorporated in the developments where they're taking the golf course out, and just leaving the fairways as park areas,” Ottis said. “The idea of just creating pathways through your development that are interesting, that's one of the things we're trying to incorporate.”

Other emerging trends are the reemergence of front porches and increased common areas to make it easier to interact with neighbors in a more casual setting. According to the Wall Street Journal, 25 years ago 42 percent of U.S. homes were built with a front porch. In 2004, that number was 52 percent and in 2020 it had risen to 65 percent of new homes.

“There's a lot of lessons I learned from the first one, and hopefully I'm using those lessons well. Managing people's expectations, taking the unique pieces of your property that can be construed as a negative and turning them into a positive, finding out what makes this neighborhood unique.”

form function WITH JACKSON STROM OF STROM ARCHITECTURE

the top five basement requests

BY Jackson Strom, Principle Architect at Strom Architecture

A

rchitect Jackson Strom of Strom Architecture dives into a different, important design discussion each month. This month, Strom shows us the top five features being added to basements.

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Like it or not, we are all spending more time at home these days. Whether it be for exercise, entertainment or relaxation, our homes are now being used for activities that we used to go out for. With that comes utilizing more space than we did pre-pandemic. Our client’s basements are no longer an afterthought. For some clients, basements include some of their most unique features and used spaces of their home.

In this edition of Form & Function, we share the top five basement requests our clients are asking for, and what to consider when planning for each.

1. Work-Out Room Your preference of exercise is a personal choice, and everyone’s ideal workout takes a specific size and layout. Different activities require different amounts of space. If you’re hopping on a bike for cardio, your workout room may be much smaller than if you’re after full-body weight-training.

Consider your equipment, and document the dimensions. Ensure your layout allows for proper clearances and circulation for the exercise you’re planning. Envision the whole

space. Is there a spot for a TV? Are there mirrors on the walls? Do you have a rubber floor? Are there ceiling fans for circulation? Do you want this space visible to the rest of the basement or hidden behind a door? The more you can plan upfront, the more likely your work-out room will end up exactly as you envisioned, and will get utilized even after our New Year resolutions fall to the wayside.

2. Theater Room With the reduced use of movie theaters at this time, our clients are opting to bring the experience to their homes. Some clients request a specific screen size, movie theater recliners with elevated seating arrangement, while others simply want the largest flat-screen TV available with a sectional sofa.

Flat-screen or projector? Sectional sofa or recliners? Will you want tiered seating or all seating on one level? Built-in audio or wireless?

Review the optimal viewing distance to your screen and consider sound-proofing the room. What will you be watching and who you will be watching with? Is your theater a room for sporting events with friends, who will be coming and going for snacks and drinks, or will you be sitting through a movie for a

longer period of time? These discussions will assist your decision making for the layout and equipment specifications, resulting in the perfect theater room for your home.

3. Sauna Between the proven health benefits and the frigid Midwest winters we experience, it is not surprising that many of our clients are incorporating saunas into their homes.

Whether a kit or custom-built on-site, there are many ways to incorporate a sauna into your home.

As with the theater room, you will want to consider how the sauna will be used. How many people will be in there at a time? Will it be a solo retreat or a party? Is it located within the work-out room, off a bathroom or on its own? Is it the traditional wet-dry sauna, using electric or wood-burning heat sources with stones to raise the temperature, or is it an infrared unit that uses radiant heat elements conveying heat directly to the body, working up a sweat from within? Out of all the items on this list, the sauna requires the least square footage and, fitting during the pandemic, it reduces stress.

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4. Golf Simulator The current pandemic doesn’t hamper our ability to hit the golf course, but our winters can! For this reason, our clients are often interested in incorporating a golf simulator in their home’s design. We tend to plan these spaces around the main rec room, allowing the participants to grab a drink or snack while still maintaining watch over the action.

