What to Look For
This tour is more than ooh and ahh... it's about experiencing the architecture of the homes on this tour and understanding why and how dramatic to subtle design moves provoke emotions and create a sense of place. Some of our local architects are now nationally known for writing books that get at defining a language about spaces so everyday people can have a dialogue about design. Some examples include Sarah Susanka’s Design Language, Dale Mulfinger’s The Cabin, Sarah Nettleton’s The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough, and Jean Rehkamp Larson’s The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home.
How to Map Your Tour
You could choose to tour by location of homes and get a well-rounded tour and see a lot of variety. Or you could choose to see homes that fall into some of the categories below. Here are just some general groupings of homes to help you select what you might most want to see.
City-Growers
If you want to see how growing families have made a commitment to stay in their community and live comfortably by rethinking their space and remodeling or doing modest additions, see:
Love of the Landscape
One of the most crucial pieces of a well-designed home lies in the siting of the home. Some homes have a generous amount of space to work with, while others have more limited spaces, zoning restrictions, challenging topography and other considerations. Whatever the case, here are some homes that are
particularly sensitive to the environment and landscape of their sites:
- 2. 21840 Byron Cir., Greenwood, Minnesota
- 3. 20505 Linden Rd., Deephaven, Minnesota
- 19. University of Minnesota Walter Library, 117 Pleasant Street SE, Room 107, Minneapolis
- 26. 86 Dellwood Ave., Dellwood, Minnesota on White Bear Lake
- 28: 31125 Lincoln Rd, Lindstrom, Minnesota
Unique Spaces
Spaces for lifestyle including live/work that are unique and suited to any one client exemplify how spaces in a home can encourage creative expression to all that experience it:
Green Ideas
Sustainable design comes in many shapes and forms. Whether an entire home strives for the highest level of sustainability in energy systems for heating and cooling or makes small but important choices in materials, they are making the case for a green movement in design:
Entertaining Spaces
The art of entertaining often signals a need for open floor plans, yet distinctive spaces within the larger context. These homes may have kitchens as the center point that flow into conversation spaces, with views to outdoor spaces that make entertaining flexible and functional:
Craftsmanship
Architects delight in the details. These homes express themselves in the woodwork, traditional designs and floorplans, and fine attention to detail. You’ll find historic elements, farmhouse and colonial in the mix in these homes:
- 1. 5925 Game Farm Rd. E., Minnetrista, Minnesota
- 6. 11353 Fetterly Rd. W., Minnetonka, Minnesota
- 7. 5188 Ridge Cir., Edina, Minnesota
- 8. 14756 Cove Ave. S.E., Prior Lake, Minnesota
- 24. 834 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota
Simply Small
The luxury of enough, as some put it, is the simple home that makes multi-use out of all spaces and creates a relaxed, comfortable setting. Pushing the envelope for efficient use of space led to the design of these homes: