Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Traditional Sensibility Marks New ‘Not-So-Big’ House
An interior designer wanted her family's lakeside Minnesota farmhouse to emphasize quality over quantity
After touring a number of century-old houses, designer Shelly Lindstrom and her family decided that new construction was a better fit for them. They love the charm of old houses, but they decided they didn’t want the maintenance that comes with most of them.
Lindstrom was inspired by Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House series that focused on designing the “right-sized” house. In Susanka’s mind, that house could be 2,000 square feet or a little more — not small, but not big for the sake of being big. Lindstrom also wanted a house that featured quality over size, and that conveyed vintage characteristics but had the must-have modern conveniences for a busy family of five.
Lindstrom was inspired by Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House series that focused on designing the “right-sized” house. In Susanka’s mind, that house could be 2,000 square feet or a little more — not small, but not big for the sake of being big. Lindstrom also wanted a house that featured quality over size, and that conveyed vintage characteristics but had the must-have modern conveniences for a busy family of five.
The front entry stands at the end of a short walkway, creating a pleasing transition from the long driveway. Cedar flooring, used on the entry and the porch, lends a rustic edge. Winters in Minnesota can be brutal, so the homeowners chose an engineered wood siding that has superior strength and moisture protection.
Deck stain: Cabot Gold Moonlit Mahogany; light fixtures: Hinkley Lighting, purchased from Creative Lighting in St. Paul; siding: LP SmartSide
Read about replacing your exterior siding
Deck stain: Cabot Gold Moonlit Mahogany; light fixtures: Hinkley Lighting, purchased from Creative Lighting in St. Paul; siding: LP SmartSide
Read about replacing your exterior siding
The front door opens to a foyer, where a console from the family’s previous house serves as a focal point. Because they wanted the house to reflect a “farmhouse ambiance” from the moment you enter the door, the couple chose to install shiplap and 6-inch white oak flooring. Railings behind the main staircase lead to the lower level, which has 1,000 square feet of unfinished space, part of which will be converted into another bedroom and bathroom.
Lights: Hinkley Lighting, purchased from Creative Lighting in St. Paul; rug: Pottery Barn; shiplap paint: Dover White, Sherwin-Williams
Lights: Hinkley Lighting, purchased from Creative Lighting in St. Paul; rug: Pottery Barn; shiplap paint: Dover White, Sherwin-Williams
Past the foyer and main stairwell is the living room, decorated in a sophisticated neutral palette. A floor-to-ceiling stone chimney commands attention and creates a warm mood.
Lindstrom says she’s delighted with the gas fireplace they found because it looks very close to the real thing. White built-ins hide the chaos of life. A swivel-mounted TV is tucked behind the tall white cabinet.
Chimney stone: Fond Du Lac; fireplace: Heat & Glo Tru series; wall paint: Abingdon Putty, Benjamin Moore; sofa: HOM Furniture; table: Ashley Furniture
Lindstrom says she’s delighted with the gas fireplace they found because it looks very close to the real thing. White built-ins hide the chaos of life. A swivel-mounted TV is tucked behind the tall white cabinet.
Chimney stone: Fond Du Lac; fireplace: Heat & Glo Tru series; wall paint: Abingdon Putty, Benjamin Moore; sofa: HOM Furniture; table: Ashley Furniture
An archway separates the living room from the light-filled kitchen, which combines vintage and modern styling. Expansive white cabinets with inset doors surround the room.
To continue the genteel feeling, corbels and graceful feet were installed on the top and bottom cabinets, making them less like standard kitchen pieces and more like high-end furniture. The same cabinetry was used on the dishwasher, and a grand farmhouse sink echoes the past.
The honed granite countertops have the look and feel of soapstone but are more durable, adding to the functionality of the room. Handmade clay tiles with a crackle finish bring another layer of texture.
Custom cabinets: Taylor Made Cabinets; granite in Jet Mist; sink: 36-inch Whitehaus fireclay series; faucet: Brizo Artesso pull-down
To continue the genteel feeling, corbels and graceful feet were installed on the top and bottom cabinets, making them less like standard kitchen pieces and more like high-end furniture. The same cabinetry was used on the dishwasher, and a grand farmhouse sink echoes the past.
The honed granite countertops have the look and feel of soapstone but are more durable, adding to the functionality of the room. Handmade clay tiles with a crackle finish bring another layer of texture.
