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HOME LOANS MADE SIMPLE

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Volume 7: Issue 6

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

Layout Editor

Copy Editor

Contributors

Cover Image

Advertising

Hannah Haynes hannah@bismarck-magazine.com

Caroline Crary caroline@bismarck-magazine.com

Jenna Kluting

Jennifer Kranz

Maria Brezny

J. Kluting Photography + Design

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.

RIVER + RANCH TEAM

Hannah Haynes Publisher/Co-Founder

Jennifer Kranz Editor

Caroline Crary Publisher/Co-Founder

Jenna Kluting Layout Editor

Karel Sovak Writer

Maria Brezny Director of Communications

A New Tradition

Start

Plank

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS

We’re excited to share with you our new Holiday Issue of River and Ranch Magazine, truly a fan favorite! This special edition celebrates the spirit of the season by showcasing the magic of holiday décor and the creativity of our local community.

We take a tour through some of the most beautifully decorated homes, each one transformed into a winter wonderland. These homes reflect the charm and warmth of the season, and we’re thrilled to feature them as a way to inspire our readers to bring a little extra holiday magic into their own homes.

We are also proud to spotlight the talented artist Jessica Wachter, who has designed a stunning collection of hand-painted ornaments. Each piece is a true work of art, capturing the essence of the holidays with unique, intricate designs that are perfect for gift-giving or personal collections. Jessica’s passion for craftsmanship and her ability to infuse personal touches into her work make these ornaments a standout feature of the issue.

Additionally, we’ve curated a festive gift guide filled with handpicked, holiday items from local stores to help fill your home for the Christmas season! From cozy home goods to artisanal treats, our guide highlights the best of what the community has to offer and encourages our readers to shop locally this holiday season.

We hope this issue inspires you and brings festive inspiration and joy to your homes!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Melanie Sioux Photography

Happy Holidays

Warmest Wishes from the Bismarck Magazine Team!

painted nutcrackers by Benny, Bernadette, Lulu and Henry (The tiniest Bismarck Magazine Interns)

Hannah

Hannah House

A Christmas Soireé

STORY: MARIA BREZNY | PHOTOS: MELANIE SIOUX PHOTOGRAPHY

Hosting friends and family for holiday gatherings is one of the most important parts of the season. If you are finding yourself with the responsibility of hosting over the holidays, read about one Bismarck hostess’ festive celebration with her closest girlfriends and get inspired by the food, decor, theme, and spirit of this cheerful Christmas soirée.

The Party

We hosted a party! Caroline and Hannah love throwing parties and hosting events. They are never ones to shy away from celebrating even the small things.

Hannah recently moved into a freshly remodeled 1970s home with grand front windows and a big fireplace in the living room, the perfect setting for a holiday party.

The hostess of this festive home holiday party was inspired by Christmas parties she had seen while scrolling through Pinterest. A natural host, she immediately began planning her own Christmas party. “I wanted to get all my girlfriends in a room to celebrate the holiday season, especially before it got a little too crazy with all the holiday parties,” Hannah explains. Her love

of throwing parties began when she was a little girl and has continued into adulthood, as she cherishes the opportunity to celebrate the big and the little moments of life with friends and family.

Hannah wanted the party to have a fun and casual vibe, while also giving her friends an opportunity to dress up. “It’s always so fun to have an occasion to put makeup on, to do your hair, and get all dolled up,” she says. With this in mind, she invited her guests to come “dressed in their best,” not setting strict guidelines, but allowing everyone to dress up in a way that suited them personally.

To add to this vibe, Hannah came up with a decorating theme that walks the line between fun and casual but classy. “I wanted something really glammy, lots of velvets, silks, feathers,” she describes.

To help her execute her vision, she partnered with Roberts Floral to help decorate her home. “She went with very simplistic, minimalistic type decorations which fit well in my house,” the hostess describes. “It wasn’t overdone or overboard.” The decorations simplistic nature gave the guests the opportunity to

help create the feeling of warmth and festivity, keeping the focus on the reason for the party. “They’re the ones who brought in the holiday cheer,” explains the hostess.

And what holiday party is complete without delicious food? The hostess brought in Smash Plates to provide delicious appetizers and desserts for her guests. “Smash Plates did an impeccable job,” she says. “Hannah and Caroline met with her a couple weeks prior to the party, and decided to go with heavy appetizers. We had a full charcuterie board, and she did fun little appetizers and the most yummy desserts ever. It all really paired well together.”

