Country Living

This Greenfield home is a natural attraction

Country Living
Photo by Jon Huelskamp & Jim Kruger
Landmark Photography
Designed to let nature shine from every angle, this shingle-style home is set in an area that still boasts a rural flavor. The homeowners are more likely to see the bald eagles, owls, trumpeter swans, pheasants, foxes, and other wildlife than their nearby neighbors.

The 4-acre lot rests amid a creek and large protected conservation easement, allowing unobstructed views of a wooded glen from a roomy four-season porch. An orderly garden, arbor, and courtyard welcome guests at the front of the home, while the back of the house shows off the bucolic scenery.

Builder Tom Bean, owner of Kinchyle, Inc. of Wayzata, created a space where the rooms fit together compactly yet the home feels spacious. “My goal was to not have any wasted space,” he says. “It’s an extremely efficient design, and there is not a lot of lost hallway space, stairwell space, and unusable space. It’s a smaller house that lives large.”

Bean modeled the 4,852-square-foot home after the popular New England shingle style, incorporating its characteristic cottage feel. As soon as they walk through the front door, guests are greeted by views of the surrounding landscape from the great room’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

The great room’s vaulted ceiling gives it an airy feel for gatherings, while the custom-carved cherry fireplace with a marble surround and cherry built-ins keep the room grounded. Wide-planked cumaru floors tie the great room and kitchen together, creating a large, open area for comfortable entertaining. At the same time, the openness of the floor plan mirrors the open space just outside the windows. An arched entry leads from the foyer to the dining room, where a walk-in china closet will keep the owners organized.

One of the home’s highlights is the spacious screen porch off the kitchen. The striking space features a 15-foot tongue-and-groove cedar ceiling and richly toned tigerwood floors. A covered terrace stretches across the back of the house from the great room to the owner’s suite, which offers its own private entrance from the deck.

Photo by Jon Huelskamp and Jim
Kruger, Landmark Photography

Natural light floods the owner’s bath, where a luxurious sunken tub and walk-in shower with a built-in granite bench are housed. Extra touches go above and beyond, including heated floors that keep toes warm in winter, as well as large linen and walk-in closets.

The lower level features a family room with a stone fireplace, built-in cherry cabinetry, and more stunning views. A wall of large windows brings the outdoors inside, while a door resembling the windows leads out to the patio. The theater room is a comfortable place to relax or entertain with generous seating and a second kitchen, which includes a sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, and combination oven and microwave.

Two lower-level bedrooms boast walk-in closets, and share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom with a double sink, separate toilet room, and subway-tiled shower. A third bedroom could serve as a guest room with its own three-quarter bath, complete with a glass-walled shower and stone pebble floor.

The most versatile space in the house is the bonus room located above the garage. Stairs lead from the mudroom to the expansive space, which could be used as an office, playroom, or guest room. Bean already roughed-in a future bathroom, making the space a prime candidate for a luxurious guest suite or nanny’s quarters. 

The garage below was also planned for practical use. With heated floors, this expansive space could double as a workshop or home away from home for anyone who loves to tinker.

With its engaging views of the wooded landscape and abundant wildlife, this Greenfield home offers a luxurious oasis in the country. 

Suzy Frisch is an Apple Valley freelance writer.



Builder
Kinchyle, Inc.

Home location
Greenfield

Suppliers
Alexander Design Group
Cartier Lighting
Granite-Tops
Harmony Melamine Creations
IDC Doors
Marvin Windows and Doors
Minneapolis Glass Company

Comments may be edited for length, clarity, or appropriateness.

Add your comment:

Create an instant account, or please log in if you have an account.



Verification Question. (This is so we know you are a human and not a spam robot.)

What is 5 + 6 ? 

11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)

Only $9.95!
  • Less than $1 an issue.
  • 77% off newsstand price.
  • Includes annual HomeBook.


Everything Home. Everything Local.

You can also add Minnesota Monthly
(12 issues a year) for just $13 more.




Email Newsletter icon
Sign up for our Email Newsletters
Here you will find the premier businesses and service providers in Minnesota. These businesses have been carefully selected to represent the very best Minnesota has to offer, along with topical articles, reviews and events.