Houzz Tour: Modern Farmhouse Style on a Minnesota Lake
Soon-to-be empty nesters build a dream home for the next phase of their lives
Becky Harris
March 11, 2018
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Photos by Spacecrafting
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who love lake life and, with two kids away in college, are transitioning into the empty-nest phase, plus a dog and a cat
Location: Excelsior, Minnesota
Size: 2,877 square feet (267 square meters), not including a large finished basement; four bedrooms, four bathrooms
Designers: Jennifer Horstman of Lenox House Design in concert with Todd Simning of Kroiss Development
This couple had a home on the opposite side of Minnesota’s Lake Minnewashta, but it was up a hill from the lakefront. “They wanted something that was walk-out, so when this lot became available, they jumped on it,” says interior designer Jennifer Horstman. As big entertainers who also love to host their children’s friends, they wanted the newly constructed house to have an open floor plan that would make entertaining and indoor-outdoor living easy. They also wanted the house to facilitate the transition into a new phase of their lives — becoming empty nesters. Specifically, empty nesters who live full time in a lake house that entices their children to visit often.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who love lake life and, with two kids away in college, are transitioning into the empty-nest phase, plus a dog and a cat
Location: Excelsior, Minnesota
Size: 2,877 square feet (267 square meters), not including a large finished basement; four bedrooms, four bathrooms
Designers: Jennifer Horstman of Lenox House Design in concert with Todd Simning of Kroiss Development
This couple had a home on the opposite side of Minnesota’s Lake Minnewashta, but it was up a hill from the lakefront. “They wanted something that was walk-out, so when this lot became available, they jumped on it,” says interior designer Jennifer Horstman. As big entertainers who also love to host their children’s friends, they wanted the newly constructed house to have an open floor plan that would make entertaining and indoor-outdoor living easy. They also wanted the house to facilitate the transition into a new phase of their lives — becoming empty nesters. Specifically, empty nesters who live full time in a lake house that entices their children to visit often.
Front of the House
The couple had fallen in love with a home they toured that had fresh modern farmhouse style, and they wanted to use a lot of reclaimed barn wood. Blue and orange accents on the porch hint at the interior’s color palette.
The street-facing side of the house is marked by two peaks and a welcoming front porch. While many modern farmhouses use board-and batten-siding these days, the shingles provide a lake cottage element that suits the location. Crisp white walls contrasted by black accents on the windows, doors and lighting bring in the modern part of modern farmhouse.
Find an architect or a building designer
Windows: Marvin; siding: James Hardie
The couple had fallen in love with a home they toured that had fresh modern farmhouse style, and they wanted to use a lot of reclaimed barn wood. Blue and orange accents on the porch hint at the interior’s color palette.
The street-facing side of the house is marked by two peaks and a welcoming front porch. While many modern farmhouses use board-and batten-siding these days, the shingles provide a lake cottage element that suits the location. Crisp white walls contrasted by black accents on the windows, doors and lighting bring in the modern part of modern farmhouse.
Find an architect or a building designer
Windows: Marvin; siding: James Hardie
Entry
From the entrance, you can view most of the first floor and straight out to the lake thanks to the wide-open floor plan. Farmhouse elements include shiplap on the walls and reclaimed barn wood on the floors, ceiling beams and mantel. Those doors across the lake-facing side of the house that lead to the patio make indoor-outdoor living easy.
“This house feels really special because it’s a very nice scale,” Horstman says. “It feels human scale and doesn’t overwhelm.”
Wall paint in most of the house: White Dove, Benjamin Moore; lighting: Visual Comfort
From the entrance, you can view most of the first floor and straight out to the lake thanks to the wide-open floor plan. Farmhouse elements include shiplap on the walls and reclaimed barn wood on the floors, ceiling beams and mantel. Those doors across the lake-facing side of the house that lead to the patio make indoor-outdoor living easy.
“This house feels really special because it’s a very nice scale,” Horstman says. “It feels human scale and doesn’t overwhelm.”
Wall paint in most of the house: White Dove, Benjamin Moore; lighting: Visual Comfort
Dining Room
Floor. The couple saw a brick floor like this in the inspiration house they had admired and wanted to use it in their home. “Laying this flush with the wood floors was a labor of love because the brick veneers were thicker than the three-quarters-inch floorboards,” Horstman says. “But it was definitely worth it because it turned out awesome.” The brick floor delineates the dining area and adds unexpected textures.
Floor. The couple saw a brick floor like this in the inspiration house they had admired and wanted to use it in their home. “Laying this flush with the wood floors was a labor of love because the brick veneers were thicker than the three-quarters-inch floorboards,” Horstman says. “But it was definitely worth it because it turned out awesome.” The brick floor delineates the dining area and adds unexpected textures.
Furnishings. A rustic wood table contrasts with the soft upholstery of the dining chairs. Two wingback host and hostess chairs and a chandelier also help anchor the dining area within the open floor plan.
Barn doors slide shut to hide the TV but open when everyone is gathered during a big game, for example — a trick Horstman hadn’t tried before. “We picked barn wood with chippy white paint to give this element a different texture than the other reclaimed barn wood,” she says. “This adds more character.”
Fireplace. They used real barn beams for the mantel and ceilings (as opposed to simulating beams by boxing them out with reclaimed boards). Beams wrap all the way around the two-sided fireplace, which is made with real bricks, not veneers. “We over-grouted so that the grout would drip down. This made the fireplace look like it had been there for many years,” Horstman says.
Dining table and chairs: RH; chandelier: Visual Comfort
Barn doors slide shut to hide the TV but open when everyone is gathered during a big game, for example — a trick Horstman hadn’t tried before. “We picked barn wood with chippy white paint to give this element a different texture than the other reclaimed barn wood,” she says. “This adds more character.”
Fireplace. They used real barn beams for the mantel and ceilings (as opposed to simulating beams by boxing them out with reclaimed boards). Beams wrap all the way around the two-sided fireplace, which is made with real bricks, not veneers. “We over-grouted so that the grout would drip down. This made the fireplace look like it had been there for many years,” Horstman says.
Dining table and chairs: RH; chandelier: Visual Comfort
Living Room
The fireplace separates the living room from the dining room. And the barn wood ceiling differentiates it from the other spaces and gives it a cozier feel. “We gave a lot of thought to entertaining, including making all of the areas where people would be moving from one space to another nice and wide,” the designer says.
Furnishings. “Because they entertain a lot, they wanted a lot of seating in here,” Horstman says. “And we chose a sectional so that the whole family can all sit here together at their main TV-watching spot.” Flokati-covered stools add additional seating and some whimsical texture. A large leather ottoman layers in another texture and is easy to keep clean. Pops of lake-inspired indigo and warm orange hues bring in color. The orange tones were inspired by the terra-cotta colors in the dining room’s brick floor.
Kilim, Flokati, Beni Ourain, Boucherouite: What’s the Difference?
The fireplace separates the living room from the dining room. And the barn wood ceiling differentiates it from the other spaces and gives it a cozier feel. “We gave a lot of thought to entertaining, including making all of the areas where people would be moving from one space to another nice and wide,” the designer says.
Furnishings. “Because they entertain a lot, they wanted a lot of seating in here,” Horstman says. “And we chose a sectional so that the whole family can all sit here together at their main TV-watching spot.” Flokati-covered stools add additional seating and some whimsical texture. A large leather ottoman layers in another texture and is easy to keep clean. Pops of lake-inspired indigo and warm orange hues bring in color. The orange tones were inspired by the terra-cotta colors in the dining room’s brick floor.
Kilim, Flokati, Beni Ourain, Boucherouite: What’s the Difference?
Custom bar. The indigo hue carries over into the living room’s bar area, whose location was another decision made with entertaining in mind. The bar includes a sink, beverage and wine refrigerators, and glass-front cabinets for displaying barware. The countertop is Monterra marble, and the sink is granite composite.
Bar paint: Van Deusen Blue, Benjamin Moore; knobs: Anthropologie; faucet: Signature Hardware; sink: Blanco
Bar paint: Van Deusen Blue, Benjamin Moore; knobs: Anthropologie; faucet: Signature Hardware; sink: Blanco
Kitchen
Opposite the fireplace, the dining room is open to the kitchen. Using white panel fronts on appliances and shiplap on the vent hood keeps the room from looking so kitchen-y, a common request in open-plan designs.
Opposite the fireplace, the dining room is open to the kitchen. Using white panel fronts on appliances and shiplap on the vent hood keeps the room from looking so kitchen-y, a common request in open-plan designs.
