Noy Design Build

10/30/2026

From raw potential > re-invisioning > refining the design > construction > to completion

To be honest, this isn't my favorite or sexiest kitchen I've done this year. But it's exactly what this home owner needed to create a unit in her basement, that allows her family to live with her, and to serve as a home daycare space in the future.

This is a 1990's home, so the Before photo isn't nearly as gross as I'm used to. In the first visit we mocked up the overall layout with a few options of simple kitchenettes in the corner. This allowed me to get her a price based on what I know the install will cost and estimated cabinet costs. Once she knew what to expect for a price, we explored a few options, and found one that came a bit less than expected.

A couple of details about this kitchen:

- Normally I like space on both sides of the range and sink, but given the size of the kitchen, we chose to maximize the working area between the sink and range.
- I didn't dent the fridge! She wanted to use her older appliances to save costs.
- While the laundry machines in the kitchen isn't gorgeous, it is practical. Most of the apartments that I've built and own\manage have the laundry in the kitchen. Trying to build them into cabinetry costs an extra $3k and makes them harder to use.
- For small kitchens, I like to run the upper cabinets with level bottom heights, 18" above the counters, and not have it raise above the sink like most designers do. It provides precious storage, and as long as one picks out a shorter\average height faucet, it doesn't feel crowded.

10/29/2026

Happy National Cat Day! Cheers to the two cats that kept photo bombing the pictures I was trying to take of one of my favorite South Minneapolis kitchens I've completed.

10/28/2026

Here's a basement suite that we just wrapped up in Lakeville. We took an unfinished 1990's basement with walk out, patio doors to the back yard. Originally the plan was to finish it for a home daycare, but as the family's situation changed, and an elderly father needed a space to stay, we quickly tweaked the design in the first month to work well for both visions. Given the family's needs, we raced on this one, getting it ready for them to move in about 3 months after we started, before coming back later to wrap up the final details.

This gave me the confidence to promise another client who is expecting their child that we would finish their remodel in 3 months, just before their baby is due on Christmas - wish us luck! Photos of that one will come soon.

10/17/2026

Tiny bathroom? Most of my remodels are in 100 year old bungalows, with 5' x 7' 6" bathrooms. One of my favorite things to do is install a 4-5' medicine cabinet spanning over the toilet and sink. It offers a ton of storage that the small vanity can't, and will make the room feel so much larger. There's usually just barely enough room for a towel bar under the cabinet and above the toilet. A few other tips: install an outlet in the vanity for a toothbrush charger; an outlet for a bidet; tub spout in the corner to allow two people to enjoy a bath together, and the Ge**er Viper elongated toilet, that's just over 27" long (about as short as the squatier round toilets, not as comfortable, but you need something shorter to avoid having the door hit the toilet).

10/17/2026

Happy National Pasta Day! Make the celebrating easier by installing a pot filler at the stove. Honestly, it's not a feature that I would encourage (it's neat and convenient, but I'm not convinced it's the best value unless someone is cooking a ton of pasta or mashed potatoes), but it's something that I'm happy to install if it's something a family wants.

10/16/2026

10/14/2026

Just wrapped up this new bathroom in a 800 square foot addition. I promised to finish the project in 6 months, and most of the addition was was ready to move in after just over 4 months, and for the first month, we worked on the foundation and framing so didn't disrupt the living space too much.

The images show the finished product, and the initial design session image (we do 3D renderings and a Virtual Reality walk through within the first 2 hours together), the AI renderings once we refined the colors and selections, and a photo during construction.

A couple details I love:

- The window has frosted lower sash, so you have a clear view outside, but you're protected from flashing the neighbors when you step out of the tub.
- The cabinets to the right of the vanity are kitchen cabinets, recessed into the wall. We stole 7" from the adjacent closet to make the cavity for it.
- Moderno tile for the tub\shower surround, built from 3 huge pieces of tile with no grout to clean.
- Almost all my tubs are 32" wide, but this is the Lyons Linear is 36". We installed the tub spout in the corner instead of the center, and this will allow a couple to enjoy the tub, side by side\face to face.

08/26/2026

Have you ever been woken up by the sound of a toilet flushing, as the water runs down the pipes through a bedroom wall and ceiling? This isn't an issue with old cast iron pipes, but is definitely a nuisance with modern PVC pipes. I always wrap the pipes with Mass Loaded Vinyl, heavy 1/8" rubber mats, to absorb the noise, especially where it runs through bedrooms. It only adds about $200-300 to the cost of the project. I'll also fill the ceiling and shared walls with 3-8" of fiberglass insulation, and always use 5/8" dense drywall on the ceiling and on one side of the walls (and 1/2" on the other side). I get pretty nerdy about this, so please reach out with any questions, even if you'll be doing it yourself as part of a remodel.

08/08/2026

I need a better assistant than Siri. After a serious of confusing texts, I had to make this disclaimer to all my clients last week, as I spend much more time driving than I normally do. What tools are you all using for hands free dictation and organizing?

08/01/2026

What's more important - curb appeal or what it looks and feels like from the inside?

This is the old front porch that we're converting to a conditioned living space for a great office, and obviously, it's not done, but getting close. I really love maintaining the character of these old homes, and in this case it would have been to use double hung windows on the front. However, it's a unique house with a steep hill in front and lots of trees, where you can't even see the house until you're standing in the yard. And I do love how a giant front window feels, with a nice view into the great front yard.

What would you have done?

A couple more things: Fresh air is great, and for that, there are double hung windows on each side, allowing a nice cross breeze.

You'll also note a partially vaulted ceiling. This was achieved relatively easily, by raising the rafter tie\ceiling joist from on top of the walls (as typically done) to 1/3 up towards the peak. Any higher would require a much costlier strategy, but this is a great thing I wish more remodelers would do.