Favorite room: “Bridging Room”
Created by: Marty and Joey Berens.
Background story: Marty Berens has loved lakeside living ever since his family had a cabin in the Brainerd area as a child. When he and his wife, Elaine, found a home on Long Lake in Dassel, Minnesota, it was just what they were looking for. Less than an hour's drive from their home in Shakopee, it offers a true north country feel. On the other side of the lake, “there's no development, it's all pristine woods,” Marty says.
They decided to convert the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home into a cabin, but the house, built in 1962, needed some care. Luckily, Marty, who had worked as a commercial architect for 30 years, liked to take on home renovation projects in his spare time, and his son, Joey, was also studying to be a commercial architect at the time.
“My dad definitely influenced me,” Joey said of his father. “There's a photo of me when I was 3 or 4 years old, standing next to him with a plastic hammer.” Joey went on to graduate from North Dakota State University with a master's in architecture and work for an architecture firm in Minneapolis. “I had a lot of respect for architecture and I found that same love for it in my own life.”
Dark and brooding: The most important project they tackled was the family room, which they called the “Bridging Room” because it connected the main house to the garage: the dark room had a 6-foot-wide sliding door and a stone fireplace but no built-in heating system or other mechanical amenities.
“Probably the best way to describe this building is with nice, airy hallways,” Marty said.
Still, the Berens saw potential: “Because the floor structure was sound and they could use engineered timber to expand the floor plan, they didn't need any additional foundations or supports,” Marty says, noting that the fireplace was worth saving.
Weekend Warriors: Joey led the design, and the father-son duo was heavily involved in the demolition and renovation. For Joey, the vision became clearer as he assessed the space.
“We brainstormed around the dinner table and the idea of ​​a big open space facing the lake with lots of light and reflections on the walls really stuck with us,” Joey says. “And we just developed the idea from there.”
The pair worked together over long winter weekends over six weeks to complete most of the work.
They gutted the room and built the shell by hand. Covering the walls and ceilings in plywood with a natural, semi-gloss finish wasn't an afterthought. “The lake and the sunlight are reflected beautifully,” Marty says. “The wood gives the room a very warm feel.”
The room was made taller and wider, and a 12-foot wall of glass, a transom window, and multiple sliding doors leading to a new deck overlooking the water were installed. “Rather than the typical rail-and-spindle decking, we opted for wire rail,” Marty adds. “Again, we were thinking about how to maximize the lake views.”
Casual: IKEA sectionals and picnic-style tables round out the look, creating a sociable yet casual hangout space. “We wanted it to be playful and to enjoy the lake views,” says Marty.
My new favorite room: The bridging room, with its lounge area and dining nook, is now the family's gathering spot. “It's the main eating area as well as the family area with entertainment and TV,” Marty says. “It's the central station, with vaulted ceilings and sliding doors that offer spectacular views of the lake.”
budget: Marty estimates the project cost between $20,000 and $25,000 in total, with the biggest costs being outsourcing the electrical and mechanical work.
New Favorite Memories: Ask Marty and Joey and they'll tell you that their time together was priceless.
“I'd been actively involved in the renovation for years, while my son was focused on school, friends, and other things. I'd helped out with projects before, but this was the first time I'd had an active role,” Marty says. “Anytime you get the chance to do something with your son, you'd be foolish to pass it up. It's a family story and a family memory that will last forever.”
“It was fun to work next to him instead of just watching from the sidelines,” he said. “I have pictures of us outside in January with the snow falling. It was awful at the time, but looking back on it, it's so much fun.”
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