River + Ranch Magazine - Volume 6: Issue 1 February/March 2023

THE DESIGNER ISSUE

RIVER + RANCH

MAGAZINE

volume 6: Issue 1

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

RIVER + RANCH TEAM

Layout Editor

Copy Editor

Contributors

Cover Image

Advertising

Jenna Kluting

Jennifer Kranz

Maria Fleck

Jennifer Kranz

Melanie Sioux Photography

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.

Hannah Haynes Publisher/Co-Founder

Jennifer Kranz Editor

Caroline Crary Publisher/Co-Founder Jenna Kluting Layout Editor

Karel Sovak Writer Maria Fleck Intern

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Designer Issue

Inspiration by the inspired - these designers can help elevate your space. From colors to cabinets to decor, they’ve got the skills to turn your house into your dream home.

Melanie Sioux Photography

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS

Happy New Year River + Ranch readers! We can’t believe we are going into year six of publishing! Time flies when you’re having fun!

Over the last six years we have been so privileged to have featured homes, designers, subcontractors, artists and builders across the western side of the state! We constantly strive to find, feature and highlight all the unique projects that showcase so much talent.

We are so excited for 2023 and all the fun new projects we get to feature. In this issue we have seven incredibly talented interior designers, all with their own unique style and twist on design. Read how the design process goes hand in hand with building and remodeling, learn the importance of having an interior designer to help with projects and get inspired. It’s so much more than looking on Pinterest and copying and paste-ing.

Each and every designer in this issue is different from the other. All have different styles, processes and ideas. See how some designers take the project from start to finish and others come in after the building process or even after years of living in your home.

Whether your style is sleek and modern, mid-century, light and airy or maybe even updated 1920s, this issue has something for everyone!

BRING YOUR VISION TO LIFE THROUGH STEEL

detailed Designers

In these next pages you will find seven different interior designers featured. We are River + Ranch Magazine had so much fun interviewing and hearing about how these women helped the homeowner get their dream space. All seven of them had different thoughts and ways or looking at things, but each one of them brought so much of themselves to the projects they chose to feature. As you read ahead we hope you enjoy learning a bit more about the designers and unique homes they influenced.

Bridget gerhardt | Bridget’s Room

STORY BY maria fleck | PHOTOS BY Melanie Sioux Photography

The idea for this featured master bathroom addition sparked from an ordinary event. “It started with the kids fighting over a bathroom,” explains the homeowner. “I contacted Bridget to see what could be done about adding some counter space upstairs, and she had some great ideas for that, but it was just more of a band-aid, so then it was, well if that’s not going to work, let’s talk about doing an addition to make this house livable for us.”

For Bridget Gerhardt, owner of Bridget’s Room, creating beautiful spaces her clients can actually enjoy is one of the things she is most passionate about. So, when the owners of this home approached Bridget about their bathroom, she encouraged them to consider an addition. “They loved their area but wanted a new feel,” she explains. “I encouraged them, if you love your area, you love a lot about your house, and it’s got good bones… we can take this space and make this whole space work with this addition.”

The homeowners had done work with Bridget before and trusted her ideas and were immediately on board. “I was like yep, let’s do it. So, we got out our old floor plan, and Bridget drew on the outside, and she cut apart a washer and dryer and taped them in, she cut apart a shower and a toilet and made her makeshift floor plan,” explains the homeowner. “She envisioned the whole thing from day one and knew what it was going to look like. It took me until it was just about done for me to go, okay, I see it now.”

The bathroom itself is beautiful, light, and airy, with plenty of natural light. Everything in the bathroom was carefully chosen with the other elements in mind to create a beautiful space, from the tiles to the lighting to the counters. The homeowners’ favorite part of the bathroom is the shower with its four different heads.

“We knew we’d love the shower, but I think every time my husband showers he goes, dang I love that shower,” says the homeowner.