Custom cabinets: Taylor Made Cabinets; granite in Jet Mist; sink: 36-inch Whitehaus fireclay series; faucet: Brizo Artesso pull-down
The true centerpiece of the kitchen is the quarter-sawn, oak-stained island, which holds the microwave and large drawers. “The main goal was to get a craftsman’s vibe in the area to make it feel more like an authentic older home,” Lindstrom says.
Light fixtures: Quoizel Lights, purchased from Creative Lighting in St. Paul
Light fixtures: Quoizel Lights, purchased from Creative Lighting in St. Paul
A bench and chairs surround a large farmhouse table. The cozy space, which takes advantage of the woodland views, was detailed with wainscoting and a tray ceiling. When weather permits, meals continue through the French doors onto the wraparound porch.
Furniture: HOM Furniture; curtains: Target; light fixtures: E.F. Chapman, purchased from Creative Lighting in St. Paul; wall color: Imperial Grey, Benjamin Moore
Furniture: HOM Furniture; curtains: Target; light fixtures: E.F. Chapman, purchased from Creative Lighting in St. Paul; wall color: Imperial Grey, Benjamin Moore
This side of the porch faces the lake. The porch was designed so that screens can be installed between the columns.
Rug: HomeGoods
Rug: HomeGoods
The rear of the home and another view of the wraparound porch.
This is a family that spends a lot of time on the lake, either kayaking or fishing in the summer or ice skating and playing hockey in the winter.
This is a family that spends a lot of time on the lake, either kayaking or fishing in the summer or ice skating and playing hockey in the winter.
Slate floors anchor the mudroom, which was designed so that each of the three kids could have places to hang their coats and hats and store their sports gear.
Floor: Montauk; bench: Joss & Main
Floor: Montauk; bench: Joss & Main
The view is the first thing you see upon waking in this room. The outdoors theme continues inside with organic accessories and woodsy, floral decor.
Bed accessories: Ralph Lauren
Bed accessories: Ralph Lauren
An open oversized shower in the master bathroom is surrounded by shiny subway tile and has shelves for beauty products and two pullout shower faucets.
Faucets: Delta; floor: Carrara marble
Faucets: Delta; floor: Carrara marble
After finding a right-sized vanity for the master bath at Home Depot, the couple realized they didn’t like it after they brought it home. They felt its styling was too contemporary, so to make it seem a bit rustic, they applied a glaze and changed the hardware. It now plays perfectly with the barnwood-look tile.
Wall color: Mindful Gray, Sherwin-Williams
Wall color: Mindful Gray, Sherwin-Williams
The children’s grandfather made a log bed for each of them. Touches of red and blue complement the 9-year-old daughter’s room, seen here.
Desk and chair: Pottery Barn; curtains: Bed, Bath & Beyond
Desk and chair: Pottery Barn; curtains: Bed, Bath & Beyond
The son’s log bed was assembled with wood from an old barn razed on his grandparent’s farm. Built-ins keep the place tidy.
All of the bedrooms will be easy to update with new furnishings and accessories as the kids grow.
All of the bedrooms will be easy to update with new furnishings and accessories as the kids grow.
Lindstrom kept the kids’ bathroom classy yet practical, with a Home Depot vanity, subway tiles and Montauk slate floor tiles.
“We love our house,” she says. “We wanted a place that was charming and inviting. I think we did that. When people come, they want to stay.”
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“We love our house,” she says. “We wanted a place that was charming and inviting. I think we did that. When people come, they want to stay.”
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Interior designer Shelly Lindstrom of Fluidesign Studio; her husband, Matt, a software consultant; and their three children, Hannah, 9, Jack, 7, and Paige, 5
Location: Mahtomedi, Minnesota
Size: 2,300 square feet (214 square meters); five bedrooms, three bathrooms
About 15 miles north of the Twin Cities, Lindstrom and her husband, Matt, built their farmhouse-style house in a well-established neighborhood on a wooded lot alongside a lake. “The goal was to make the house feel like it has always been there,” Lindstrom says.
Guests to the half-acre property are greeted by a charming structure that sits surrounded by mature trees at the end of a long driveway. Its inviting facade is embellished with trademarks of an old farmhouse: wraparound porch, dormers on the roof, an abundance of custom corbels on the gables and cutout shakes.
In contrast to the present trend of expansive windows, the homeowners decided that for their situation, smaller was better. “We thought they’d look more proportional to the house,” Lindstrom says.