Houzz Tour: Traditional Splendor in Minnesota
Luxurious Materials and High-End Extras Create a Midwest Family's Dream Home
Vanessa Brunner
July 29, 2011
Houzz Contributor
From a thumbprint scanner that opens the wine cellar, to a secret passageway behind a library bookcase, this Minnesota mansion has just about everything a family of four could want — and more. When the owners of this suburban home approached Sven Gustafson and Stonewood LLC and Eskuche Associates to build this home, they had one goal: to build their dream house.
Because the client's design aesthetic was so specific, almost every detail in this home is custom and handmade. To top it all off, this luxurious house can all be controlled from an iPad! The impeccable custom work and playful additions truly fulfill these clients' architectural fantasies.
Because the client's design aesthetic was so specific, almost every detail in this home is custom and handmade. To top it all off, this luxurious house can all be controlled from an iPad! The impeccable custom work and playful additions truly fulfill these clients' architectural fantasies.
The walls on the main floor are covered with a meticulously hand-applied Italian plaster. In-floor heating and an elegant limestone fireplace help the room feel cozy on cold Minnesota nights. The tufted sofa is custom, designed by Martha O' Hara Interiors. The cream sofa is from Henredon, and navy blue damask chairs are from Hickory Chair.
With 10,000 square feet spread out over three floors, this house was built for entertaining. A very traditional dining table from Henredon is accompanied by 12 chairs upholstered in Clarence House fabric. The exterior facing window is a custom design from JELD-WEN. A graphic golden trellis wallpaper from Schumacher adds to the formality of the room.
The library on the main floor is rich and dark with black walnut floor-to-ceiling panels. Buttery leather sofas complete the classic look. And to add to the old-fashioned ambiance, one of the bookshelves next to the fireplace opens into a secret passageway …
… leading to the main office! Designed as a hidden man-cave for the husband, Gustafson had a high end audio system installed in the room and integrated built-in shelving in the same black walnut throughout the rest of the house.
The home has five bedrooms — each one is its own suite with walk-in closet and full bathroom attached. A dark bedframe from Hickory Chair was used in the bedroom, accompanied by an Oly bench at the foot of the bed. Cream and gold curtains and custom roman shades allow for different levels of light and privacy.
The master bathroom is outfitted with a spacious double shower and large free-standing vanity. The shower is lined with custom marble tile and fixtures from Kallista and Waterworks.
The family has two high-school aged daughters, and each has her own spacious room. Raoul Textiles complement the soft yellow paint in this one. A feminine white bed from Redford House is in the same soft white as the custom wool carpeting.
Hidden in the depths of the house, Gustafson and his team installed a full wine cellar and tasting room. Gustafson and the clients dubbed this space the "ratskeller," a German word for a basement bar or restaurant. The stone walls of this room were built in an octagonal shape, and the floors made with reclaimed paving stones from St. Paul, MN.
Inside the cellar portion, three arched doorways hold the clients' extensive wine collection. Each door is about 2 1/4 inches thick, lined with custom ironwork, and locked with a biometric scanner. Although the thumbprint scanning key started out as a joke, the client ended up liking the idea, and Gustafson installed one on each door.
A full tasting bar sits outside of the wine storage area, creating a great place for entertaining guests during pre- or post-dinner drinks.
Gustafson also built a poolside cabana for the family, installing a travertine floor, a drop-down TV, a beautiful limestone fireplace, and a bar. The outdoor furniture is from Century Furniture.
The family had a dozen or so maple and fruit trees brought in from Illinois and installed all throughout the property. The outside of the home is made of a cast faux limestone called arcastone.
The home also has a small fitness center with a spa bathroom, changing area, and sauna attached.
This intricate stairwell was built on site by a Finnish carpenter on Gustafson's crew. The railing itself is actually a single sheet of metal. Planned out by the designers at Stonewood LLC, the railing's design was created by laser cutting the sheet of metal at a local production facility.
The kitchen design was all about ambiance. A mixture of old and new designs with modern appliances created a room that feels both comfortable and luxurious. All of the counters are covered in granite, the cabinets are made with durango wood, and the flooring is the same rich walnut seen throughout the main floor of the home. The kitchen barstools are from Vanguard, and all of the lighting is from Currey & Company.
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We actually included an elevator shaft in the design accessing all floors, which until they decide to install one, is used as closets. The fireplaces are mfr. by FMI, also available through Design Dynamics