When this couple relocated from Connecticut to Minneapolis with their new baby, they needed their home to feel like home — fast. As two busy doctors settling into a new city with a newborn, they didn't have time for a drawn out design process. The goal was clear: get the entry and primary bedroom done quickly, beautifully, and with intention.
We originally planned to tackle the entire penthouse but pulled back the scope to focus on the spaces that would make the biggest daily impact. What followed was a project that proves you don't need to do everything at once — you just need to do the right things really well.
The Entry
The entry hallway set the tone for everything. It's a long, narrow space that needed to feel grounded and layered without feeling heavy. I sourced a custom made rug specifically for that hallway — the length just wasn't something you could find off the shelf — and built the rest of the room around it. The console was in stock, the CB2 bench has been on my radar for years and thankfully was available, and the woven leather baskets underneath solved a practical problem beautifully: somewhere to put your shoes when you walk in the door.
The mosaic piece of art came naturally. I found it online and knew immediately it was right — it had a lead time but was absolutely worth the wait. For the gallery wall my clients wanted family and wedding photos displayed, and when I found the tortoiseshell frames from Frambridge I knew that was it. They loved them instantly.
The Primary Bedroom
This couple came to the project with their bed already in place. My job was to build a serene, calm retreat around it — their words, their vision. I added custom blackout drapes made through an Etsy maker and installed by a local showroom. The roller shades in the apartment were light filtering only, and as two doctors on call schedules, blackout was non negotiable.
For the nightstands I went larger than expected — the scale gives them presence but more importantly it gives them surface area for books, frames, and the little personal objects that make a bedroom feel lived in rather than staged. The green marble column lamps were a deliberate choice: I liked that they were a touch on the smaller side, which opens up even more room on the nightstand surface.
The art was the final piece. We went through many options before landing on the paired cloud paintings — the colors picked up the tones in the marble swirl pillows I had always loved and knew immediately were right for this space. Fun fact: I have that same pattern on a large serving tray in my own house. When you love something you love it.
The Guest Bedroom
The guest bedroom got a refresh rather than a full overhaul. I added oxblood velvet poufs that bring in a rich unexpected pop of color, lamps to the nightstands to make the space feel complete and functional, and rotated the existing rug to get the most visual impact from the pattern. Sometimes the best design move is working with what's already there and just giving it a little more intention.
The Bar Cart and The Painting
Every project has that one piece that stops people in their tracks. Here it's a 1920s original Art Deco painting I sourced from a beloved local Saint Paul gallery — moody, architectural, completely singular. I showed it to my clients and the husband told me it's his favorite piece in the entire apartment. That's the moment you live for as a designer. The bar cart underneath came with them and it is styled simply and functionally — because what's a beautifully designed home without a properly stocked bar?
The Bathrooms
The bathrooms came after the main spaces were complete and were a natural add on. In the primary bath I knew my clients loved chevron and color, so the Missoni bath mat and matching hand towels brought that in immediately. I added a custom high pile wool runner in front of the vanity — because your feet deserve something soft — and a soft dusty blue linen curtain on a tension rod over the shower to break up the tile. We also installed a towel ring since the apartment didn't have one originally. White towels with a scalloped taupe edge finish it off with just enough detail.
The guest bath was a different exercise entirely — I wanted it to feel neutral enough for any guest but still have a real point of view. A cream swirl shower curtain, a leopard print bath mat (leopard is a neutral, I will die on this hill), and wavy block towels that don't match anything exactly but somehow make complete sense together. Nothing coordinates. Everything coheres.
This project is a good reminder that speed and intention are not opposites. When you know what you want and you trust the process, you can move fast and still end up with a home that feels deeply considered. The result is a space that fits their life perfectly — and will keep evolving as they settle into their new city.