When planning for a golf simulator, find your desired unit and go directly to the specifications. Many units require additional ceiling height, often 10 feet, and proper clearances for swinging. As mentioned above, layout the space and think about how the adjacent spaces can interact. Is there a bar top that overlooks the golf simulator? Can you view a TV from the area? The more you can connect the space to the rest of the action, the more it will be utilized.

5. Basketball Court Although it takes up the most square footage, there is no other room that your kids and their friends will rank above the basketball court.

Often only half-court, but as long as they can shoot a three, there should be no complaints!

Whether it’s to simply wear off steam or fine-tune basketball skills, these courts are becoming more and more popular.

We advise capturing the free-throw line, and full three-point line in your design, anything after that is icing on the cake. Layout your space with the basketball hoop - keep in mind you will want some clearance between your hoop and the wall, otherwise lay-ups and other below the hoop activities may become dangerous. Will you want a bench for spectators? A view from an adjacent room or from a room above?

Although there are many ways to incorporate a basketball court into the design of your home, we often position it adjacent to the garage, so it does not affect the scale of the home or impede on any views of the outdoors. The goal is to be able to drive by your home and not know where the basketball court could be or if there is one.

Conclusion Even though the pandemic's end is in sight (we hope), the desire for the spaces above are here to stay. Families are enjoying the comfort of their own homes more, and have more time to do so. Whether it’s an item from the list above or something from your own wish list, think of how you can create a unique space to better serve you and your family.

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With over a decade of experience, Strom’s passion for the architectural profession led him to found Strom Architecture in 2019. Within his new firm, Strom Architecture strives to elevate the ordinary elements that exist in all projects.

Strom Architecture STROMARCH.COM @STROMARCH

Providing a simple and enjoyable lake home building experience

ARTIST FEATURE

TURNING EARTH INTO

ART

BY Jack Hastings | PHOTOS BY Josiah Kopp

C

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eramic artist Annette Marchand creates expressive work inspired by nature's organic forms.

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The tactile nature of ceramics allows for the artist to explore the relationship between the sculptural and functional.

For artist Annette Marchand, she thrives in the expressive yet controlled nature of ceramic art.

Marchand is motivated to continually push the clay further, innovating with form and instilling new ideas and emotions into her work.

Discovery and Practice Marchand’s passion for art has been with her since she was a child. She didn’t come from a family of artists and didn’t have access to museums, but she would see art on magazine covers.

“I would look at a Picasso on a Time magazine cover and hear people say, ‘That is art? I could do that.’ And I’d think, ‘Why would they put it on the cover of a magazine if it wasn’t art?’” Marchand said. “I needed to know what makes that art. I wanted to learn about that.”

From a young age, Marchand was determined to become an artist. After throwing a perfect form during her first ceramics class in high school, she was hooked and took more pottery classes when she entered college. One of the most formative moments in Marchand’s development as an artist was a trip she took to Europe in college, visiting England, France, Italy and Germany. While in Venice, she ventured off on her own

Marchand hand draws the bees onto the ceramic pieces, showcasing her skill in both two- and three-dimensional mediums.

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and stumbled into a little art gallery showing one of Picasso’s beach scenes. “It made me feel good because I found something that was really unique,” she said. “I'm always totally into learning, learning more and doing more.”

Marchand was trained as a painter but had a natural skill for clay. “Part of what really attracted me to it was the whole community and social aspect of being a part of that environment, versus being a painter where you're really isolated,” Marchand said.

As a painter, Marchand spent a lot of time alone with her canvas, which was a great experience for her, but ran out of inspiration. At the same time, she was spending more and more time learning and working with clay.

“I feel limited by the two-dimensional surface,” Marchand said. As an abstract painter, Marchand poured energy into her work, getting aggressive and wild with her brush. She transferred that same energy into her clay. “I felt like I had a little bit of an edge on a lot of ceramic artists that didn't have that ability to cut loose and be comfortable messing things up and going a little wild with the surfaces of their clay.”

Marchand is especially drawn to abstract expressionism.

The wilder, the better. She incorporates that looseness and expression of painting into her ceramic work, which in comparison is a much more controlled medium.