A simple Shaker style on the cabinets is another nod to the farmhouse look, and the lighting over the island has a vintage vibe. “We covered the pantry door [left] in shiplap so that your eye goes to the cabinetry and not the door,” Horstman says. An elongated white subway tile with white grout and the integrated shiplap vent hood also keep the focus on the cabinetry. “We chose a textured subway tile so that it adds some movement in a subtle way. It’s undulating and adds more visual interest than flat tiles would have,” she says.
Lighting: Rejuvenation
Lighting: Rejuvenation
Island. The island includes the sink, dishwasher and recycling-trash bin pullouts. The countertops are Belvedere granite, a black natural stone with gray and white veins and hints of bronze. The apron-front sink is fireclay, and the bridge faucet is polished nickel.
Eat-in area. “Having an eat-in area in the kitchen was important to them because it meant they could double the amount of people they could seat for meals,” Horstman says. The table in the eat-in area was custom-made to fit the space. This cozy corner has an expansive view of the lake.
Bridge faucet: Signature Hardware
Eat-in area. “Having an eat-in area in the kitchen was important to them because it meant they could double the amount of people they could seat for meals,” Horstman says. The table in the eat-in area was custom-made to fit the space. This cozy corner has an expansive view of the lake.
Bridge faucet: Signature Hardware
Office
There is one quiet room on the first floor that isn’t part of the open plan. The office is concealed behind a large barn door made from reclaimed barn wood. The ceiling is barn wood as well. Gray drywall, the only drywall on the main floor, hints that this space is a little more serious.
Wall paint: Chelsea Gray, Benjamin Moore
There is one quiet room on the first floor that isn’t part of the open plan. The office is concealed behind a large barn door made from reclaimed barn wood. The ceiling is barn wood as well. Gray drywall, the only drywall on the main floor, hints that this space is a little more serious.
Wall paint: Chelsea Gray, Benjamin Moore
Mudroom
Those dripping with lake water need to pass through here before entering the rest of the house. The mudroom has a slate floor, open locker cubbies for everyone and a stacking washer and dryer hidden by a sliding barn door. Towels and wet or muddy clothes go right into this washer. The owners have a second laundry room, which is extra handy when their kids arrive home from college and invite their friends over and when changing lots of linens for overnight guests.
The mudroom also serves as the household’s command central. There’s a workspace just past the washer-dryer, and the built-ins you see at the end of the room are file drawers for household organization.
Those dripping with lake water need to pass through here before entering the rest of the house. The mudroom has a slate floor, open locker cubbies for everyone and a stacking washer and dryer hidden by a sliding barn door. Towels and wet or muddy clothes go right into this washer. The owners have a second laundry room, which is extra handy when their kids arrive home from college and invite their friends over and when changing lots of linens for overnight guests.
The mudroom also serves as the household’s command central. There’s a workspace just past the washer-dryer, and the built-ins you see at the end of the room are file drawers for household organization.
Powder Room
The first floor’s powder room is right off the mudroom and is a three-quarters bathroom — it has a shower stall that functions as an outdoor shower would. That is to say, everyone pops in here for their post-swim showers. You can catch a glimpse of its navy blue subway tile in the mirror’s reflection.
Wall-mounted faucets helped them fit in a vanity and a vessel sink. This was so they could create a piece that recalls an antique washstand. And keeping the shelves open left plenty of room for towels beneath the sink.
Don’t forget to look up — there’s a surprise on the ceiling, a blue Moroccan-inspired wallpaper that picks up on those navy blue shower tiles.
Ceiling wallpaper: Cole and Son; shiplap paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore; sconce: Visual Comfort; faucet: Signature Hardware; see more bathroom sink faucets
The first floor’s powder room is right off the mudroom and is a three-quarters bathroom — it has a shower stall that functions as an outdoor shower would. That is to say, everyone pops in here for their post-swim showers. You can catch a glimpse of its navy blue subway tile in the mirror’s reflection.
Wall-mounted faucets helped them fit in a vanity and a vessel sink. This was so they could create a piece that recalls an antique washstand. And keeping the shelves open left plenty of room for towels beneath the sink.
Don’t forget to look up — there’s a surprise on the ceiling, a blue Moroccan-inspired wallpaper that picks up on those navy blue shower tiles.
Ceiling wallpaper: Cole and Son; shiplap paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore; sconce: Visual Comfort; faucet: Signature Hardware; see more bathroom sink faucets
Stairway
The barn wood and shiplap continues up the stairwell, but the rest of the second story transitions into a more refined style.