For Bridget, hearing that her clients are loving their new addition means everything: “The homeowners have worked hard to be where they’re at, and I feel like a steward of their need… They’re telling me they want to do this, and I feel like it’s my job to be very diligent… because they came to me. They did all the work, and I get to help them do this. That is important to me.”

CalliE Stein | Inspiring Designs, LLC

STORY

BY maria fleck | PHOTOS BY Melanie Sioux Photography

Newer to the Bismarck area is Inspiring Designs, LLC, an interior design firm owned by Callie Stein. While Callie is not traditionally trained in interior design, she has always enjoyed design and had an eye for it. Her mother owns Roots Boutique where Callie has been able to hone her craft for 10 years. After Covid hit, Roots began incorporating more home décor into their store, and Callie would use her expertise in design to help her mother choose items from the market.

In May of 2021, Callie decided to start her own interior design business and pursue her passion more seriously. Up until this featured home build, Callie had only done remodels, so she was excited to gain experience in another aspect of home design. “This was out of my comfort zone and I’m so glad it worked out with the homeowner,” she expresses.

The homeowner of this beautiful new build reached out to Callie on Houzz. She already had the plans for the home and parts of the design chosen, like flooring and cabinetry, but wanted Callie’s help bringing it all

together and setting her home apart. “This builder has the same layouts for things, so she wanted to set her house apart,” explains Callie. The homeowner appreciated having a designer on the project who could help her take her home to a new level. “It was very helpful to have another person bring in ideas because I had a vision, but she helped me step out of my comfort zone and add certain things to set it apart even more,” describes the homeowner.

One of these aspects can be seen clearly in the lighting in the kitchen above the island. These statement lights are made from cast-iron and were one of the last things the two picked out for the home. “She wanted a little bit of a farmhouse vibe even though it really is a pretty modern space,” describes Callie. The lights tie the different room elements together, from the hardware to the living room chandelier. “The color brings everything together because they’re not black, but they’re not charcoal,” says Callie. “They’re just a statement.”

Another unique aspect of the home is the vaulted ceiling with exposed beams in the living room. The homeowner came up with the idea, which is something the builder of the home normally doesn’t incorporate into residential builds. “I love how we made some pieces very different than what the builder would normally do,” says Callie. By listening to her client, but still pushing her outside her comfort zone, Callie helped design a beautiful home that both lives well and looks stunning.

Jean Holwagner | J Marie Design

STORY BY maria fleck | PHOTOS BY Melanie Sioux Photography

Jean Holwagner opened J Marie Design 19 years ago. “I started my business with the intention of being able to be a mom of two fantastic kids and being very involved and then being able to do what I love. I have an interior design degree and wanted to use that,” she explains. Even before opening her own design studio, Jean’s work and her passion allowed her to accomplish some amazing things in her 32 years of design work.

One of Jean’s more unique projects is this featured home, which the homeowners wanted built as closely to the original 1908 home that once stood on the property as possible. “The homeowner had a very clean, clear concept of what she wanted it to look like,” Jean explains, “very similar to the original house.” While the family lives in the home, the process is not quite finished, and has taken about two and a half years so far. Much of this is due to Jean and the homeowner’s dedication to sourcing materials that match the original home, finding antiques, and matching the current home to the old one. Jean says everyone who has been working on the project has been similarly dedicated to recreating the historic

home. “The set of sub-contractors that worked on it were amazing,” she says. “Everybody was very focused on making it as original as possible.”

While staying true to the original home’s design was important, so was making the home practical and durable for a young family of five. The kitchen is one area where more obvious modern modifications were made. “The kitchen is the one area the homeowner wanted it to be a little bit more current and user-friendly, like the appliances,” says Jean.

The kitchen’s bright and light atmosphere makes it also look more modern. “We wanted

it very mono-chromatic, soft, but when you walk in here, the natural light that floods this space is amazing,” Jean describes. However, much of the kitchen’s design is still faithful to the original home’s design, such as the island having no bar stools, dark wood, and a custom stove hood. Similarly, in the dining room, the wallpaper was chosen for its vintage look. The light fixture is a true antique from the early 1900s, and the built-in hutch is almost identical to the original home’s.

