For young families, East Metro in Minnesota’s Lakeland Township is a wonderful place to call home. “It’s a quaint neighborhood that feels private and secluded from the city,” interior designer Bria Hammel says. “All of the lots are very wooded with a lot of greenery.”

Bria’s firm, Bria Hammel Interiors, was contacted by a family to design their dream home. “These clients cared about the details and wanted an intimate space for their family to grow for years to come,” she tells us. “We blended equal amounts of traditional design with modern edges and made sure to balance light and airy, and dark and moody throughout the home.”

Since they have young children, they cared about durability. “You’ll see this in selections like porcelain kitchen countertops, and ceramic marble looking tile in the mudroom,” the designer explains. 

Bria’s signature style is apparent the moment you step inside—the intimate foyer features contrast through light fixtures and extra detail with the paneling on the walls. Moving into the kitchen—the true heart of the home—a mix of materials offer a showstopper moment. There’s a stone wall, a bold arched window, and a dramatic range hood, all creating harmony and warmth within the space. “I think the coziest space in the house is the breakfast nook banquette,” Bria says. “The mixing of stain colors and decorative lighting make this a space I could sit at all day!”

For a more formal seating option, a there’s a dramatic dining room. “This room was an important space for the clients,” Bria explains. “It’s a space where they could host their friends and family for their famous dinner parties and holiday meals! This space feels dramatic with the oversized light fixture, and black painted paneling.”

The mix of traditional and modern is most apparent in the great room. “We balanced an oversized traditional fireplace with the bold, black interior windows, and traditional beams and cabinetry with a modern chandelier,” Bria shares. 

Finally, a powder room makes a major statement. “The powder bath features one of my favorite design details of the home,” the designer explains. “We worked hand in hand with Cambria to create the floating, reeded vanity for the clients and it turned out perfect!”

The project took about two years from start to finish and is everything the family had hoped for. Take a tour in the slideshow.