One element of the party Hannah decided to do on her own was create a holiday craft cocktail menu. “Coming up with fun signature drinks for the occasion was my favorite part because you got to play with the holiday and the theme,” she explains. Always the gracious host, it was important to her to make drinks she knew her guests would like. With her best friend who loves egg nog in mind, she made peanut butter

whiskey egg nog drinks with a dash of nutmeg. Many of the hostess’ friends like vodka, so she made a Christmas version of a Cosmopolitan drink with cranberry juice, lime, Triple Sec, and a dash of rosemary topped with soda water to make it sparkling. For her friends who wouldn’t be drinking, she made a non-alcoholic version of a cranberry Moscow Mule with ginger beer, and cranberry juice, topped with fresh cranberries and rosemary.

To break up the evening and help her guests get to know each other better, the hostess incorporated a classic Christmas game: a white elephant gift exchange. She asked all her guests to bring a gift they would want to receive in the $30-$50 range and at the end of the game, everyone was able to go home with a gift. But more importantly, it helped her guests connect with one another. “The best thing that I love about hosting is that a lot of my friends are acquainted, but we don’t all run in the same circles, so to be able to converse with people that maybe you wouldn’t on a regular basis really adds to that fun experience of being

at a party,” the hostess explains. The hostess also sent everyone home with a gift bag filled with all the ingredients for a Christmas simmer pot: cranberries, oranges, fresh cloves, and cinnamon sticks. You throw all these ingredients together in a pot of hot water, and soon your home smells like Christmas without the need for candles or air fresheners.

The guests appreciated the attention to detail from their hostess, finding the overall effect one of warmth and geniality. “It was just a really fun night where we all got to dress in our favorite Christmas outfits and enjoy each other’s company in a cozy space in the living room and dining room area with candles lit and the Christmas tree lights on,” describes Caroline. The guests also remarked on the talent of both Roberts Floral and Smash Plates. “Roberts Floral did such a great job of adding just enough Christmas cheer with old classic decor paired with some of the updated looks of 2024,” says one. Another guest adds, “One of my favorite parts was Nikki from Smash Plates bringing food to try that were unexpectedly amazing. She did such a great job of having a wide variety of different foods for people to try that all complemented each other.” Overall, as one guest put it, “Being a guest at the holiday party was such a fun and unique experience to

start ushering in the holidays.”

If you are looking for advice on how to throw your own holiday party with less stress, the hostess of this party has six tips and tricks on how to make your next event a success:

1. “Don’t feel like you need to go overboard. Less is always more.”

2. “A party does not need to go all hours of the night. Ours was from six to ten. You can make it short and sweet.”

3. “Hosting can get expensive, so you don’t have to host it over dinner and just have appetizers and desserts to munch on instead.

4. “Make sure everyone feels welcome. Join in every conversation if you can and make sure you converse with every guest at least once.”

5. “It’s always fun to have a little something for guests as they leave, especially over the holidays.”

6. “As a hostess, make sure you’re having fun with it.”

The Food

Meet Nikki Hernandez, owner of Smash Plates, a curated personal chef service. Nikki can make the food for your elegant dinner party, prep your meals for the week, bake delicious pastries or desserts, and tackle pretty much any other culinary challenge you might throw at her.

Originally from Georgia, Nikki has eaten all over the world. Her passion for food led her to attend culinary school and eventually own her own business. “I have always had a passion for food, and when I finally grew up and understood that I could do something for myself, I decided that food was what I was going to do,” she explains.

Nikki applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America where she took an accelerated culinary arts program. After finishing her time at the world-renowned culinary school with highly-respected chef instructors, Nikki moved to Bismarck where her husband had accepted a new job. Here she started Smash Plates where she has been serving up delicious food for her clients. The name of her business reflects the philosophy of not only her business, but also how to go through life. “It’s okay to be a mess, it’s okay to make a mess, but just

Nikki Hernandez, Owner of Smash Plates

enjoy yourself while doing it, and eat well,” she says.

