Property overview

My first impression upon seeing the property was - this house has definite curb appeal. In April, this was later supported by its lush green lawn, a multitude of flower & shrub beds that are already producing color in April in MN! and a couple trees of different size, in addition to what appears to be fairly new siding, a good roof, a large driveway, and modern energy-efficient windows.

After punching my access code into the front door under the scrutiny of the Ring doorbell, I walked in, and I was impressed with the thoughtful layout of the house, and all the possibilities. After a quick walkthrough and analysis of what we were working with, we formed a plan, made sure everyone was on the same page, and turned this functional but outdated house around to make it the best on the block. Here’s an overview of what we found, and more importantly, what it’s like now.

Upstairs: When you first walk in, you will be impressed with the open space and natural light. On your right is a large well designed living room, and directly in front of you, you see an open, bright dining and kitchen area that also provides access via sliding glass doors to the backyard and stunning large patio that serves as an extension of the house during the non-winter MN months.

On your right, the living room has three couch-capable walls, with the entrance in the middle of the house, not the corner, so unlike most of its contemporaries, in this house there is no need to walk across your entire living room (in front of the TV) to get deeper into your home. This is MN, so the mandatory coat closet is located right there next to the front door, and we added some new attractive & waterproof luxury vinyl flooring to handle those inevitable wet shoes & boots.

As you pass through the open, welcoming dining area and island into the kitchen you see a ton of cabinet storage, big enough for any foodie, with lower and upper cabinets and two different pantries. It has ample counterspace and room enough for a couple people to cook in it at the same time, or for a group of people to hover when hosting a gathering. The appliances and sink are all stainless, are in good shape, and have a fit with the modern look and feel. The dining island looks great for eating, food prep, homework, or laying out food buffet-style for casual consumption. The floor we found in this area was outdated, but has now been replaced with a stunning new scratch-resistant, water-proof floor, especially helpful as this area provides access to the outside and the garage, and we Minnesotans have snow covered boots several months of the year. The kitchen area also provides access to the attached garage, and stairs down to the basement.

If you go down the hall leading away from the kitchen, you will find four bedrooms on the main level and a good sized bathroom at the end of the hall with a tub & shower with adjustable handsprayer, essential if you have children. If you don’t like getting your daily workout by going up and down the stairs all day, this layout will work great for you, as you can spend most of your time living on the main level.

Garage: The garage is a large 20’x20’, is finished (sheetrocked), has front and rear access doors in addition to the car door, and has shelving and tool hooks mounted all around the perimeter, providing a great deal of storage. Additionally, there are three attic-access panels in the ceiling that provide access to a good bit of additional attic storage. When you enter the garage, all four motion-activated lights trigger, making it easy to see no matter which door you enter through, or when your hands are too full to use a light switch. If you need workshop-level lighting, there is a light switch that activates three more ceiling lights. The rear window is coated in an attractive privacy film that allows light in without blinding you as you get home from work (as sunset comes through the back window), and as an added bonus stops snoopers from peeking in. There are some very tall storage shelves conveniently located directly outside the kitchen door, perfect for boots and other winter wear, a sizeable landing area just outside the kitchen door that is great for getting the kids ready to go out in winter. The door into the house from the garage has a deadbolt that allows key access or punch code access which is easily programmed in.

Basement: When you do go down the stairs, you will find that the basement has been optimized for modern living. When we first walked in to the house, much of this basement was a blank canvas, so we created a plan to put it to a much better use. As a result, now it includes a open floor plan grand living space with an attractive electric fireplace, mantel, & wall-mounted recessed smart TV with movie theater lighting, including dimmable and tiltable lights for optimized mood and viewing. because of the size of the room, even with the entertainment area centered around the fireplace, you will still have a large open area available for yoga, a children’s play area, or anything else you can think of.

The basement now also houses a new private office space - perfect for working from home, as so many people are doing now - in the era of COVID-19. We put more of that space to use and created a deep linen closet, and a huge bathroom with a large modern shower, great for getting ready for the day, relaxing after a hard day’s work with the dual showerheads and the hydro massage setting, or for pet owners when you need to wash your pup without fighting for space.

