IT'S ALL IN THE FAMILY

Castle Building & Remodeling, Inc. is a professional design/build firm specializing in residential remodeling. Castle is a second-generation family business, started in 1977, with over 3,200 past clients. Marty Schirber started the company from his basement and watched it grow over the years. In 2005, Castle moved into its headquarters on Johnson St NE, and two years later Loren acquired Castle Building & Remodeling from his father.

Since then, Castle has relocated to a larger headquarters and seen three more locations open, one in St. Paul and two in South Minneapolis. The unique design studios allow Castle’s interior designers to help clients plan anything from a not so big project all the way up to a whole house reconfiguration.

In the fall of 2013, we introduced our first in person home tour. We have since held a home tour every year, with the exception of 2020. Our Longfellow showroom is the latest addition to our design selection studios. The showroom now resides where The Natural Buil Home Store once existed, which was acquired in March of 2014.

Castle was able to continue working through the pandemic, following CDC guidelines and adapting many new business capabilities. We added the capability for virtual appointments, practiced social distancing while in homes, and created the opportunity to attend events from the comfort of attendees' homes with our Impressive Progressive event.

The 2021 Castle Educational Home Tour’s purpose is to educate and inform the public on real everyday remodeling projects, not just the largest or most expensive projects like the luxury tours or Parade shows. On our Tour, Castle will show the public real remodeling projects like mud rooms, laundry rooms, and bathroom remodels that would never be shown on a luxury tour. Remodeling is a huge investment and we understand it takes effort to learn about all your remodeling options. Our Tour is designed to help people make better remodeling decisions for your own remodeling projects, and better understand what a realistic remodel involves, as well as what is achievable within your budget to create a valuable investment in your home.

Use this Guide Book to learn more about the homes we are showcasing. It will direct you to the homes that will best help you in planning your project. In each home we have an expert ready to talk to you about the project you are visiting, your upcoming project, and how Castle can help you achieve your remodeling goals.

If you hire Castle you will find that our tag line “The Best Value in Professional Remodeling” is our way of life. Our professional team strives to bring a luxury service to the masses. A clearly defined process, direct buying relationships, time tested systems, and efficiency allow Castle to provide a better value and guarantee a better experience. Through our three pronged guarantee we hold ourselves accountable, so you do not have to.

Sincerely, Loren Schirber, Owner

CASTLE DESIGN TEAM

Amy Hinck Design Manager, AKBD

Amy received her B.A. in Architecture from the University of Minnesota. She is certified as an Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer through the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), as well as a LEED Green Associate through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). During her sixteen plus years in the remodeling industry Amy has worked as a drafter, designer, project manager and store manager.

Amy loves knowing that her efforts can greatly improve the daily lives of clients and help things run smoothly. She strives to balance aesthetics, function, cost, and sustainability.

At Castle she pitches in wherever needed by going on leads and doing estimates, overseeing showrooms, assigning/assisting designers with projects, reviewing cabinet orders and training new employees. She develops, edits and maintains companywide processes and documents while also fostering continuing education among the design staff.

Katy Dale Architectural Designer Remodeling Designer Pro

Katy received her Bachelor of Science in Architecture (2003) and Master of Architecture (2010) from the University of Minnesota College of Design and has worked in the industry since 2002, with experience in sustainable design, healthcare, and even virtual reality.

Although Katy’s professional experience has ranged in scale, her passion for residential design and construction started young, when she chose “This Old House” and “Hometime” on PBS instead of Saturday morning cartoons. She enjoys bringing her design skills and knowledge to the table while working closely with homeowners to reimagine the function and look of their home. Breathing new life into older homes is incredibly rewarding and she particularly enjoys wrestling with the complexity of fitting modern functionality into small footprints so that the outcome significantly improves the flow of day to day living. Her design philosophy strives to consider budget, context, and quality to achieve elegant and timeless solutions.

Natalie Hanson Remodeling Design Pro Interior Designer

Natalie received her B.A. in Interior Design from the Art Institutes International Minnesota and has been actively working in the industry ever since. She has been interested in art, architecture and interiors since childhood and discovered the field of interior design as a great avenue for her professional adventure.

Natalie finds inspiration for design in traveling - she enjoys traveling to Europe, specifically Scandinavia - and finds inspiration in nature.She loves to use her knowledge of environmental sciences in her designs to help create functional, livable spaces that are sustainable and healthy for her clients. Natalie believes that listening intently to a client’s needs is the most important piece in creating the perfect personalized design.

Emily Blonigen, Remodeling Design Pro Interior Designer

Emily Blonigen received her B.S. in Interior Design from the Art Institutes International Minnesota. She began her career at Castle as an intern in 2012 and quickly began managing projects both large and small. Emily is currently studying for her LEED Green Associate certification.

With a focus on creating sustainable and healthy environments, Emily finds her design inspiration in how the end result of each unique room and home as a whole should function. Pairing her design practices with smart material selections, she looks forward to the growing interest in developing a prosperous and more sustainable future in home design and the positive affect those smart choices will have on future generations.

Ashley Hansen, Remodeling Design Pro Interior Designer

Ashley received her B.S. in Interior Design from North Dakota State University. Since graduating in 2010 she has worked in various sectors of the design industry. Her diverse experience has given her a comprehensive understanding of the many facets of managing a remodeling project.

Designing and crafting have always been a passion for Ashley. In her free time, you can find her sewing clothes and home furnishings, making art, or upholstering furniture — she loves it all. As an interior designer, she draws on her DIY roots, incorporating smart design strategies to create spaces unique as each homeowner. She thrives on building relationships with clients and helping guide them as they create their dream home.

Ashley Thompson, Remodeling Designer

Ashley comes to Castle with over 14 years of design experience. When working with clients she focuses on celebrating their lifestyle, imaginations, and desires. Her work is guided by three main philosophies: 1. Functionality, using design to turn problems areas into a practical and delightful environment 2. Deconstructivism, as a way of taking traditional design and reinventing it to align with the homeowner 3. Attention to detail.

Ashley began her career with a degree in woodworking. And while her carpentry knowledge gets used in her designs, she decided to put down the hammer and focus more on her passion of design. She has always been a creative person, thus becoming a designer was a very natural step for her. Her passion for design provides her motivation to learn and grow within the field which is why she is always stays up to date on the latest trends. She describes designing as something very emotional, it allows her to feel, compose, arrange, manipulate, and construct to create the ultimate outcome of functionality, beauty, and appeal.

Kari Burnham, Remodeling Designer Interior Designer

After years of designing and remodeling her own homes, Kari graduated from Century College in Kitchen and Bath Design in 2006. Kari has award-winning work that’s been featured in design publications like Midwest Home Magazine. She loves reimaging space that not only increases functionality but also reflects her client’s lifestyle and personality. Her love for old homes is what attracted her to Castle Building and Remodeling.

In her free time Kari enjoys working on her own home projects, gardening, traveling with her husband, reading, and spending time with her family and friends, especially her four grandchildren.

Chantel Tapp, Design Assistant

Chantel Tapp has been designing and improving her surroundings for as long as she can remember. In 2019, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture and Design from Bob Jones University. Since then, she has enjoyed working in a variety of areas, from high-end residential new construction to commercial design within the hospitality industry.

Peter Stoutenburgh, Design Assistant / Drafter / Estimator

Peter, a lifelong Minnesotan, graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering with a minor in architecture. Since high school, he has been involved in the designing, building, and maintaining of residential and light commercial buildings. Over the last 2 decades, he’s been a laborer, a draftsman, an estimator, an office manager, and an independent consultant within the industry.