The Willow Avenue Reveal

Lindsey Grace Interiors

Inside this “Willow Avenue” remodel, we took our client’s home from studs to stunning. The top-to-bottom overhaul of their newly purchased home presented an exciting opportunity to delve into space planning with talented architects, specify timeless finishes, and finally, infuse every room with comfortable, elegant furnishings. These homeowners put their move-in plans on hold and trusted the process, transforming an exciting project into a dream project. The setting for the client’s bustling family life required beauty and balance — a refined design that could slow down the pace, plant new roots, and create a peaceful yet productive home where their family’s memories could grow on the green.

BY Lindsey Christie
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jill Ockhardt Blaufuss

BEHIND THE DESIGN
Although I gained much of my early interior design experience in New York City and Minneapolis, I have loved bringing a fresh aesthetic to Fargo clientele for the past seven years. Our passion at Lindsey Grace Interiors is refined design for everyday living, which is exactly how we would describe our latest “Willow Avenue” project on a local golf course.

We started planning the renovation in the early stages, immediately after the clients purchased this five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home. The existing layout was super family-friendly, with ideal spaces for the primary suite and children’s rooms. Our goal was to renovate the entire home prior to the client’s move-in, helping with initial space planning, finish and fixture selections for each space, as well as furnishings, decor, and accessories.

Since the home was new to their family, it was important to create a peaceful and functional home that spoke solely to their needs, character, and style. As we do with every client, we kicked off the design process by getting acquainted, spending a lot of time discussing the family’s lifestyle and design aesthetics. We also dove into the day-to-day flow and space needs for family gatherings and entertaining.

These clients had great taste, so my team’s job was to bring their vision to life while pushing them just a bit outside their comfort zone. The homeowners naturally gravitated to neutrals but were excited to incorporate intentional pops of color.

With the general contractor’s direction, we implemented a carefully crafted design process, including presentations at our design studio, meetings at local showrooms, and site visits with contractors. This included assistance in selections for all materials in the home from start to finish. Once the finishes and fixtures were nailed down and the renovation was underway, we dove into furnishings for each space, selecting performance upholstery, durable rugs, and case goods with character and finishes that would age well for a busy family.

ROOM BY ROOM DESIGN
This home already had amazing natural light and tall ceilings, with a very open layout on the main floor. To help maximize this space for the lifestyle of a young and modern family, we worked closely with the architect to tweak the main level layout, incorporating a home office, a larger primary closet, and a pantry off the kitchen. Below is your complete tour of the full renovation’s reveal.

KITCHEN
Starting at the heart of this home, we completely gutted the existing kitchen and redesigned the layout, relying on white oak hardwood flooring and Carrara marble tops as the basis for a refreshed feel. We also relocated the existing cooktop from the island and placed a large range on the kitchen perimeter. This adjustment made the island much more family-friendly. I loved how the inset cabinetry, polished nickel bridge faucet, panel-front appliances, and soft lighting elements added subtle detail without overpowering the space.

DINING ROOM
The new dining room is strategically placed to capture natural light and optimal views of its golf course landscape. Here, we ensured the family-friendly furnishings properly grounded the space, opting for a classic brass chandelier that wouldn’t overpower the natural view.

HOME OFFICE & WALK-IN PANTRY
With a few architectural adjustments, the home’s original dining room was split into two much-needed spaces, a home office adjacent to the existing foyer, and a spacious walk-in pantry off the kitchen. These modifications perfectly suited our clients, enhancing functionality for their everyday routines.

POWDER ROOM
Although each space is unique, I love how nicely the entire home flows together, showcasing its own little surprise details. The powder bathroom feels like a piece of artwork, with beautiful wallpaper, a custom-crafted vanity, marble countertops, and subtle pops of color. Here, the soft green paneling and Kelly Ventura wallpaper make the perfect pairing. To add a more traditional feel, we stained the cabinet a warmer hue, with the custom Carrara marble backsplash adding a slightly vintage vibe.

LIVING ROOM
Carrying soft lines throughout the home into the grand living room, we opted for neutral colors and brass hardware accents, with an elegant, custom-designed mantle as the central focal point. The entire space utilizes performance upholstery alongside a dark-stained coffee table that makes this space light and bright but also family-friendly. The warm wood tones we used to style the space were the perfect finishing touch. We always say that styling is what takes a great project and turns it into an amazing project!