On the other side of the basement, behind the door separating this space, the laundry area is bright, clean and dry, and houses a washer, dryer, and second refrigerator with a freezer & built-in icemaker - conveniently located near the stairs leading to the kitchen. Turn the corner, and you will find an enormous bright, open area that is a blank slate with a wide variety of possibilities. You can do with it whatever’s right for you, whether that’s a workshop, a Peloton zone, a storage area, or a special hobby nook.

Outdoors: And the outdoor area … well, it’s impressive. It is both functional and beautiful, with immense 4-season curb appeal from the front due to the landscaping selections chosen to include fall and winter interest, which provides a gorgeous bright and creathtaking view from the living room, while simultaneously providing privacy from the street. In the back you will find a stunning patio designed for hosting large parties, or just enjoying dinner and an evening outside. This is complimented by a perfect-sized yard with a giant shade tree in the middle, from which hangs a comfortable swing chair, a firepit with seating in a fire-safe and cozy sandbox area, a large garden, & numerous flower and shrub beds to beautify your viewing from early spring through late autumn.

Recap of work performed

As I mentioned, when we first saw it, we were excited to get started. It had good bones to start with, and with a few modifications it’s lived up to its potential. Here’s a quick recap of what all it took to get it there:

New floors: We updated the floors throughout, adding waterproof and scratch-resistant tiles and planks in the kitchen, office, and bathrooms, restored the wood floors in the bedrooms, and carpeted both of the living rooms and the hallways.

New fireplace area: We took the wood burning fireplace, and modernized by replacing it with an electric fireplace, for energy efficiency, safety, & to minimize needed maintenance. We built a new focal piece around it, and embedded a TV and power outlets, hiding the cables, and providing pass-through HDMI access on the wall.

New, modern electrical: We added USB-outlets throughout, dimmer switches on the theater lighting, & modern lighting in the baths, office, & kitchen. Also, we added smart outlets to enable voice controls for the living room lighting.

Optimized for today’s family: In the basement, we added a large 2nd bathroom with shower & dual massaging showheads, a corresponding deep linen storage closet, and a home office to help stay on top of homeowner’s current needs, whether that’s not waking up the family when getting ready for work, or for when you find yourself quarantined or otherwise working from home. There’s no need to sacrifice a bedroom to become your office, & this office is far from the hubub of the living room and kitchen areas that tend to generate the most noise. Just settle in, seclude yourself, and go to work.

Smart home: As a former Air BNB, this smart home comes with internet & Alexa-enabled devices, including smart door locks, lighting, security system, outlets, thermostat, smart TVs & a Ring doorbell. See everything and control everything with your voice, or do it remotely through your phone or tablet.

Finished detail: Whether it’s the lighting, faucets, showers, flooring, carpet, baseboards, door hardware, or walls, our team ensured that everything was finished with the greatest attention to detail, & was made to both look great and to last for many years to come. Take a second to appreciate the complete lack of cracks on the baseboard, or to miss the old paint on the doorframes signature to many houses of similar age, or to notice the matching hardware in the kitchen, baths, and doors throughout. This house has been given a makeover with attention to the all of details, and is now the belle of the ball.

After our renovation, we believe that 5533 Yates Ave is a perfect mix of beauty, functionality, and polished finishes, and we’re proud to add it to our list of design successes. Take a walk through it, and I’m sure you will agree. A word of advice - if you decide it is your new forever home, be prepared to act quickly in this aggressive market. People who are house shopping during these COVID-19 times are committed to finding a home and starting a new chapter if their lives now, not later. I wish you the best of luck in your home search, and stay safe and healthy.

- Dave O’Brien, designer with IMN Homes

IMN Homes specializes in renovating distressed & outdated properties and breathing new life and style into them to equip them for modern living and convenience for today’s families.

IMN Homes - Investing in MN homes, improving MN lives, neighborhoods, & communities.