Ansoka

Ansoku, named for the Japanese word meaning repose, reimagines a fragmented 1980s primary suite as a calm and cohesive retreat, carefully contained within the home’s existing Tudor envelope. The renovation centered on clarity, proportion, and architectural continuity. Reworked vaulted ceilings redefine the suite’s volume, allowing the upper level to echo the scale and presence of the great room below (see our Golden Revival project) and reestablish a connection to the home’s broader architectural language. Custom built-in closets line the approach to the suite, their bypass panels crafted from mellow white oak and woven rattan. Drawing inspiration from traditional Japanese sliding screens, these elements introduce rhythm and texture while mediating between Tudor geometry and a more restrained material palette. The bath is conceived as a deliberate sequence of spaces. A light-filled vanity room sits beneath the restored half-round window, followed by a discreet water closet and a bathing room designed around ritual and repose. Cream and green marble envelops the space like a mural, its natural movement reminiscent of ocean waves in Japanese woodblock prints. A sculptural soaking tub, rain shower, and meticulously crafted floating teak bench form a bathing alcove that feels intentional and deeply composed. Subtle oak trim transitions bridge Tudor detailing and Japanese joinery, reinforcing a dialogue between structure and serenity throughout. Ansoku is a study in restraint where proportion, materiality, and cultural influence align to create a space defined by stillness and balance.

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Project Type

Renovation

Location

Golden Valley, MN

Design Team

Meghan Kell, AIA, CID, Kelly Kraemer

Contractor

Braden Construction

Collaborators

Eull Woodworks - custom doors + cabinetry, Cambria - Bathroom c. top, Pella - windows, Cipollino Marble - Feature stone shower walls

Photographer(s)

Round Three Photography

Publications

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