For this holiday party of fourteen, Nikki wanted to make dishes that evoked decadence and indulgence:

“I made some focaccia because who doesn’t love bread. I identify as a carb. On the gold platter are radish bites. It’s a snack that I had abroad while studying in Europe that has been elevated. Traditionally, you just take a bite out of a baguette, salted butter, and bite

into a radish, so this is the table presentation of a table snack in France. In the middle, a charcuterie board with all the bits and bobs. I always put my crackers on a separate plate. Soggy crackers are not where it’s at. On the white platter, a lighter take on salmon lox. I removed the carb and put in a slice of cucumber. I whipped some cream cheese with everything bagel seasoning because you just need to add to it. Then, the skewers are sour apple, prosciutto, and cheddar with a thick glaze. Then, I’ve got some sugar cookies, frosted sugar cookies and chocolate cupcakes

with cookie butter buttercream and there’s caramel on the inside.”

These flavorful dishes were as delicious as they looked, and as good food tends to do, these tasty appetizers and desserts heightened the festive mood of the party. If you are looking to elevate your holiday party with Nikki’s culinary creations, you can reach out to her on her website smash-plates.com, instagram @ smash.plates, and Facebook @Smash Plates.

The Decor

For this soirée, the hostess wanted to bring in an expert to help her decorate her home in a festive holiday theme. Amy Pierce, manager of Roberts Floral, was excited to come in and decorate a house that people live in and have parties in for their friends and family. “I wanted the decorations to be fun and beautiful,” describes Amy.

These fun, whimsical Christmas touches are in every room Amy decorated. The Christmas tree, the centerpiece of any room it’s in, shows off the fun, festive theme that runs throughout the house. “I did some big stars that are kind of whimsical,” describes Amy. “You’ve got some wood beaded garlands, but then we upscaled it with these really beautiful gray fuzzy ornaments. My favorite ornaments this year are the watercolored, handpainted ornaments and the large mercury ornament that look antique and remind me of a European Christmas.” The tree’s finishes blend an elegant look with soft textures with elements like a faux fur bow, velvet ribbons, and burgundy velvet. These cloth elements also bring fun pops of color to the tree. The tree’s design finishes with a tree skirt with similar colors. “When you’re designing, I always want to look from all the way to the

Amy Pierce, Manager of Roberts Floral

top to make sure it goes all the way to the bottom,” describes Amy.

On the coffee table, Amy wanted something elegant, but low and easy to look over. Keeping with the theme of whimsy, in the center she placed cream ceramic trains that light up, a white hobnail vase with a burgundy orchid and magnolia leaves, a mini topiary ball with dark burgundy Hypericum berries and some large burgundy carnations.

Moving over to the fireplace, here Amy wanted a mixture of elegant, modern, and traditional styles. The picture of Santa Claus with ribbon on top brings the traditional sense of Christmas. A pair of faux antique skis on either side of the fireplace bridges the gap between traditional and modern, and a modern Christmas tree with brushed-on gold and a vase to match sits next to it as well. She finished the area off with some whimsical green sparkly pinecones. On the side table are small bouquets in miniature vases filled with white roses, Baby’s Breath and soft mint green

tinsel brush trees to match the room while keeping it light and bright.

On the dining room table is a Christmas topiary centerpiece with ornaments, roses, and faux peppermint sticks, bringing more whimsy to the home. These little festive touches brought the party to life by setting a festive mood for the guests to enjoy.

ROBERTS FLORAL

Monday 8:00AM–5:30PM

Tuesday 8:00AM–5:30PM

Wednesday 8:00AM–5:30PM

Thursday 8:00AM–5:30PM

Friday 8:00AM–5:30PM

Saturday 8:30AM–3PM

Sunday Closed

210 N 8th St, Bismarck (701) 258-8311

www.robertsfloral.com

Snowman Pillow: $29.99

Ombre Ball Ornament: $10.99

Watercolor Ball Ornament: $16.99

Grey Velvet Ornament: $3.99

Decoration: $32.99

Christmas Florals Custom for Your Event or Home:

-Mini Arrangements: $20-$28

-Medium Arrangements: $35-$55

-Large Arrangements: $85-$150

Ceramic White Train: $28.99

Standing Gnome: $38.99

Framed Santa Image: $36.99

Compass Ornament

$9.99

Alexa By Design Creative Christmas

STORY: MARIA BREZNY | PHOTOS: J. KLUTING PHOTOGRAPHY + DESIGN

A New Tradition

Jessica Wachter is a renowned abstract expressionist artist from North Dakota. Known for her bold visual works, typically oil or mixed medium on large canvas, Jessica has turned to a new artistic challenge this holiday season: Christmas ornaments. “During the holidays I started exploring on these Christmas ornaments just to do something fun and unique,” describes Jessica. “It was a challenge and something relaxing, bringing that texture and variety and unpredictable colors to Christmas, and that pop of color that you maybe wouldn’t normally decorate or see and bringing that to the ornament.”

