We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

“I wanted comfortable furniture with a masculine shape and a traditional, ornate rug in pretty blue tones to make the room feel more eclectic.”

COFFEE TABLE Shroom by CB2 MIRROR Grant $125 schoolhouseelectric.com LOUNGE CHAIRSBertoia Diamond with full cover $1,997 dwr.com SOFA Avec in ophelia mushroom by CB2  RUG Anastasia in blue and gold by Loloi

photographs by WING TA text by GILLIAN KOENIG interior design by KATE ARENDS

With a mix of the old, the new, and the Nordic, a design blogger turns on the charm with a fresh remodel of her Minnesota home.

Arends loves pink, gray, and white but keeps her wardrobe pared down and seasonless.

Kate Arends, the voice and vision behind lifestyle blog Wit & Delight, has a sharp instinct for potential. The moment she stepped into a historic Tudor-style cottage in St. Paul, Minnesota, she knew that she had found her home. Her husband, however, was less enthusiastic. “Joe took one look and said, ‘Absolutely not.’” But Arends prevailed, pointing out that they could balance the house’s traditional (if run-down) elements, such as the beamed ceilings and original fireplace, with modern details and a more practical layout. “It had great bones and high ceilings, and I could tell there was a lot I could work with,” she said. “The idea was to honor the 1920s architecture while bringing in more natural light and up-to-date amenities.”

CHAIRS Workhorse $166 dotandbo.com LIGHTING Adel from $525 parkstudiola.com CABINET LIATORP $499 ikea.com

Graphic cement tile, pale gray Cambria quartz countertops, and brass kitchen hardware from Anthropologie were sourced on Pinterest and shared with Arends’s Wit & Delight audience during the renovation.

The kitchen underwent a complete renovation and is the heart of the house. “I had the best time picking out all of the materials,” Arends says.

COUNTER STOOLS Hot Mesh by Blu Dot FLOATING SHELVEScustom,mcdonaldremodeling.com RANGECormatin by Lacanche from $6,295 frenchranges.com TILE Star from Pacific Collection in black, white, and light grey $82.80/box, cementtileshop.com LIGHTING Luna in natural brass with 10″ shade$199–$234 schoolhouseelectric.com KNOBS Ory$10 each, anthropologie.com

The deep blue in the office is punctuated by a brass lamp and a pink side chair.

WALL COLOR Compass Blue (MQ5-54) $3.94/sample pot, behr.com CHAIR Dowel Side Shell fiberglass in pink $375 modernica.net  TABLE LAMP Kinetic in brass $266.25 robertabbeylightingstore.com

The result is a calm and relaxed space, with a curated mix of old and new furnishings that pays homage to the lifestyle blogger’s Scandinavian roots. Arends took a room-by-room approach to the 1,500-square-foot house to make it feel bigger and, as she puts it, “more exciting to walk through.” While the master bedroom has a spare, industrial-chic feel, the study is more traditional and cozy. Her airy kitchen was quite literally designed from the ground up. “I knew I wanted this crazy tile floor, so I started there,” says Arends. And a pair of Harry Bertoia diamond chairs in the living room—originals inherited from her grandmother’s sitting room—reflect her guiding philosophy: “If you have something you love, design a room around it!”

“We wallpapered this tiny powder room off the corridor and painted the ceiling pink,” says Arends. “Why not do something crazy in there—it’s a little low-risk moment that can offer some delight.”

WALLPAPER Peonies in Mint by

rifle paper co

co”]  $190/roll, hyggeandwest.com

A collection of personal treasures in the entryway.

The guest room has a minimalist, industrial vibe.

PILLOW Wink Wink by People I’ve Loved LAMP Emerson light $115 shop.onefortythree.com QUILT No. 1

Check out Arends’s latest collaboration with Target!

IPHONE CASE Squares with mirror power bank $24.99/set, target.com