A Bold Red Kitchen Remodel in Roseville: What It Cost and How Long It Took

When a Roseville homeowner set out to remodel their kitchen, they didn’t want the usual white-on-white. They wanted one bold, hardworking room — a 1950s-diner-inspired space in a deep, custom “Coca-Cola red.” We did it as a single coordinated project for roughly $155,000–$175,000, with about a ten-week build in the fall of 2025 (around five months from design to finish). Here’s what shaped the budget, how the schedule ran, and what an older home was hiding once we opened up the walls.

The project at a glance

• Where: An established home in Roseville, MN
• Scope: Full kitchen remodel — custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, new windows, and exterior repair
• Cost: Roughly $155,000–$175,000, value-based (appliances were homeowner-supplied and sit outside this figure)
• Timeline: Design began summer 2025; about a ten-week build through the fall; finished mid-December 2025 — roughly five months end to end
• Lived in: Yes — the family stayed in the home throughout

The challenge: a “traffic hub” with seven windows

Before we could talk about color, we had to solve the layout. This kitchen was the definition of busy. Three different doorways turned the room into a hallway for kids and pets running through the house, and with seven windows — including a large bay window — there was almost no wall left for cabinetry. The homeowners needed a way for the kids to pass through without getting underfoot, while giving the cook a protected zone to work safely.

The solution: the “cockpit” layout

We designed a peninsula that acts as a natural barrier. It steers foot traffic to the outer edge of the room, keeping the path clear between the doorways, while the cook gets protected access to the range and sink behind it. The result is a dedicated workspace that feels open to the family but separated from the chaos.

Chasing “Coca-Cola Red”

A red kitchen is risky. Pick the wrong shade and it reads like a fire engine or a fast-food counter. Our client — a professional graphic designer — had a trained eye, so “close enough” wasn’t an option. We went through multiple rounds of custom color matching at the paint store, testing samples in the home’s own light until we nailed the exact deep red they pictured, then balanced it with stainless appliances and crisp white quartz countertops.

What it cost

This full kitchen ran in the $155,000–$175,000 range, value-based. The biggest single line was the cabinets and their finish — a true, color-matched custom red on a quality cabinet line, with the layout engineered around the exact appliances. New windows and the related framing and exterior repair added real scope that an off-the-shelf kitchen wouldn’t carry, and the full electrical and code upgrade and stone countertops rounded out the drivers. The homeowners bought their own appliances — a smart way to save on overhead — so those sit outside this figure. Costs always vary with scope: a kitchen that includes window replacement and older-home repairs lands higher than a cabinets-and-counters refresh.

How long it took

Design began in the summer of 2025 — an initial design scan, a ballpark and rendering, then pricing and selections — with the contract signed in early September. Construction ran about ten weeks through the fall, from demolition and rough-ins in mid-October to final inspection in mid-December. End to end, roughly five months. The schedule included a planned hold for countertop fabrication and worked around the Thanksgiving holiday.

The “invisible” work

As with many older homes, the prettiest parts often cover up the ugliest problems. During demolition we found significant exterior rot around the existing windows. We didn’t just patch it — we replaced the large bay window entirely and re-sided the back of the home so the new kitchen is watertight and energy-efficient for the next 50 years. We also brought the kitchen’s electrical up to current code. None of it derailed the schedule. It’s the kind of do-it-once work that’s the difference between a kitchen that looks new and one that actually is.

The result

A dated, cramped kitchen became a fearless, joyful room that works perfectly for a busy family. In the homeowners’ own words after moving back in: “We’re very happy with the kitchen! It’s so nice to be cooking again.” A couple of weeks later: “Sometimes I just hang out in the kitchen. It’s the coolest room in the house!” It proves you don’t have to follow the trends to have a beautiful home — you just need a contractor who listens to your vision.

Thinking about breaking the “white kitchen” rule? See how we handle custom design on our Kitchen Remodeling Services page.

Kitchen Remodel FAQ: Roseville & the Twin Cities

What does a kitchen remodel cost in Roseville? This full kitchen — custom cabinetry, quartz counters, new windows, and exterior repair — ran about $155,000–$175,000. Costs vary with scope; a kitchen that includes window replacement and older-home repairs lands higher than a cabinets-and-counters refresh.

How long does a kitchen remodel take? Here, design through completion was roughly five months, and the on-site build was about ten weeks — including a planned hold for countertop fabrication.

Can we stay in our home during a kitchen remodel? Yes. This family stayed in the home throughout while we worked around the kitchen being out of service.

What happens if you find rot or code issues in an older home? We address them as part of the work. Here, exterior rot and window framing were repaired (with new siding on the back of the house) and the kitchen was brought up to current electrical code — so the finished room is sound, not just good-looking.