The smaller scale of the ornaments challenged Jessica who is used to painting on a much larger scale. ”When it’s small, it’s trying to be a little more creatively challenging, like how do I play with that on a smaller scale,” explains Jessica. These ornaments are tiny canvases displaying a miniature version of Jessica’s typical work.

When putting together the ornaments, Jessica found hand-dyed velvet ribbon, made by another artist, that she used on top of the ornament. The bright colors and bold texture of the ribbon gave Jessica another opportunity to play with the paint she puts on her ornaments.

Ornaments are not only a new artistic challenge to Jessica, but an important part of her Christmas traditions. She has always loved to decorate Christmas trees, and as a child, it was her job to hang the ornaments. Over the years, she’s been gifted ornaments to celebrate different milestones, and now her ornament collection represents some of the best memories of her life. “I love that I can now be a part of this tradition for other people,” says Jessica.

A Unique Addition to Your Tree

If you are looking to gift a memorable ornament this year, Jessica’s ornaments are for sale and can bring a touch of elegance and originality to anyone’s holiday decor. Our readers can enjoy an exclusive discount on these beautifully crafted ornaments. Visit JessicaWachterArt shop on Etsy, and use the discount code BM2024 for 10% off and free shipping. Ornaments can also be purchased locally at The Capital Gallery (109 N 4th St, Bismarck) and KHS The Salon (706 Kirkwood Mall, Bismarck).

Holiday Spaces

STORY: MARIA BREZNY | PHOTOS: MELANIE SIOUX PHOTOGRAPHY

Christmas Decorations

What makes the holidays so special are the traditions we keep year after year that are unique to us. It’s not really Christmas without the foods, music, and decorations that are a part of years of Christmas memories. Keeping these traditions when moving can be difficult, as a new space can demand new decorations and new traditions. The homeowners of this stunning Dickinson home were able to blend new and old with the help of the expert staff at Spaces, as they celebrate their first holiday season in their new home.

For the owners, the search for a new property began with the desire to move away from the noise of living in the city. “We wanted some quiet and privacy,” explains the homeowner. The search for some peace and quiet led them to the countryside, where they found this lot with a stunning view. Rich Stradling, owner of Stradling Construction, and his team helped them build their dream home, with the help of Lisa Bohrer, owner of Spaces in downtown Bismarck.

Upon meeting with the homeowners, Lisa quickly realized they had a distinct vision for their new home. “One of the first things they said to me is they love the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, and that stuck with me throughout this whole project,” she says. “They wanted it to be different than what anyone else has… I can honestly say that in all the homes I’ve done over the years, there’s been no floor plan like this, there’s been no home like this.” Because of Lisa and Rich’s close working relationship over six years, they were able to execute a design that was exactly what the homeowners envisioned.

One thing that was important to the homeowners was the style of the home. While the property is located in the country, they did not want a country-styled home. “Both Rich and Lisa understood exactly what we wanted. Nothing country, nothing wood. We wanted new, contemporary, a different look,” describes the homeowner. And because it was important to the homeowners, it was important to Lisa and Rich. “As the house evolves, we keep asking questions to make sure it’s everything they want and then some,” says Lisa. The thoroughness of their approach left the homeowners with a stunning realization of their dream home.

Lisa Bohrer, Owner of Spaces (left)

McKenna McMahen, Spaces (middle)

Delaney Sheehan, Spaces (right)

Cory McLindsay

This holiday season will be the homeowners’ first Christmas in their new home, and importantly for them, they will be able to host their family here for their first real Christmas gathering in a long time. Because of their love of Christmas and their excitement for hosting, they called Lisa and her staff back in to help them decorate their home for the holidays.

