Custom Lake Home

April 19th, 2018 by Mary Schmelzer

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Project Background

After searching for just the right lot for the new home, the owners of this custom home found a lot that needed some clearing and the removal of an existing home. Starting with an outline for a home that was designed for Texas, we reworked some ideas to make the house buildable in Minnesota, orienting it to the best views, and with a more reasonable budget. The house is built slab-on-grade with frost-protected shallow footings. The mechanical room is housed in the garage and tricky ducting took place to get heating/air conditioning to all the rooms.

Main Floor Living Space

Custom cabinetry transforms the back entryway, storing outwear, gardening gear, and pet spplies with ease and elegance.
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The powder room is conveniently located between the back entry and main living space.
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A formal dining room is ensconced in custom trimwork and stone detailing, inspired by the local landscape.
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Off the dining room, the great room’s striking ceilings and full-height fireplace are both stately and welcoming. The main rooms of the house (dining room, living room, kitchen, and breakfast nook all feature ceilings of differing heights. The changes in ceiling heights make some rooms more cozy, more public, or frame excellent views of the lake.
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Dark timbering accents the ceiling’s shape and adds a traditional lodge feel to the space.
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Just to the side of the great room lies a sitting room, sunlit and overlooking the lake. It is a perfect place to still be connected to the main areas of the house, but in a more quiet, reflective space with views open to the lake and to the lanai with its outdoor fireplace.
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Glass doors lead to the patio, where an outdoor fireplace and soft seating promise hours of summer relaxation.
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Kitchen

In the kitchen, ample counter space and bar seating make cooking (or sharing) a meal easy. Wall-mount cabinets provide storage, while different mounting heights showcase the homeowners’ stoneware collection.
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Alcoves in the island provide additional storage for cookbooks and servingware. Natural granite countertops serve as a beautiful and functional workspace.
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Classic textures and colors bring the space to life–
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–while sleek steel appliances keep the kitchen feeling timeless, not dated.
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Master Suite

In the master suite, vaulted ceilings and glass doors overlooking the lake provide a feeling of spaciousness and light.
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A sliding door seperates the bedroom from the sanctuary-like master bath.
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A clawfoot tub next to big windows makes for a soothing soak any time of day.
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Double sinks and medicine cabinets keep the space organized and functional.
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Out the window, the property is lush and inviting–even in the rain.
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In addition to the striking architecture, the landscape around the home promises to mature to be truly remarkable. Part of the lot’s appeal was the opportunity for striking landscape elements. The owners are avid gardeners/landscapers and it will be fun to watch the plantings mature and the hardscapes evolve to create a complete package of home and setting.

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Michigan Contemporary Farmhouse Update

April 19th, 2018 by Mary Schmelzer

House
In late 2016, two clients broke ground on a beautiful rural site in Michigan. Their energy-efficient farmhouse has been featured on the blog, first here and then again here. With the project being built hundreds of miles away, regular site visits are a challenge for me, so it was a delight to receive an email from the clients with updates. All the text quoted below is from the homeowners, lightly edited.

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“The really good news is that the design of the house is working out very well. The layout provides good separation between public and private spaces. It’s great to roll out of bed and into the kitchen. The house is cheerful and full of sunlight. The small front foyer is a delightful detail that is enjoyed from the music room, and the staircase invites further exploration to the second floor. Sight lines are long but broken up by small angles and structural details. The great music room is wonderful: it can accommodate 2 lazy retirees or a small crowd of energetic children + dinner guests. The long narrow dining hall is perfect for buffet dinners; guests drift into the music room to have their meal, rather than hanging out in the kitchen (hooray for efficient galley kitchens). We are hard pressed to think of how to improve the design, given the challenges of the property with its drainage swales, cemetery and neighboring pipeline. Thank you Mary for your expert input, patience and perseverance during the design process. Yes, we finally got the stairs in the right spot!

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“Roxel insulation [a kind of bat insulation made from stone and other minerals, and pictured above] has changed their name to Rock Wool. So far, we are oblivious of its existence: warm walls, no smells, no nothing. We have noticed a very nice reduction in sound transmission from outside noises. We missed an opportunity by not having it installed in some of the interior walls. Absolutely, we would specify it again.

“We are very sympathetic about the allergies. We have noticed a dramatic reduction in dust with the complete lack of carpeting. Hooray. The Sherwin-Williams low/no VOC interior paints are excellent: no smells or off-gassing. The Summit engineered wood flooring is wonderfully neutral. No smells. It is absolutely worth the added expense to specify the no-VOC materials.

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Above, the custom-sized towel bars are just one of hundreds of details that make the house unique.

“In-floor hydronic heat is different. We like it. The neighbor’s children love it on their bare toes. Clean, no wind chills, no dust flying around. In spite of all kinds of pumps, valves and mechanisms spinning away night and day during December (pre-Christmas low = -14°), the electric bill was about $75. The propane bill was considerably higher! We need to get curtains in the windows to cut down on heat transfer. Yes, the wood stove really works to keep things warm, and the AC circulation fan does a good job of distributing the heat throughout the house. One consequence of hot water heat is a dry house. Good news: the house has finally dried out after last winter’s drenching, and we have gaps along the caulk fills all over the place. The other downside is a tendency to have scratchy noses; we just need to purchase a small portable humidifier to take care of that problem. After fighting the mildew in our Lakeville home, it is a vast relief not to have to live with that health hazard.

“We are anxiously waiting for spring and all kinds of major projects. Final grading to deal with ponds of water; gutters and downs; hardscaping and landscaping; lots of tree planting and gardening. Meanwhile, we are applying the final rehab details to our shower and hope to start using it in the next week. Progress.”

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