Photographs by Spacecrafting
Part Time Paradise
Renee and Doug Boehme’s Stillwater condo was inspired by the Ritz-Carlton in Manhattan. “I wanted it to look elegant and feel kind of luxurious but comfortable—really comfortable,” Renee says. Touches of teal, gold, brass, and marble help accomplish her goal. A Samsung Frame TV displays a photo Doug took of the Stillwater Lift Bridge.
For Renee and Doug Boehme, sending their youngest of two children to college gave them a chance for a new beginning. They decided to sell their five-bedroom Woodbury house (and nearly all of its furniture); bought a condo in Stillwater and rented a home in Fountain Hills, Arizona; and commenced a life as snowbirds.
“We’re not from Minnesota originally,” Renee says. “We would have once told you that as soon as our kids graduated, we were moving on. But we’ve fallen in love with the people and the place, and the summers are just like no other.”
A two-bedroom condo in Stillwater, right on Main Street, gave them the downtown walkability and low-maintenance living they had missed during their years in a suburb. And yet the dated condo needed a face-lift, so the couple brought in interior designer (and friend) Amy Leferink, principal and founder of Interior Impressions, for a complete overhaul.
“There wasn’t a square inch we didn’t redo,” Leferink says. “It was a complete gut-and-redo.” Leferink and the couple took inspiration from the Ritz-Carlton and luxury condos in Manhattan: units that use their small space well while still feeling elegant and timeless. Touches of coastal-cool nod to its waterfront location and the Boehmes’ love of boating—they even keep a boat nearby in Sunnyside Marina.
“There’s this classy style, with little touches of coastal: beach meets Manhattan.”
—Amy Leferink, designer
During the monthslong renovation, the Boehmes consulted from Arizona—but trusted Leferink with the overall vision. “My husband decided he wanted to have this HGTV-ish project-reveal experience, which meant we didn’t see anything along the way,” Renee says. “Amy had a good sense of our vision. We picked out all the materials and furniture together, but I never saw any of it installed or together.”
The voilà moment unveiled a space that was better than she could have imagined, Renee says. White, taupe, teal, gold, and brass tones washed through the entire condo—a far cry from the original wood-and-beige color scheme. A porcelain-surrounded linear fireplace and new cabinet doors, appliances, and Corian quartz countertops transformed the living and kitchen areas into modern masterpieces, while sneaky storage made the condo feel more livable. A vintage-inspired custom banquette gave the Boehmes much-needed table space for entertaining and family dinners. And rather than simply tossing a guest bed into the second bedroom, Leferink turned the space into a “flex room” that the Boehmes can use as an office and gym on a day-to-day basis—but a new Murphy bed gives guests a comfortable space to sleep when they do visit.
“Amy gave me some of the best advice, and I’ve applied this to my life,” Renee says. “‘Don’t try to design for the 2 percent of the way you’re going to live your life—design for the 98 percent of the way you’ll live. Which is without company!’”
“There’s nowhere we’d rather be than Minnesota in the summertime.”
—Renee Boehme, homeowner
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feeling blue(-green)
Feeling Blue(-Green)
Leferink moved the fireplace to the right to eke out more space for a custom banquette by Crystal-based Randy’s Booth Company. “When we got the condo, they didn’t even have a dining table; they just ate at the counter,” Renee says. “No way could I convene like that.” Teal paint (with a meant-to-be name: Still Water) and dining chairs from Restoration Hardware bring a touch of levity to the sophisticated space. “Adding pops of that rich teal but keeping the overall palette monochromatic and soft created an elegant, cohesive feel,” Leferink says.
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raise your glass
Raise Your Glass
Amy transformed a once-empty alcove into a bar area, with a wine refrigerator below and storage for liquor bottles behind recessed glass doors. “It was nothing before,” Leferink says. “We literally carved a space out of the wall for functionality and storage.”
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summer love
Summer Love
A whitewashed living room —with a couch, chair, and ottoman all from Restoration Hardware—feels restful yet classy. Leferink repurposed outdoor furniture from the Boehmes’ previous house on the patio (next image), which faces a private tree-filled courtyard and is perfect for both entertaining and quiet cups of coffee. Artwork sourced to the trade from Leftbank is waterproof and can stay outside all season long.
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patio
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guest room
Mix It Up
This is not your average guest room. A Murphy bed folds up when the Boehmes don’t need it. Normally, the space acts as their office and gym (next image)—complete with a Lululemon Mirror, which plays workout videos on top of users’ reflections. Wallpaper from Schumacher gives the space its own feel, while the neutral colors connect to the rest of the condo.
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mix it up
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spa vibes
Spa Vibes
Renee and Doug nixed a bathtub in favor of a double-headed walk-in shower —with niche shelves for products and a lower inset where Renee can prop her foot while shaving. Large-panel Kate-Lo porcelain tiles on the shower walls almost look like one swath of marble.
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so fresh and so clean
So Fresh and so Clean
Leferink perked up the laundry room with tile (Nora from LiLi Cement Tiles) and paint and added storage to fit kitchen appliances and serving pieces. A curtain hides the furnace and water heater while still providing easy access.
Interior design: Amy Leferink, Interior Impressions, 650 Commerce Dr., Woodbury, 651-337-2184, interiorimpressions.org