The first step in the decorating process was a walkthrough of the home with the homeowners so Lisa could learn what about the holiday was important to them, like hosting their family. “The holidays are about traditions… so I wanted to bring their elements in as well,” explains Lisa. This began in a very tangible way in the dining room. “It’s about their memories. It’s about their traditions, so I tried to start bringing in from the dining room some of their things from their years together… when the homeowner showed me her beautiful china, I was like, are you okay if we set the table?” describes Lisa. “I started with the dishes, and I worked from there.” The china set out on the table was a wedding present from the homeowner’s husband 43 years ago. “I love that it still works on this table in this modern house,” says the homeowner.

Every room in the house Lisa and her team decorated received the same careful love and attention. For the living room, Lisa found a console table in the homeowner’s style. She wanted to bring in more black elements as an anchor to balance the white of the exterior. “I did it real simple because the room didn’t need a lot,” Lisa describes. “The tree speaks for itself in that room.”

In the kitchen, Lisa wanted to utilize more of the homeowners’ pieces, like the homeowner’s lovely snowman collection. The kitchen also has more red, again to bring out the homeowner’s traditional pieces. For the poker room, Mikenna McMahen and Delaney Sheehan, employees at Spaces, brought out the masculine, outdoorsman vibe by decorating it with woodland greenery, garlands, and pinecones. The Christmas tree has mixed metals, deer, and a collection of ducks from the homeowner all incorporated into the decorations. “I loved it,” says the homeowner. “Just the right touch in there.”

Much of the home’s final decorations were a surprise to the homeowners, and they were blown away by the finished design. “I was super happy,” says the homeowner. Lisa says she loved working with the owners, exchanging ideas, and bringing their vision to life. “They’ve been so fun,” says Lisa. “I’ve enjoyed every moment.”

Monday 9AM–5PM Tuesday 9AM–5PM Wednesday 9AM–5PM Thursday 9AM–5PM Friday 9AM–5PM Saturday 10AM–4PM Sunday Closed

www.spaces4you.com

14” Ho Ho Ho Wall Decor:

Candy Shop Body Butter: $8.69

Holiday Scented Bath Gift Set: $20.29

Gingersnap Scented Candle: $32.79

Peppermint Body Scrub: $21.39

Bubble Bar: $10.90

Peppermint Bath Gift Set (right):

Christmas Bath Bomb Set (below):

Frasier Fir Large Candle: $69

Frasier Fir Medium Candle: $37

Frasier Fir Fragrance Diffuser: $49

16.75” Matte Black Tree: $84.50

10.5” Matte Black Tree: $40.90 6.75” Matte Black Tree: $20.50

$10.90

$8.69

Mini Holiday Hand Creme: $3.59

23” Lighted Gingerbread House: $285

13” Lighted Gingerbread House: $138

Stacked Lighted Gingerbread House: $141.50

Home for the Holidays

STORY: MARIA BREZNY | PHOTOS: MELANIE SIOUX PHOTOGRAPHY

The homeowners of this gorgeous classic home love Christmas. So much that they claim they could have their house decorated for it all year long. The homeowners love Christmas so much that they had Christmas in mind when making decisions on their house’s design. When they saw an observation deck in their house plans, they realized it was a perfect place to put up a second Christmas tree. Not only did they keep the observation deck in their plans, but they also made sure the electrician put in an outlet so they could easily plug in their Christmas tree.

Overall, the home is a beautiful home that easily incorporates a range of traditional, elegant Christmas decorations. “Our house lends more to the classic look,” explains the homeowner. “It’s not a very modern home, and we built it that way.” The home has many large windows and the natural light lends itself well to the design of the home. To keep privacy and energy efficiency in mind, they had Blind Ambition install electric blinds in their home.

The classic Christmas look fits well with the warm tone and timeless elements of the home. The owner’s personal love of gold and pearls fits perfectly with current trends and brings out the warmth of the home. The decorations are a collection of pieces from over the years, as well as new pieces

they have bought from several different places, showcasing a wide range of decor while still maintaining a consistent theme.

Since Christmas is the only time they switch up the decor in their home, this time of year they go all out. The very first year this family moved into their home, they found the task slightly daunting. With the help of a friend, however, they were able to decorate their house in the festive glory they were dreaming of. “She’s amazing,” says the homeowner. “She’s a way better decorator than I am, so most of the stuff you see in here is her idea.”

