Ten members of Team Highmark each walked 6.5 miles Saturday, May 5 in the annual MS Walk, raising over $2,400 for the National MtS Society.

“The organizers did a wonderful job of keeping everyone motivated and cheering us on,” said team leader Melissa Dieckmann. “It was amazing to see someone with MS using a walker keeping pace with us. It was an incredibly rewarding event.”

This cottage home is traditional in style, yet possesses a modern sensibility—including creative use of space and geothermal heating—that families are looking for in a new home. The result is a house that feels cozy and warm yet offers highly functional details to make life easier.

For example, the laundry room is upstairs, tucked in between the luxurious master suite and a second bedroom and bath. This not only simplifies routines but creates a private sanctuary for the family’s personal belongings.

On the main floor, two gas fireplaces make it easy to enjoy a fire anytime. Custom cabinetry offers storage for the way families actually cook, work and live, with pull-out bins and locker-style units to make the most of available space. Dark-stained flooring is a unifying element throughout.

(Update: This home was available for touring on the Spring Parade of Homes.)

In January 2012, partner Jim Moras traveled to Peru to lend a hand in the construction of a church on the Amazon River. Arriving in Lima (population: 7 million) he saw an impoverished third-world city working to modernize itself. The group flew next to Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest. A five-hour trip to a small village with no contact with the modern world was life-changing for all.

Sometimes, you don’t need to move out to move up. This whole-house remodel in St. Paul’s popular Mac-Groveland area gives a compact 1920s bungalow brilliant new life. The new design includes period details like a telephone niche along with 21st century essentials like stainless appliances, granite counters and spa-worthy baths.

Inspired by the home’s Arts & Crafts bones, the interior’s warm color palette is anchored by custom birch cabinetry stained to the original kitchen’s caramel tones, and a Red Damascus marble hearth in the great room. The lower level maximizes the usable space of a small footprint with two spacious bedrooms, a bath and a gaming area.

(Update: This home was avaiable for touring on the Spring 2012 Parade of Homes Remodelers Showcase.)

When the homeowners of this 1950s rambler asked us to bring their small galley kitchen into the modern era, we said, heck, yes. The original kitchen lacked both prep and storage areas. Our mission: find creative solutions to every challenge.

The makeover improved functionality with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, purpose-built pull-out drawers and bins and—one of their favorite additions—a built-in bulletin board family organizer. Marble countertops, subway tile backsplash and a paneled refrigerator give the space a serious kitchen ambience, while the custom-stained wood floor blends seamlessly with the rest of the home.

(Update: This home was available for touring on the Spring 2012 Parade of Homes Remodelers Showcase.)

This April, we’re creating Highmark Restoration, a branch of our company to oversee the many restoration projects we’ve been doing since 2006. Headed up by Dave Maurer, Highmark Restoration specializes in the repair and clean-up of homes that have been damaged by fires, flooding, crime, storms and other disasters. We hope this never happens to anyone, but if it does, we’ll be there for you with ultra-fast response and the highest possible level of care and mitigation. Look for Highmark Restoration’s website in April for more details.

We feel it’s important to give back to our communities, and to use our skills and talents in service to others. We’re very thankful for the communities in which we work; in 2011, nearly 80% of our business came from referrals. As partner Terry Gaulrapp says, “We just wouldn’t be where we are without the support of our friends, families and communities.”

We have a lot planned for giving back in 2012. Just a few of our projects:

• In January, partner Jim Moras traveled to Peru to help lend a hand in the construction of two churches on the Amazon River, bringing hope to an impoverished community.
• In the months to come, we’ll be volunteering with Feed My Starving Children, packing high nutrition meals that are sent to countries where children are living in starvation.

We’re excited about these opportunities to make an impact for good. Check our site for photos and updates!

Matt Eastman joined Highmark last September as a Project Manager. While new to Highmark, he’s not at all new to custom homebuilding, with 7 years of field experience and a degree in Construction Project Management. When he’s not climbing ladders or checking tasks off a punch list, Matt enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his wife Ashley and their toddler Chloe.

An architectural drafter who joined us last December, Melissa Kettwig brings 8 years of experience and her winning smile to Highmark. Melissa specializes in creating floor plans for both new homes and remodeling projects. When she’s not here doing her magic, she enjoys travel, reading and time with her husband, Matthew and their sons Bennett and Grant.