Finding all these vintage and antique pieces, looking for inspiration from other early 20th century homes, and trying to replicate a 1908 home is not a project designers get to work on every day. Jean says it has been a fun project to work on and is grateful for the opportunity to help this family build not only a house, but a home. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime project,” she says.

Lisa Bohrer | Spaces

STORY BY maria fleck | PHOTOS BY Melanie Sioux Photography

Located in downtown Bismarck, Spaces is an interior design studio that sells décor and furniture and offers interior remodeling services, light commercial and residential design services, flooring, wallpapering, and so much more. Lisa Bohrer, owner of Spaces, opened the interior design studio 11 years ago, after time in both the architecture world and the interior design world. “I knew I wanted to go into interior design when I was a little girl,” she says. “I love what I do.” Her passion and experience makes her one of the go-to interior designers in the area.

Recently, Lisa took on a commercial project for Dakota Eye Institute whose north location needed a large remodel that nearly doubled their capacity to keep up with their growing business. Originally, the owners of Dakota Eye came to her husband because at the time, Lisa still worked for his architectural firm. Lisa became the designer of the project and become involved as soon as the initial floor plan was developed.

Throughout the process of remodeling, Lisa helped with all aspects of the updated facility, from colors and visuals, to signage, to updating the exterior and their new entrance. While planning for the remodel, Lisa tried to reuse pre-remodel elements and tie them in with the new elements. For example, Lisa kept much of the existing woodwork and seamlessly blended it in with new additions, making the space feel more modern and bright, but keeping the warmth of the darker colors. “We wanted to modernize it but keep it very welcoming because [Dakota Eye’s] client base starts from infants to the elderly, so we wanted to be sure it was welcoming for the whole range,” explains Lisa.

Another important consideration for the remodel was functionality. As a medical facility, Dakota Eye cannot easily shut down, and it is hard to work through remodels. Lisa wanted to be sure that the materials they used for the project were easy upkeep and long lasting, so the facility does not have to worry about another remodel for a long time.

Apart from function, Lisa also did a masterful job considering the aesthetics of the facility. One of her favorite parts of the remodel was the ceiling and chandeliers in optical. “You can’t help but smile when you walk in there,” Lisa says. She drew inspiration from other optical areas she would visit on her travels. “We knew that spot had to be bright so the glasses would dance because the glasses are your jewelry.” Lisa’s incredible level of attention to detail makes not only the optical stand out, but is also what pulls the whole facility together into a beautiful, welcoming space.

GET SCREENED Heart health

Only $25 for a limited time*

Check your heart for signs of heart disease. With a heart screening from Sanford Health, you can learn about the condition of your heart so you can make informed decisions about your care. A heart screening is recommended for those age 40 or older.

* Must schedule your screening by April 15, 2023

Call (701) 323-5202 to schedule your screening.

Lori Malloy | Decorating Den Interiors

STORY BY maria fleck | PHOTOS BY Melanie Sioux Photography

“You can make a beautiful room, but you need to make a beautiful room that lives well, that fits the client’s lifestyle.” These words from Lori Malloy perfectly sum up her approach to interior design. Lori Malloy is the owner of Decorating Den Interiors in Bismarck. She opened the business five years ago after working with a designer on her own home remodel. She explains, “The customer service was just not up to par. I was disappointed a lot. My husband was like, why aren’t we doing this ourselves?” The idea of doing this herself appealed to Lori who has been involved in design in one way or another for most of her life. Her husband’s nudge was all she needed, and she decided to buy the franchise and move forward with growing her own design business.

Decorating Den Interiors is different than most interior design businesses because there is no physical location, no employees beyond Lori, and because of this, really no overhead. With this advantage, Lori is able to offer lower, more competitive prices. The décor, furniture, flooring, and other materials she uses she buys from over 150 different suppliers, so she can find her clients just about anything they want.