When decorating, the homeowner and her friend started with the Christmas tree in the living room. Her friend encouraged her to buy a larger tree, and once that came in, the rest of the vision became clear. “We decorated our tree first and then everything else fell together,” the homeowner explains. The Christmas tree is the focal point of the room, drawing your eyes as soon as you walk in through the entryway and can be seen from many different points in the open-floor house.

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Some parts of the original decor are now annual traditions, but others get switched out for fun, new ideas every Christmas. A new thing this time around was decorating the primary bedroom. The homeowner’s friend found a photo of a beautiful Christmas mantel that inspired her to decorate the homeowner’s bedroom mantel similarly. “That was one thing I was not home for when she did,” recalls the homeowner. “I came home… and it was done, and I was like, woah, I love this.” The classic elements on the mantel are continuous with the rest of the home, while also making the room feel warm and cozy.

The kids’ bedrooms also get decorated for Christmas this year. “I love the kids’ bedrooms. They love Christmas so much, so they were thrilled when we decorated their rooms,” says the homeowner. The two oldest children were able to choose how they wanted to decorate their rooms. The oldest sister wanted snowflakes on her wall. The younger sister wanted Christmas villages, so she picked out some adorable ones for her room. The youngest is not quite old enough to participate in the tradition yet, but when he is old enough, he will also get to help decorate his room.

One room with particular significance to the homeowners is their piano room. Both love to play piano, and their house is frequently filled with the sound of music. When they initially built this house, their builder Kari Anderson, from Big River Builders, gave them sheet music of their wedding song. This sheet music is a permanent fixture on their mantel in the piano room. When Christmas shopping at Home Goods, the homeowner found some Jingle Bells sheet music, which she immediately bought to put up on their mantel over the Christmas season.

One other thing important to the homeowners was to incorporate religious elements into their decorations. Promintently displayed in the living room is a large nativity scene. There is also a statue of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus on the perpendicular living room wall. “We wanted to remind ourselves of the reason for the season,” explains the homeowner. These religious pieces are another traditional element of the home that helps bring together the home’s decorations.

One of the homeowner’s favorite parts of decorating for Christmas this year was her children’s reactions to seeing it all decorated for the first time. She and her friend were hard at work decorating while they were at school, so in the afternoon, the kids walked into a home transformed into a winter wonderland. “They walked in and they were like, woah, we love it,” remembers the homeowner. This sense of joy and wonder is experienced by everyone who walks into this home for the first time, making it the perfect home for the holidays.

A homeowner with a vision for a completely custom home came to Prestige Homes & Design who enlisted the help of Creative Wood Designs. Creative Wood Designs came in and flawlessly brought the homeowner’s unique cabinetry ideas to life.

Though her style is minimalistic, the homeowner did not want each room of her home to feel the same. Throughout the different rooms in the house, the homeowner requested different door styles with different finishes that would still complement each other. Some of these unique finishes pair with the cabinetry, such as the cabinet doors in the mudroom that match the doors in

Creative Wood Designs

story: Maria Brezny | photos: Melanie Sioux Photography | @creativewooddesignsnd

the house with wainscoting lines that run vertically. These complementary finishes created a cohesive design throughout the home without it feeling monotone.

To accommodate this minimalistic, clean look, Mike Ness and Danielle Kemmesat from Creative Wood had to get creative, like how they built out their cabinetry to help hide unwanted eyesores like outlets and accomodate popout ones. In the mudroom, they built tall cabinetry with hooks on the inside, so the mess of hanging coats could be hidden by simply closing the cabinet doors. Elements like the plaster kitchen hood and the archways with shelving around

the fireplace in the living room required forethought and collaboration from the very beginning of the project, one benefit of having a team like Creative Wood involved from the start.

Functionality was also important to the homeowner. She found that in her previous home, they would sit at the island more than at their dining room table, so when looking at designs for this home, she wanted a conversational design, where people sitting at the island could face each other, hence the two seats on one corner and the two seats perpendicular to them. Creative Wood Designs helped design an island with this

unique seating and additional storage in a seamless, clean style.

The homeowner had nothing but good things to say about working with Mike and Danielle from Creative Wood Designs, from how easy the process was, to how incredible the final results were. “I could not have asked for better contractors,” she says. “They made you feel like, you’re the customer, we want to make you happy… They both pay very close attention to detail, are perfectionists, and they should be very proud of their work. Everything turned out amazing. I wouldn’t change anything.”