In this regard, art is as much of a therapeutic process for Marchand as it is an expressive outlet.

“I JUST KEPT GOING DEEPER AND DEEPER AND IT BECAME A REALLY MEDITATIVE PROCESS FOR ME. I ALWAYS SAY CLAY IS A HEALER. YOU CAN PUT YOUR SAD ENERGY INTO IT AND YOU CAN PUT YOUR HAPPY ENERGY INTO IT. IT KIND OF TAKES IT IN AND GIVES YOU SOMETHING IN RETURN.” - ANNETTE MARCHAND, CERAMIC ARTIST Inspiration and Innovation “My ultimate goal is to innovate and to think outside of the box, and to move in a direction that other potters might not have explored,” Marchand said.

A series of pieces gathering buzz is Marchand’s bee bowls. Inspired by the organic shapes of a beehive and by the pollinators themselves, these vibrant and warm yellow bowls feature Marchand’s hand drawings on the clay. The work is elegant yet whimsical as it combines

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Marchand’s expertise in both the two- and threedimensional art forms.

Some of Marchand’s other work includes her artful yet functional butter dishes and wood fire jugs.

“I'm always trying to push my own personal limits. I’ve done pretty tight and controlled work, but I've also done work where I altered the form and pushed it toward sculpture. I also love that. I'm on the verge of being ready to move back to doing that because I like a little funk in my form.”

When sitting down behind the wheel, Marchand’s goal is to create precious individual pieces, putting meaning and thought into the shape of the clay. Each piece has its own story. She enjoys experimenting with different forms and textures through her work. These variations that Marchand incorporates into the clay make the pieces appear to be from different artists on the surface, but her thoughtful eye and intuitive touch are evident through each piece.

“I get on a whim and I do this and then I get on a different whim and I do that. Whatever catches my eye or whatever mood I'm in pulls me in different directions.”

One of Marchand’s biggest inspirations are organic shapes found in nature. A leisurely walk can turn into a font of ideas for her future work.

“I'm obsessed with textures and patterns. I go for walks and I look around at nature. I find patterns in the snow or on the sidewalk that come from the changes in the weather and I'll sit and obsess on them and draw them in detail.” Marchand even drew the beehive pattern on the bee bowls by referencing a natural beehive.

Marchand has studied and worked with many mediums in addition to clay and painting, including drawing, printmaking and glassblowing.

“I'd actually really like to get back into painting and drawing some more too because I feel like it's the heart of everything I do. I think for any fine artist, the better you can draw, the better you can sculpt, the better you can do almost anything. There's something that happens in that drawing phase where you're really focused and connected. I analyze all that stuff.”

All of Marchand’s past studies and experience in different mediums inform the piece’s resulting form. In some ways, this process creates a tangible documentation of Marchand’s current state of mind and interests.

When working on a piece, Marchand is very deliberate about its form, carefully considering every component from the shape of the lip to the belly and feet.

“I want to push the clay around. I want to see new forms. I want to think about functionality and also about

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simple sculptural essence.”

The physicality, movement and energy of working with clay are all part of Marchand’s love for the art form.

Looking to the future, Marchand wants to continue to push her forms further and communicate new ideas and feelings through the clay’s form.

“You have to build a whole relationship with clay. I think about that a lot, you have to learn how to touch the clay. It takes a long time sometimes to get it. It's fun and challenging.”

Marchand is sharing her insight and also showing others the beauty of art through her work as a visual art teacher at the North Dakota Center for Distance Education and as an instructor at the Plains Art Museum.

“Everything is important. Then I also say, ‘Don’t get too precious on everything.’ With my students, I don't want them to get discouraged. It might look lumpy right now but it's important. It's a record of what you've created. It shows your progress. At the end of the day, it's nice to say you accomplished something.”

Marchand's work is on display and available for purchase at the Dakota Fine Art Gallery.

Instagram: @appollomarchand Website: www.annettemarchand.art