From the moment she bought Decorating Den Interiors, Lori has focused on customer service, and this project she did for homeowner Jane has been no different. “Lori has been great to work with,” says homeowner Jane. “Even at night I can be paging through a magazine, and I can text her. She might not elaborate, but she’ll aways text back. For me, communication is key… She’s really great about that. And when you ask for something, she’s on it right away. She doesn’t wait for a week. And she brings lots of samples, so you have a lot to choose from and if you don’t get it right the first time, she does it again. It’s been really fun. I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”

James A. Nelson, DDS

Kristin R. Schoch, DDS

Kourtney A. Grace, DMD

The focus of this project for Jane was livability. With two grandchildren who live down the street, Jane’s furniture can become dirty fast, but she did not want to sacrifice time with them for a cleaner bedroom. So, Lori helped her create a bedroom space that was easily cleanable. All the fabrics are washable, and everything zips off, so it can be easily thrown in the wash. The fabric itself is high-performance, so liquids will bead off it instead of soaking in and stains come out without an issue. Everything in the master bedroom is beautiful and practical. “That’s how it should be,” Lori says. “You should be able to live on your furniture.” Lori is a master at creating beautiful spaces that are made for a person’s specific lifestyle, and this home exemplifies this. As Lori put it, this home “photographs well, but it’s going to live well with Jane.”

Say Yes to Living First

What do you live for?

Mary Richholt | Interiors by Design

STORY BY maria fleck | PHOTOS BY Melanie Sioux Photography

Interiors by Design has been a staple in local design since 1987. Interiors by Design is a full-service home furnishings and interior design studio. They assist with everything from flooring and color selections to furniture and accessories. “I love the fact that I’m in a retail space,” expresses interior designer Mary Richholt. Mary has been with Interiors for 23 years and loves being able to assist clients to turn a space into a home.

Recently, Mary took on a new build and worked closely with her client Clara, helping Clara realize her vision and turn her house into a home. “What’s cool about Clara is she had a very traditional house,” says Mary. “I like to visit with [my clients] and see what we’re going to bring into the new home. It was so fun to see how clean her taste has evolved because everything was very traditionally structured.”

Clara relied on Mary for her design choices, but she also had a clear vision for what she wanted. It was important to Clara that her new home would be a place she could entertain guests. “She came with a ton of ideas,” says Mary. One of these ideas was the small built-in bar with a wine rack. Interior Woodworks was the team that put together this bar for Clara. “Everything I threw at them, they figured out,” says Clara.

Another part of the house that is unique to Clara is the floating mantel in the living room. Clara explains, “For the fireplace, we took the mantel and worked around it because the mantel was something that was really important to our family. It came from my husband’s great grandpa, the original farmstead home by Richardton-Taylor.” Mary made sure to bring out the warm colors in the wood mantel with warm accents in the fireplace’s porcelain stone tiles. “It’s very traditional items set in a clean design,” she says.

One area of the home that Mary pushed Clara out of her comfort zone was the dining room. The statement wall with its bold wallpaper, while it fits the room perfectly, was not the first choice. “I think this was our eighth choice,” Clara recalls. “Our very first stuff was all black with texture. Mary said it was too much, so I think the wallpaper was most surprising because everything else I was like, yep I’m going to love that. Even as it was being hung, I kept staring at it.” Mary wanted to incorporate the warm fall colors to match the copper tones of the fireplace. “It just carries through. I think that’s important whether it’s a new build or remodel,” she explains. The warm colors also help make the space feel cozy. “You walk in here, and it’s home,” says Mary

Helping her clients create a home is what makes Mary so passionate about her work. “I get to get up every day and have people like Clara ask me into their home,” she says. “I seriously almost get teary-eyed. I’m helping them make it a home.”

