The rain and cool temperatures of late March couldn’t dampen the enthusiastic reception given Kuhl Design Build’s 2015 Remodelers Showcase entry on St. Albans Road in Hopkins.

Held March 27 – 29, this year’s Remodelers Showcase provided more than 50 of the finest remodeling firms in the metro area a chance to open their projects for public viewing, and Kuhl Design Build delivered a knockout.

“It’s such a great feeling to see and hear people’s appreciation for the creativity, workmanship and attention to detail that went into this project” said Kuhl Design Build President, Steve Kuhl.

The 6600 square foot home, located on a wooded lot on Minnehaha Creek, was a tear-down and rebuild. “The existing home was aging and in disrepair” says Kuhl. “Removing the old structure and starting fresh gave us this incredible opportunity to create a wonderfully intricate home full of surprises”.

A hidden, walk-in pantry off the kitchen, a children’s play room accessed through a hallway bookcase and a two story slide are just some of the items that captured the imagination of adults and kids alike.

The front porch is impressive with it’s blue stone floor and 9600 lbs. of fir timbers supporting the 2nd floor. The front door is hand distressed black walnut and leads to hardwood floors that are hand-scraped black walnut and feature radiant heating. Four bedrooms, each with it’s own walk-in closet and six finished bathrooms are surrounded by equally beautiful finished areas.

For the cooking enthusiast, the kitchen features a fourteen foot island, a large honed granite top, a Viking range and Thermador refrigerator, two sinks, two dishwashers and a double oven. Highly customized cabinets, packed with features add to the functionality of the kitchen and the counter-to-ceiling tile back splash adds an elegant touch.

An open floor plan and large, uncluttered spaces abound. The first floor living room features a flat panel HD TV tucked inside a custom bookcase. The hidden TV rises up and out of a bookcase via the remote control that can also raise and lower window shades. A screen porch at the rear of the home, with wood burning fireplace and a 25 foot high ceiling, makes maximum use of the lot’s natural setting.

Locating the washer and dryer upstairs eliminates the need to trek up and down stairs to do the laundry. The spacious laundry area also features custom stone countertops and an oversized window to utilize available natural light. The master suite includes two large walk-in closets, a balcony with iron railings overlooking the creek and large built-in custom cabinets.