My grandmother bought the original cabin on Lake Carnelian. When my parents retired in 1978, they tore the cabin down and built a year-round home. It was not a very large home, really, and Tom and I wanted both more space and some up-to-date features. We wanted to make it fit our lifestyle and express our needs and personalities. It was important that the house be a good fit for our lot, which is 125 feet on the lake and close to an acre. We also wanted the old and new to blend together, so that the house would appear to have been built that way originally.

North Star had worked on our previous home in St. Paul many years ago. They were just beginning the business then. We knew that since that time they had gotten into more extensive remodeling. We worked with an architect to get a plan, but had to modify that plan because it got way too expensive. Sometimes, it seems, architects don't listen carefully, or don't know real-world building costs.

North Star knocked down a two-car attached garage and put on a big addition with a four-season porch and master bath on the second floor over part of the porch. The addition has lots of glass to maximize the view and has become the focal point of the house. They enclosed the open veranda in the front, enlarged the front entry, and really redid nearly every room in the house.

What stands out about the project? First, the workmanship is very good. Second, I think North Star has been very good to work with. David Schuett, the project director, was always calm, always willing to listen, always helpful, always creative in helping us solve problems that came along. Remodeling is different from building from scratch; things come up that you hadn't planned on.

For example, we saw that the upstairs hall looked dark, so we had North Star open it up more to the living room, allowing more light into the area.

I absolutely love my kitchen. North Star went back to the drawing board I don't know how many times because I'd say, no, I don't like that. We finally got just the right plan. We do a lot of entertaining, and the kitchen is absolutely heaven to work in. The kitchen and the new four-season room have access to the deck and work well for family gatherings and summertime enjoyment.