Shannon Koski | Studio One Designs

STORY BY maria fleck | PHOTOS BY Melanie Sioux Photogrpahy

Timeless, elegant, grand. These three words encapsulate the character of this beautiful new home designed by Shannon Koski, owner of Studio One Designs. She works from start to finish with her clients on new builds, helping them create their dream home. “We start with the house plans together and make changes with drafters or engineers and go from there until the very last day of movein,” says Shannon. Shannon has been doing design work on new builds, remodels, and commercial projects for over eight years and loves helping clients achieve results better than they imagined.

Homeowner Tammy Skogen approached Shannon about this project because she’d become overwhelmed in the process of home building and knew Shannon was the right fit because she had seen some of her previous work. “I was like, if she can take me on, I really need her,” says Tammy. “I didn’t even know how much I needed her until I had her. Once I had her, I was like, I won the lottery by having her.”

All in all, this home building project took nearly a year. The amount of details and amount of work that goes into a large project like this can be unappreciated, but that is what makes a designer so crucial. “There comes value in [having a designer.] You’re in the industry, and you know what you’re doing, know what to spend money on and what not to spend money on, where it counts and where it doesn’t,” expresses Shannon. Having a designer be an integral part of the process made the build smoother, more efficient, and the final result more spectacular than imagined.

Throughout the home, Shannon incorporated small details that come together into a grand design. “We incorporated so many x factors and at the time they seemed small but now walking in here it’s such a wow moment… it turned out spectacular,” she says. Everything, from the dimensions to the textures, were taken into account. “I tend to be a perfectionist, so it all matters to me, every light placement. If it’s not perfect, I won’t deal with it,” says Shannon.

Both Shannon and Tammy agree that the foyer is their favorite part of the house. “Every time I walk by it and turn the lights on in the evening, I’m like, this is just beautiful, I can’t believe it’s my house,” says Tammy. Shannon goes on to explain, “We took a space that wasn’t unusable, but it was necessary to get into the grandness of the windows and the space that was drawn, and I think we took that and made it a piece of art, so now not only is it not unusable, it’s the piece of art we love the most.”

Complementary kämplimentrē adj: combining in such a way as to enhance or emphasize the qualities of each other or another

Mike Ness and Danielle Kemmesat of Creative Wood Designs have been working together for five and half years. By the way they play off each other, one might think they’ve been working

Creative Wood Designs

together much longer. “We can finish each other’s sentences and anticipate what each other is going to say to customers before we actually say it to them,” Danielle explains, with a laugh.

This complementary nature carries over into the design process and through installation. “I’m always thinking about the design the customer wants and

how that can be produced out in our shop, then ultimately getting installed efficiently out in the field,” Mike says. “Where [Danielle] outshines me is with the flooring and the colors and tying things together. So, between the two of us it works really well.”

The Creative Wood Designs team specializes in guiding their clients to a

cohesive look between their cabinetry and the rest of their home. “Sometimes we’re the designer and we’re bridging the gap between concept and creation,” says Danielle. “Everything plays together so when a client comes to us and has a certain idea for their cabinets, we’ll suggest complementary ideas for other parts of the house like flooring, countertops and other design features.”

story by Jennifer Kranz photos by Melanie Sioux Photography

Bringing ideas and inspiration photos to your first meeting at Creative Wood Designs is encouraged. The photos help the team understand what you love and the look you’re going for. If one partner has a modern vision and the other appreciates a more traditional vibe, Danielle and Mike can find elements that complement each style and that both partners love.

“We’ll ask questions like ‘What particular feature do you like?’ or ‘What is catching your eye?’ and try to focus on those parts to help get the look our customers want that’s also within their budget,” Mike says.

With a wide selection of stain colors, 9 species of wood with rustic options avaiable, 4 standard glaze colors and different sheens, not to mention their creativity and innovative ideas, Creative Wood Designs is sure to have the cabinetry to complement your vision.

To see more of their work featured in this issue, turn to pages 22-28.