PRIMARY SUITE
In the primary suite, we aligned the home’s flow with a soft and personalized perspective, adding interest with pops of color in the furnishing selections. The primary bathroom continues the light and airy tone with reeded glass and a custom door style on the vanity. Adding the finishing touches, we paired the white oak vanity with a durable quartz countertop, brass accents, and polished nickel fixtures.

SECONDARY BATH
These wonderfully trusting clients were on board for some of the best tile selections, which took this project to the next level. While we played up a more masculine feel in one of the secondary baths, we loved the preppy and timeless tone of the ceramic patterned floor tile. The vanity is painted in Benjamin Moore Black Beauty, which pairs perfectly with our selection of leathered quartzite.

UPPER LEVEL
Along with the open main-level layout, the upper-level bedrooms and bathrooms were one of the major features that drew this family to their new home; a near-perfect layout to accommodate their three young children. Here, we added an array of beautiful details that gave each space added function and a cohesive flow.

A subway tile wainscoting, penny tiles, and contrasting grout gave the Jack & Jill boys’ bathroom a timeless feel with enhanced durability and function. The Benjamin Moore Hale Navy vanity with brass hardware paired perfectly with the stainless fixtures.

NURSERY
There should be no calmer space than a nursery, so we kept this one bright and airy with Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin bead board wainscoting, paired with a perfectly sweet, checkered wallpaper. Mixing patterns in nurseries and children’s spaces is one of our favorite ways to make spaces like these feel youthful yet mature enough to transition over time. We always plan for spaces that will grow with our littles for years to come.

REMODEL REWIND
This family home was the perfect candidate for a remodel. While the finishes were outdated, the layout only needed slight modifications to suit our client’s needs. The tall ceilings, open staircase, and large windows gave this home great bones, which built the foundation for an even greater design. Like many of our projects, we looked at this project as a whole, from start to finish, allowing each space to flow together seamlessly. We were honored that the clients trusted our process, from engaging our team in the initial space planning with the architect to the very last piece of accessories on the mantle.

While it sounds seamless, remodels nearly always present a few challenges to overcome, often including product delays and labor shortages that can affect the build timeline. However, these clients were amazingly flexible, understanding that the goal of this project was for the long-term outcome.

It was important to them to create a well-thought-out and carefully crafted home; a vision that perfectly aligned with our goals as a team. The clients loved how each space came together, and we loved working with them to make their dream design a reality. This move-in was worth the wait — creating a welcoming and well-organized space that will help their young family flourish.

Lindsey Christie is the owner and principal designer of Lindsey Grace Interiors in Fargo, ND. Christie is a graduate of North Dakota State University’s CIA Accredited Interior Design Program.

For more information, contact:
Lindsey Grace Interiors
1133 Harwood Drive S. Suite C, Fargo
hello@lindseygraceinteriors.com]
lindseygraceinteriors.com

DESIGN DETAILS

Interior Design: Lindsey Grace Interiors
Architect: Mike Dawson, Craftwell Architecture + Construction
General Contractor: Brekke Custom Homes
Lighting Source: Lindsey Grace Interiors + Visual Comfort
Cabinetry/Built-Ins: Country Classic Cabinetry
Appliances: Thermador Package - Rigel’s Appliance
Kitchen Island, Pantry Door, Powder Bath Vanity: Dark Walnut on Maple
Pantry Cabinetry & Powder Bath Millwork: Benjamin Moore Oil Cloth
Great Room Built-Ins & Mudroom Cabinetry: Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
Great Room Mantel: Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White
Primary Bath Vanity: White-washed Oak
Primary Suite: Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee
Boy’s Bedroom: Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray
Girl’s Bedroom & Bathroom Vanity: Benjamin Moore October Mist
Girl’s Bathroom Wallcovering: H. Lively Abner
Nursery Beadboard: Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin
Nursery Wallcovering: Sandberg Herman Misty Blue
Jack & Jack Bathroom Vanity: Benjamin Moore Hale Navy
Office Cabinetry & Millwork: Benjamin Moore Ozark Shadows
Exercise Bathroom Flooring: Florida Tile Soho Morning Blend Plaid Pattern Mosaic 13.5x13.5
Lower-Level Fireplace Millwork & Cabinetry: Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal