River + Ranch Magazine - Volume 5: Issue 4 August/September 2022 by Bismarck Magazine

UNIQUE SPACES ISSUE

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RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE

RIVER + RANCH TEAM

volume 5: Issue 4 River + Ranch Magazine is a collaborative effort to showcase the creativity and design of the West. The two publishers of Bismarck Magazine decided to embark on a new adventure and create a different magazine focusing on design, art, and western living.

Publishers

Hannah Haynes hannah@bismarck-magazine.com Caroline Crary caroline@bismarck-magazine.com

Layout Editor

Publisher/Co-Founder

Caroline Crary

Publisher/Co-Founder

Jenna Kluting Layout Editor

Jenna Kluting

Copy Editor

Jennifer Kranz

Contributors

Maria Fleck Jennifer Kranz

Cover Image

Dana Middleton Photography

Advertising

Hannah Haynes

Caroline Crary caroline@bismarck-magazine.com

River + Ranch Magazine Corporation, Copyright 2018 River + Ranch and riverandranchmagazine.com. All rights reserved. This periodical cannot be reproduced without the written permission of River + Ranch Magazine. River + Ranch Magazine will not be held responsible for any errors found in the magazine. Bismarck Magazine Corporation accepts no liability for statements made by advertisers.

Karel Sovak Writer

Jennifer Kranz Editor

Maria Fleck Intern

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

22 A Beautiful Composition

Unique Spaces Make your home your own. From a beautiful update to a functional golf simulator - read about the families that have made their home their favorite place to be.

30 A Traditional Office 38 Cotton Candy Kitchen 44 The Golf Bunker 52 A Dream Playhouse 58 Experience Medora 62 Creative Wood Designs

Newage Creative

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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Connor Picard

LETTER

FROM THE PUBLISHERS Unique: /yoo’nēk/ Adjective-Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else. Over the past couple years we have noticed that we are very curious people…and it’s not that we are just nosey. We love to know what our neighbors are doing, where they might be going AND how are they making their house different. This issue will show you! Let’s check out the unique rooms people have in their homes that you may not know about. When we hear the word unique, we think different, out of the norm, and maybe even funky. According to the Oxford English Dictionary unique means unlike anything else. It is amazing what our imaginations can come up with; how we can use different spaces in our homes, different materials from the earth and let our creativity run wild to create something truly unique. The best thing about featuring the homes and talent across western North Dakota is that we get to show you all the outrageous, different, cool and unique things people are doing in their homes today. Do you have a cotton candy room? How about a piano room? Or a playhouse with a second level? This issue is anything but boring. Check out the stunning Whispering Bay home nestled on the water with a room dedicated to the family’s love of music. If music isn’t your hobby, maybe you have a sweet tooth. See how this family incorporated health, hobbies and sugar into their home. Whether it is an entire room, a piece of furniture or your backyard, each of our homes has a unique aspect to it, a piece or a space that is uniquely yours. Get inspired by these unique rooms and start dreaming up your next unique space. Be sure to follow along on our website and social media pages to see sneak peeks into more photos and galleries that didn’t make the magazine. New blogs get posted all issue long with more content and photos! Visit us @riverandranchmagazine on Facebook and Instragram or riverandranchmagazine.com.

* River + Ranch Magazine is a locally produced publication and collaborative effort to showcase the creativity and design of the west. River + Ranch is a home magazine dedicated to highlighting design, art and western living, based in Bismarck, ND, but showcasing everything westward. You can find River + Ranch Magazine at any local grocery store in Bismarck, Mandan, Minot, Dickinson, Williston, Watford City, Medora and smaller cities in between. Thank you for reading.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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mid-century

MASTERPIECE story Jennifer Kranz • photos Dana Middleton Photography

Welcome back! We’re following up with the completion of the Clairmont Haus, so we sat down with Logan Hauff and Tanner Reidman of Plain View Design + Build as well as the new owners, Sarah and Mathue Hirst, to catch up on this mid-century masterpiece. First, let’s get you caught up on some background of this iconic Bismarck home. Tucked away on top of a butte northwest of town is a home known as the Clairmont Haus. The expansive 6,700 square foot home was built by notable local William Clairmont in the late 1970s and enjoyed by his family and friends for over 40 years. With special considerations given to sight lines and valley views, William’s vision for his home was far ahead of its time. Sold in August of 2021, Clairmont Haus has had new life breathed into it and welcomed Sarah, Mathue and their family of four with a strong foundation and a bright future.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

TWIN HOMES

Logan and Tanner from Plain View Design + Build utilized the home’s original plans to assist in the remodel. “I think it helped Tanner a lot on that front end design to have a vague idea of what we were walking into,” Logan explains. Sarah and Mathue Hirst had been living out of state and had toyed with the idea of moving back home but hadn’t made a concerted effort to get back to Bismarck because of limited career options for Sarah until they saw the listing for Clairmont Haus. “We had happened to be home for a work event for my husband and saw that this house was for sale on Zillow,” Sarah said. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it was all because of the house but it was a big part of the decision, and it accelerated the timing and being a compelling event to move home,” Sarah explains. Mathue appreciated the unique style of the home for the area and recognized a chance to make the house their home. “It was a big house, had a great yard, in a really nice part of Bismarck,” he said. “It looked like it needed

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

updating, so there was an opportunity to

bit and make decisions quickly and work

putting their own ideas into play. “We felt

make it our own.”

within the confines of the hand you’re

a certain responsibility to maintain some

dealt with a remodel helped, too,” Sara

of the original architectural integrity and

says.

some of the original design elements

The Hirsts are experienced remodelers having remodeled homes in Denver. Having that experience proved invaluable

As Sarah and Mathue realized the iconic

this time around. Patience, realistic

nature of the home they purchased and

budgeting, and decisive decision making

learned more about the Clairmonts, they

helped move the project along. “I think our ability to roll with the punches a little

that made it unique and had been so well curated and well thought out by Bill and

Because of the impeccable nature of the designs and Tanner’s detective work the atrium has been restored to its original splendor. “We found the original specs and called the installer who is out of New Hampshire. He said to call the people

his wife,” Sarah says.

who manufactured it and they still had

felt compelled to maintain as much of the

The atrium is a space where the integrity

the original plans for this specific atrium,”

mid-century feel as they could while also

of the original build was maintained.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

explains Tanner.

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NEW CONSTRUCTION • RENOVATIONS • CUSTOM CARPENTRY • IN-HOUSE DESIGN Jordan Anderson • 701.391.0290 • bisbuilder@yahoo.com •

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Of the atrium story Mathue says, “That was pretty unbelievable. I don’t know what we would have done without Logan finding that guy. That was a pretty good stroke of luck and investigative work on his part.” One of the more major changes to the home was opening up the kitchen layout to create even better sightlines to both the indoors and out. Now, the family-friendly layout allows for meals to be made and kids to be watched at the same time. A lot of the detailing like trim details and doors are the same as the house had originally. The cabinets have been updated with white oak, a modern nod to the original oak cabinets. The slate and granite stonework remained mostly intact and the terrazzo

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

flooring in the master bathroom is yet

their hands dirty, they’re not afraid to get

was a major challenge and the best thing

another nod to the original home.

involved.”

about the project was that our clients

Of working with Logan and Tanner

“This is the type of home we want to be

Mathue had this to say, “Logan handles

known for doing. We worked through

As they say, everything old is new again

unlike any other home in western North

the tough conversations and breaks

a lot of issues and things that came up,

and the Clairmont Haus is no exception.

Dakota.

that bad news and Tanner handles the

so it was great from our perspective as

Thanks to the foresight of William

design aspect and both of them pick up a

a learning experience,” Tanner explains.

Clairmont, the vision of Sarah and

hammer or paint brush when they need

“Of course, now having it as a successful

Mathue, and the expertise of Logan and

to. As a team they aren’t afraid to get

project feels really good. It definitely

Tanner this beautiful remodel, while new,

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

were awesome.”

is a testament to William’s legacy and

a beautiful

COMPOSITION story Maria Fleck • photos Melanie Sioux Photography

Building a custom house means your home can truly reflect you and your interests. If you love music like these homeowners, it means your home can include a piano room. “We both grew up with pianos in our home, and we both love to play piano,” explains one of the homeowners. “We want this to be something that is instilled in our kids because we both love playing piano so much. We went to Kari and Jordan with our first meeting and had our original list of must-haves in our house. We didn’t even necessarily say a piano room, we just said there has to be a place in the house to put a piano.” Kari and Jordan, owners of Big River Builders, took their idea and ran with it. “Once we saw there was an actual room dedicated to a piano, we thought it was an amazing idea,” says the homeowner. While intended as a piano room, it was also designed to be a versatile space that can be converted into different spaces, like a sitting room, sunroom, or library.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

The couple makes use of the piano room frequently. “I play it a lot in the morning,” describes one of the homeowners. “I like to make coffee, put my little coaster on here, drink coffee, sit and play, look out the window. It’s awesome.” For both the homeowners, the piano room is a place where they can go and relax. “The piano has always been something that brings us both peace,” describes the homeowner. The couple’s piano is electric, which despite their initial reservations, has turned out to be a great way to keep the piano an instrument of peace. “We were going to get an actual grand piano, and then we went to Eckroth,” explains one of the homeowners. “They showed us this electric one, and I wasn’t very sold on it, but it’s actually turned out to be a really good idea. In the morning, you can just come down and turn the volume so it’s super low, then you can play and not wake the whole family up. Also, the kids take lessons, and when they’re playing Hot Cross Buns for the thousandth time, you plug headphones in and you don’t even have to hear it.” These practicalities encourage the family’s frequent use of the piano room.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

While the initial idea came from the homeowners, they attribute many of the room’s design choices to Kari and Jordan. “I’m not joking, we said we want a place to put a piano, and the rest of the vision of that room was Kari and Jordan,” says the homeowner. The first priority was placing the piano room within the floorplan. “When they talked about playing as a family, we wanted it to be in its own space, but yet in a space where everyone can enjoy it, whether you’re in the living room, dining room, or kitchen when someone was playing,” explains Kari. The piano room is located right off the dining room/kitchen area and leads right into the guest suite, and its music can be heard throughout the home.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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Kari and Jordan purposely designed the piano room with windows facing the water so the homeowners could look out over the river while playing. The fireplace in the space was inspired by other piano rooms Kari saw in architecture books. “These guys were always so awesome about letting us do neat little architectural details that make it such a unique space,” says Jordan. The final result was a partial surprise to the homeowners who did not have a clear idea of what the space would look like when it was finished. “They just kind of gave us the reigns on it,” describes Kari, “and it’s beautiful.”

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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a traditional

OFFICE story Maria Fleck • photos Melanie Sioux Photography

This story is dedicated to Mike Emmel, founder of Interior Woodworks. This was one of the final projects he worked on. In the same gorgeous home, Big River Builders took on a second unique room, a traditional office. The homeowner was inspired by a picture he saw of an office Interior Woodworks had done previously. “I just fell in love with it,” the homeowner describes. “I love the dark look. I think it gives off this cozy vibe that inspires studying and scholarship. You just want to cozy up next to the fireplace and read a book.” Since the rest of the home is bright and light, Kari and Jordan were initially worried how a dark office would fit with the rest of the home. The process of deciding the right stain took a long time, but in the end, it was worth it. The office, while it definitely stands out, fits right in with the home’s design.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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The office took an intense amount of planning and teamwork. “A really neat thing about that space was it was definitely one of the biggest collaborations in the entire home… It’s a testament to how much teamwork and detail is involved in a lot of this stuff. And having good people around you is so important to pull off spaces like this,” says Jordan. Jordan and Kari worked closely with the architect, Interior Woodworks, and the homeowners to make the office perfect, and the process took a long time. “Just when you’d think that room would be done, there would be another layer of molding going in,” describes Kari. Every single inch of the room was carefully planned out and constructed flawlessly.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

The office also satisfied a different love of the homeowner. “He’s always loved to read,” describes the other homeowner, “so I feel like it was always a dream of his to have a library in our house, and this is what ended up being.” The homeowner can be found in his office all the time, and the books on his shelves are not just for show. “My books are for staging, his books are not,” jokes the homeowner. Just like the books in the office, the office is not just for show. “I use every single room in this house. I use the gym three days a week, play piano, do my work in the office. They’re not just there for show. We live in them and use them all the time,” explains the homeowner. And Kari and Jordan do not take this fact lightly. “It’s so rewarding for us to hear that because we laid awake thinking about or wanting to do some of the extra details. So to hear that they appreciate it and use it, it makes me so happy,” describes Kari.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

The homeowners could not say enough great things about working with Kari and Jordan. “We gave them an idea and they ran with it. We knew by seeing their other projects that we were in good hands… Without Kari and Jordan, our house would not have turned out the way that it did,” expresses the homeowners. While the homeowners want to give most of the credit to Kari and Jordan, Kari and Jordan do not want the homeowners’ role in the process to be underestimated. “A big part of what Kari and I do is really have to climb inside of our clients’ heads,” says Jordan, “so they’re being really sweet and modest, but a lot of these ideas came from them.” And these ideas gave the duo the chance to work on something they hadn’t been able to before. “They ultimately gave us the opportunity to make these spaces,” says Kari. “This is not something we get to do every day, and when we do, we don’t sleep on it. We do not take that task or opportunity lightly.” And the result of this mindset speaks for itself.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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cotton candy

KITCHEN story Maria Fleck • photos NewAge Creative

Simple Sugar started for a simple reason. Rebecca and Mark Binstock wanted their oldest daughter with severe food allergies, to enjoy her birthday without worrying about them. “For her birthday, she requested cotton candy, and we tried to find someplace that made cotton candy or we could buy it from in town,” explains Rebecca. “We really struggled to do that. Eventually my husband was like there should be something, so he researched and bought a machine, and we started making cotton candy.” Simple Sugar’s cotton candy is made only from local sugar and fruit. Only three things are allowed in their kitchen: fruit, sugar, and coffee, both for flavoring and as fuel. “Coffee is essential to what we do for multiple reasons,” jokes Rebecca. Since the ingredients allowed in their kitchen are so limited, Simple Sugar’s cotton candy is free from the eight most common allergens.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

When the Binstocks were first approached about selling their cotton candy wholesale, at the time they were selling under the Cottage Food Act. In order to share their cotton candy with more people, they needed to start operating out of a commercial kitchen. They enlisted the help of Rudnick Construction to see if they could get a commercial kitchen in their home. “It didn’t work for us to have a commercial kitchen in our other house that we had recently built, so we built this house and this room to work for that. We have fulltime jobs during the day, and we spin cotton candy at night, so we needed to be able to have our kids with us at the same time we’re operating our business,” explains Rebecca. Once it was completed, and they received the proper licensing, the Binstocks were able to run a commercial business out of their personal home. The kitchen, while it is licensed as a food processing facility, does not look like a normal manufacturing facility. The walls are a fun pink color called Spun Sugar from Sherwin Williams. “We wanted something bright because it’s cotton candy,” Rebecca says. “It’s supposed to be happy and joyful, and we wanted the room to be similar.” Along with pink walls, the retro appliances and cabinets make the space feel even more fun. “Our feel is a little bit retro, kind of a throwback to the 60s or 70s,” Rebecca describes. “So everything that went into that room had the same vision.” The 40

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

white tiled backsplash also contributes to the throwback style. “We love white backsplash because it’s timeless. It’s never going to go out of style,” explains Rebecca. The whole room looks exactly like what one would imagine a cotton candy kitchen would look like. Don’t let the fun exterior fool you however. A lot of the mechanics of the space are hidden behind the walls. “It’s built as a separate space,” explains Mark. “It has polished concrete floors. It’s kind of excluded from the rest of the house to the extent that we could just because we wanted to manage humidity and heat in this area more so than the rest of the house.” The kitchen’s entire design was planned just as carefully to make the process run smoothly. The white cabinets, for example, are an easily cleanable material since spinning sugar coats sugar on all nearby surfaces. Another practicality is the butcher block counters. “We don’t like to use plastic in our kitchen,” says Rebecca. “We try to eliminate that or reduce that as much as possible.” Because the space is a commercial kitchen, despite its aesthetic appeal, not very many people get to see this unique space. But the thought, care, and attention to detail the Binstocks put into creating this space, along with Rudnick Construction, reflects its uniqueness. “There is no other cotton candy kitchen in a house, at least that I’m aware of,” says Rebecca. “It’s a hidden gem.”

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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a golf

BUNKER story Maria Fleck • photos NewAge Creative

Driving up to this beautiful home in northern Bismarck, you would never suspect there is a whole other level below the garage. This second level, nicknamed “The Bunker,” boasts a kitchenette, bathroom, patio entrance, and a golf simulator.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

The idea for this space came from a desire to create a space the entire family could enjoy together. “We contemplated a pool with a pool house, and we realized that really we just wanted a golf simulator in a pool house, and that was the reason we wanted a pool house,” recalls one of the homeowners, laughing. The homeowners and their two children all love to play golf, so a golf simulator was the perfect idea for a family gathering space. With this goal in mind, the homeowners brought their idea to Vance Vetter Homes. “We had ideas and concepts. We were more like can we even do this because we’re on this hill, we’ve got this slope to deal with, how much can we actually do, what’s it going to cost, and how’s all that going to come together,” describes the homeowner. The one aspect the homeowners did have a clear vision for was the golf simulator. Beyond that, they relied on Vance Vetter Homes to help flesh out the structure’s potential. “There were a bunch of wants and we just tried to figure out which ones we could fit within the space,” explains Vance Vetter, owner of Vance Vetter Homes. This list of wants helped grow the space into what it is today.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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The space was given the nickname The Bunker as it was being built because everything above it is concrete since it was built under a garage. “It started looking like a bunker as we were building it, and then we were like, that has a tie into golf as well, so we really started calling it that and it stuck,” explains the homeowner. While the nickname may suggest otherwise, the space is well-lit by large windows and sliding glass doors and is a cheerful, welcoming space with a beautiful view.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

TAKING YOUR HOME FROM

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Building underneath a garage came with its own set of unique challenges, especially since the garage is built on a slope. “We needed to clear a ten foot ceiling in here for the golf simulator to work,” explains Vance. “So then we needed to get the ten foot ceiling to match up to the outside patio to match up to the driveway to match up to all the different elevations. To try and get the general height correct was probably the biggest challenge.” As the construction went along, the unpredictability of building actually created unforeseen opportunities. The space behind the stairs is larger than initially planned, allowing for the current design which now has a small bar area. Despite these changes and various delays due to weather, construction went fairly quickly. Vance Vetter Homes broke ground in late September and the golf simulator went in the first week of March. While there are still a few odds and ends to finish up, the family has spent a lot of time in The Bunker, and not just playing golf. “The girls have now turned it into a movie theater,” says the homeowner. “We have bean bags in the storage room, so they can plop those down and turn a movie on.” The Bunker truly has become a space the entire family can enjoy, whether together, individually, or with friends.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

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Dream Playhouse By Maria Fleck | Photos Creative Edge Photography Make-A-Wish has been granting wishes to children with critical illnesses for over 40 years and has grown into an huge organization that serves every community in the United States as well as international communities. The Make-A-Wish chapter in North Dakota is continuing this legacy of granting children their wildest dreams. “At Make-A-Wish our mission is, together we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses,” explains Amanda Godfread, the regional director of Make-A-Wish North Dakota. “Our whole goal is to allow their one true wish to come true.” By granting these wishes, the foundation hopes to inspire the belief that anything is possible, which in turn will give these children the hope and strength to fight harder.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

Laynie Simons is nine-year-old girl with Hurler Syndrome, a genetic disease. She lives with her family on a ranch in the Medora area. For her wish, Laynie wanted a life-sized playhouse. Each wish granted is tailored to the unique child, and this was no different for Laynie’s wish. “The goal is for every volunteer who works with the wish child to figure

out why the child wants to have that wish,” explains Amanda, “and then we can really tailor it and specialize it to that child. Laynie loves hosting, and she loves her girl friends, and she loves her sisters… so her playhouse has a kitchen in it. It has a slide in it. It has all these fun things so that when she has some friends over or her sisters there, she really can

play host and have parties.” Make-A-Wish worked closely with Lilliput Play Homes to create a one-of-akind playhouse for Laynie. “[Lilliput Play Homes] has all these different elaborate playhouses, and Laynie liked some of one kind and some of another, so when this was relayed to the company, they were

like, well we can design one specially for her,” describes Amanda. Not only does the playhouse look amazing, but it comes with practical features, like heating, air, and electricity. The playhouse even has a kitchen, fireplace, and slide that goes from the second floor to the outside. While Laynie helped pick out the

playhouse, the date of its construction was kept a surprise for her. In order to build the playhouse in secret, Laynie’s parents had her visit her grandparents for a weekend while the play house was being constructed. When Laynie came home, she was welcomed by a two-story dream playhouse. While the playhouse itself is amazing, the support shown by family and friends is even more important. “To have everybody in their life, from our volunteer wish granters and staff, to their parents and family members, to community members rallying around them to make it happen, it’s a powerful moment for them unlike anything else,” describes Amanda. Creating a moment of pure happiness for children like Laynie is the entire mission of Make-A-Wish. As Amanda put it, “We want them to have a moment where they feel like they are the king of the world.”

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

Remodel Your Bathroom Today

701.214.3782 | riversedgeplumbingandheating.com MPL #1401 | Photo: Prestige Home & Design/ Melanie Sioux Photography

Fall Parade of Homes

VISIT BISMANPARADE.COM FOR DETAILS

BISMARCK-MANDAN HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION September 29- October 2, 2022

Don’t be Afraid, Embrace Custom!

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RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

$10 tickets available at all parade homes, and good for all 4 days

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Medora: Explore It, Adore It, All Year Round By Maria Fleck | Photos Provided

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

edora is the place to be, come wind, rain, snow, or shine. Most people don’t realize how many fun things there are to do in Medora even in the colder months, but Medora is open all year long! After the Medora Musical closes on September 10th, a new show will be coming to town, the Honky Tonk Angels. The show is all about the women who shaped country music like Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. The show will play in the evenings five times a week and will run from September 15th to November 6th. A Very Merry Badlands Christmas starts up December 1st and what used to be a road show will now be exclusively in Medora. The Christmas show will be on four times a week, Thursday through Sunday and will run until December 18th.

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Besides the various shows, there are plenty of other reasons to visit Medora during the colder months. Many favorite Medora destinations stay open through the fall like the Medora Campground, which is open through September, and the Bully Pulpit Golf Course, which is open through October. “Fall is still super busy as far as shows and activities. A ton of shops stay open, so you can still have that downtown Medora experience without it being as congested as in the summer,” explains Kaelee Wallace, marketing manager at the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation. Even after October, there are plenty of places still open in Medora. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park remains open year round, and some of the best times for spotting animals are when the weather is cooler. Many shops, hotels, and dining places stay open year round like the Rough Riders Hotel and Theodore’s Dining Room. So make a mini vacation out of it! Stay at the Rough Riders Hotel, watch one of the two new shows, drive through the National Park, and enjoy amazing meals at Theodore’s Dining Room. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Medora website at medora.com

