Designing for you: Custom home solutions at any scale

Tailored residential spaces that support your lifestyle

In the design world, it’s easy to get caught up in the grandeur of dazzling, large-scale projects. While this work is important, here at Shelter we pride ourselves on our ability to make magic happen in projects of all sizes. Since we have experience designing everything from cozy nooks to sprawling homesteads, we’re able to customize each space to the specific needs and sensibilities of our clients and their budgets, no matter the scale. And how do we do this? Through three primary differentiators: an empathy-focused approach, scope neutrality, and expert analysis of our clients’ needs and goals.

Empathy-focused design

At the heart of our practice is a belief in empathetic design focused on the user’s needs, abilities, and emotions. We don’t just create spaces; we craft tailored experiences. We’re experts at delving deep into how people wish to use, move through, and feel within their spaces. This includes consideration for accessible, equitable design. Our attention to detail around the user experience ensures that our designs not only look beautiful but also function seamlessly in everyday life, for everyday people.

Scope-neutral approach

We understand that great design should be financially accessible. That’s why we are committed to – and enjoy – working with a wide range of budgets and user needs. Our portfolio reflects this. Over the last 20 years, our project work has ranged from new constructions to full-scale renovations to tailored, one-room upgrades and everything in between.

Expert evaluation of needs & goals

Our team is experienced in both assessing existing spaces and scouting new locations to bring your design goals to life whether you decide to remain in your current home or create one from the ground up. We work collaboratively with our clients to ensure that their financial goals are met without compromising on program needs and quality of the design. We help you identify, and execute, your vision from start to finish, which includes expert guidance on how to maximize impact without breaking the bank.

Let’s take two of our residential upgrade projects for example to help illustrate the impact of custom home design on different scales, each of which included an empathy-focused approach, scope-neutrality, and expert evaluation of our clients’ needs & goals.

Edina Refresh: Modest upgrades to an existing home

This project was an interior renovation of a single family home in Edina, MN. We made smaller-scale, impactful upgrades to high-traffic areas of the house to brighten the space. Updates included new paint and carpet, a custom floor-to-ceiling fireplace surround, wainscoting additions in the dining room, and upgraded lighting, countertop, and backsplash selections for the kitchen/dining area.

The house was put on the market in 2024, listed by local realty group The Nancy Walker Team who noted that the owners will undoubtedly recoup the renovation investment they put into the home. They also emphasized the importance of getting in touch with a realtor when considering upgrades to your home. A listing agent can help you target areas of improvement, and design professionals can help you execute the renovations.

Modern Sensitivity: Total renovation of a new home

This project was a full-scale residential renovation in Minneapolis, MN. We worked with the clients to find a house in their desired neighborhood with the potential to meet their needs and visions. We gutted the house and completely reimagined the space to fit the homeowners’ contemporary aesthetic and desire for a cozy, yet open space. Updates were made to the entirety of the home, the most notable being the modern exterior.

We design intentional, customized solutions that fit our clients’ goals – from an aesthetic, function, and monetary perspective –  by employing an empathy-focused approach, grounded in a scope neutral attitude that expertly translates our clients’ needs and goals into a reality. Whether someone is looking to upgrade their existing space or ready to embark on a new adventure, we’re here to guide our clients through the total design process and tailor the project to their individual needs, goals, and budget.

Interested in upgrading your current home, or customizing a new one? Want to gauge whether you can achieve your vision with your budget? Let’s chat.