Light fixture: Crystorama
The barn wood and shiplap continues up the stairwell, but the rest of the second story transitions into a more refined style.
Light fixture: Crystorama
Master Suite
Bedroom. “The master bedroom has the best view of the lake in the house,” Horstman says. Up here the design elements are more refined than the rustic farmhouse features on the main floor. Along with the lovely view, the quiet gray walls, traditional fireplace surround and elegant chandelier create a calming atmosphere for the busy hosts.
Wall paint: Stonington Gray, Benjamin Moore; eight-light chandelier: Malia collection, Feiss
Bedroom. “The master bedroom has the best view of the lake in the house,” Horstman says. Up here the design elements are more refined than the rustic farmhouse features on the main floor. Along with the lovely view, the quiet gray walls, traditional fireplace surround and elegant chandelier create a calming atmosphere for the busy hosts.
Wall paint: Stonington Gray, Benjamin Moore; eight-light chandelier: Malia collection, Feiss
Bathroom. The spacious bathroom has views out to the lake and the tree canopy. A basketweave tile rug breaks up the floor in the middle of the room and runs off the proportions of the claw-foot tub. To save on the budget, they used pillowed ceramic subway tile in the shower stall; there is beautiful marble just about everywhere else.
There are dual vanities at the lake-facing end of the room. This is a more pleasing arrangement than running one long vanity along a wall with two sinks and gives each of the owners a defined area. The countertops are Carrara marble.
The toilet has its own little room across from the shower stall.
Bathtub: Signature Hardware
The toilet has its own little room across from the shower stall.
Bathtub: Signature Hardware
Daughter’s Bathroom-Guest Bathroom
“Their daughter wanted something really fun for the floor and dark cabinets in her bathroom,” Horstman says. A pretty encaustic cement tile fit the bill and works well with the Mexican ceramic sink. Because they couldn’t fit full-depth cabinetry in here for the vanity, the designer suggested offsetting the faucet to the side of the sink. The hardware is a mix of bin pulls and special knobs that have little compasses on them.
Compass knobs: Anthroplogie
“Their daughter wanted something really fun for the floor and dark cabinets in her bathroom,” Horstman says. A pretty encaustic cement tile fit the bill and works well with the Mexican ceramic sink. Because they couldn’t fit full-depth cabinetry in here for the vanity, the designer suggested offsetting the faucet to the side of the sink. The hardware is a mix of bin pulls and special knobs that have little compasses on them.
Compass knobs: Anthroplogie
Back of the House
The design of the back of the house, which faces the lake, is all about indoor-outdoor living, with large doors that let the family and their guests go from the patio to the open living room, dining room and kitchen. This side is south-facing, so it enjoys lots of sunlight. A cedar pergola covers the patio. The patio includes a dining area, grilling area, fire pit area and room to just sit and rock while looking out at the water.
Although the couple’s kids attend college way out in California, the lake house makes trips home enticing. In addition to providing room for the kids and their friends to gather lakeside during the summer, the couple ensured that there was space for their artistic talents. Their son has a music room in the basement, and their daughter has a darkroom on the second floor.
The design of the back of the house, which faces the lake, is all about indoor-outdoor living, with large doors that let the family and their guests go from the patio to the open living room, dining room and kitchen. This side is south-facing, so it enjoys lots of sunlight. A cedar pergola covers the patio. The patio includes a dining area, grilling area, fire pit area and room to just sit and rock while looking out at the water.
Although the couple’s kids attend college way out in California, the lake house makes trips home enticing. In addition to providing room for the kids and their friends to gather lakeside during the summer, the couple ensured that there was space for their artistic talents. Their son has a music room in the basement, and their daughter has a darkroom on the second floor.
The Home’s Modern Farmhouse Elements
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- Front porch
- Shiplap walls
- Reclaimed barn wood floors, ceilings and beams
- Sliding barn doors
- Vintage-style lighting
- Crisp contrast of black and white
- Shaker-style cabinetry
- Bin pull cabinet hardware
- Farmhouse sink
- Shiplap or white panels on kitchen appliances like the range hood, dishwasher and fridge
- Lack of fussy or ornate millwork (lots of simple straight lines)
- Bridge faucets
- Washstand-like vanity
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
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Flat-out yummy. Thanks Becky.
Wow i just love the work around woods for this house
Do you happen to have a copy of the floor plan with rough dimensions. Doing a remodel and curious if my current footprint would be large enough.