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

Custom Home Design & Build Kitchen, Bath, & Whole House Remodeling Basement Finishing 701.751.8218 vancevetterhomes.com

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Creative Wood Designs story by Jennifer Kranz photos by NewAge Creative

Detail [de-tail] noun: an individual fea-

make it new again (and even better than

Wood Designs’ team, and Lisa, as well

ture, fact, or item

before). With the help of the homeown-

as plumbing and HVAC. The group put

er and Lisa Bohrer of Spaces, Creative

their heads together to figure out what

Lisa had worked with the homeowners

If Mike Ness must choose a favorite thing

Wood Designs was able to provide a

exactly could be done and what could

on different projects, so she knew the

about his job, it’s the details. And the

completely renovated kitchen and living

be moved. “We spent a lot of time on

home well. She understood to prioritize

details absolutely shine in Creative Wood

room wing with no detail overlooked.

layout,” Mike explains. “That was kind of

flow in the kitchen and recognized the

fun, trying to accommodate everything

importance of combining the existing

Designs’ work. The team’s recent remodel

that.”

on South 23rd Street is a perfect example

One of the first meetings at South 23rd

we could in the space that we had and

woods and the new woods brought in

of their ability to take something old and

included the homeowner, Creative

then trying to customize it on top of

with the remodel. “We didn’t want to go

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

through and change out all the woodwork everywhere so that’s where the flooring came in to tie it all together,” Lisa explains. Adding painted cabinets and darkening the island also contributed to creating a more seamless look without ripping the old woodwork out. The biggest challenge in the remodel was getting all the function into the kitchen and having it look good. The stained cherry cabinets include rollouts installed with accessibility from the backside of the island and extra consideration was given to the new butler’s pantry. The pantry has a sink, metal produce baskets, and areas for all the small kitchen appliances that traditionally clutter up valuable counter space. Of the kitchen renovation Mike says, “Before it was fairly closed off. There was a large wall with an angled peninsula coming off of it, and you couldn’t really see out of the front of the house. We came in with a unique ‘t’ shaped island that adds more seating to accommodate a growing family.”

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Not only is there more seating, but the unique shape of the new island also creates an open concept to the space. “With the angle of the pantry the ‘t’ shape was the best fit, it created more flow,” explains Lisa. In the living room Mike and Lisa paid special attention to the homeowner’s love of light and passion for Christmas décor, especially her desire to display her Christmas village. Custom floating shelves have specially placed outlets all on one switch making lighting up the village a breeze. The new fireplace mantel includes an outlet so Christmas garland can be lit up and bring just as much cheer as the village.

RIVER + RANCH MAGAZINE | August-September 2022

“We changed everything over to LED and we added more recessed light, relocated recessed lights to eliminate shadows, and added LED lights to the shelves,” Lisa explains. Not only was lighting used in functional ways in the remodel, but it was also used in artful ways, too. “I always say lighting is like the jewelry of the home. I wanted to make the lighting here with a little bit of bling to it,” Lisa adds with a smile. To see more of Lisa’s beautiful lighting, add a new piece of furniture to your favorite room, or utilize Lisa’s expert design services, visit her retail location of Spaces. “We have a little of everything. Some people want strictly consulting and we do that, too,” Lisa says adding, “We build relationships. We try to be good to our customers, and they’re good to us.” No detail was overlooked in this remodel and the unique needs of the homeowner were met ten-fold.

@creativewooddesignsnd w w w . r i ver a n dr a nch m aga z i n e . com

At Creative Touch Homes we build for you and your family, livability and luxury. We take the time to listen to your most unique requests. If it is important to you, it is a priority to us.

BUILDING LIVABLE LUXURY

Serving Western North Dakota | 701-751-4503 | creativetouchhomesnd.com

PICK YOUR BUILDER. PICK YOUR LOT.

CONTACT JAMIE SCHMIDT AT 701-319-6000

@SILVERRANCHND SILVERRANCHND.COM