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CommentsCottage Charmer
This house cozies up to a serene Minnetonka setting
By Holly Dolezelak
Photo by Jim Kruger, Landmark Photography
While this welcoming home in Minnetonka has plenty of curb appeal, one of its most enviable features is the secluded area behind the house. Most of the home’s rooms and largest windows look out over a peaceful water scene—a channel to Lake Minnetonka’s Gray’s Bay.
The interior of this 5,145-square-foot home is spacious and airy. The owners, empty nesters in search of a new space to accommodate the next phase of their lives, wanted ample light—and they definitely got what they were looking for. “They wanted the accessibility and a majority of their living spaces to be all on one level, so we based the design around that,” says Tim O’Connor, project manager of Steiner & Koppelman.
The south-facing great room, boasting 14-foot ceilings, timber trusses, and a granite-faced fireplace, dominates the main floor. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow generous sunlight to fill the striking space.
The great room flows warmly into a well-planned kitchen, which is similarly open and suffused with light. A 5-by-8-foot granite-topped alder island with a rubbed faux finish marks the center of household entertaining, while the surrounding prep areas and top-of-the-line appliances provide ample space for cooking. An enameled birch tongue-and-groove ceiling emphasizes the cottage feel. Adjacent to the kitchen is a cozy sunroom, where the Virginia slate fireplace and beadboard alder ceiling make a charming place for reading or just enjoying the sun.
The main-floor owners’ suite offers another lovely expanse of windows highlighting the view. His-and-her walk-in closets line the short hallway to the owner’s bath. This private retreat features double sinks, a claw-foot tub, and enameled birch cabinetry. Cream-colored marble countertops match the marble floor and complete the bath’s elegant demeanor.
Photo by Jim Kruger
Landmark Photography
The mudroom offers extensive alder cabinetry and leads to a three-car garage with epoxy floors. Down the hall, the laundry room features basket drawers, along with plenty of shelving and counter space. Just past these functional spaces is a small, private office with a window into the sunroom.
A large deck on the back of the house provides access to the lower-level circular backyard patio via a white spiral staircase. There, the lower level’s French doors open to a spacious entertaining area with fieldstone fireplace, full bar, and a custom pool table. Two guest bedrooms, each with a full bath and views of the channel, flank the recreation room.
The owners plan to make good use of the exercise room, but the rest of the lower level is all about the kids, entertaining guests, and the grandkids they hope to spoil someday. “During the building process, they were expecting a grandchild, so we incorporated fun, kid-friendly elements along the way,” O’Connor says. Just under the staircase, through an arch-topped door, is a child’s cubby with a ladder and small bunk for reading a book or playing with toys. A special touch for a special home.
“I think this house perfectly fits the homeowners’ personalities and lifestyle,” O’Connor says.
Holly Dolezalek is a Minneapolis freelance writer.
Click here to watch a video tour.
Builder
Steiner & Koppelman, LLC
Home location
Wayzata
Suppliers
The Brass Handle
Cambria
Harmony Melamine Creations
Marvin Windows and Doors
Minneapolis Glass Company
Orion Home Systems
Peters Billiards
Pipeline Supply
RBC Tile & Stone
11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)
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