Aspen on the Lake
This Minnetrista rustic contemporary offers the best of both worlds
Imagine dramatic cedar-covered cantilevers that frame the house front and back. Picture floor-to-ceiling walls of windows that disappear—as if by magic—to open rooms to the outside. Note the towering 28-foot ceiling set off by a Montana stone fireplace and a custom steel-cable-and-oak staircase. Finally, see all this on a pie-shaped, acre-plus lot on Palmer Pointe—surrounded on three sides by Lake Minnetonka—and you begin to get a feel for the Aspen-style grandeur David Bieker of Denali Customs Homes incorporated into this home.
The 9,300-square-foot house, which he describes as rustic contemporary or Colorado-Aspen style, is designed to make the most of its peerless site. The rear of the house, which includes three sets of four doors that slide open to disappear into wall pockets, faces a glorious patio with a fireplace and a firepit down closer to the lake. The main-floor office and second-level master suite, both surrounded by windows on two sides, offer magnificent views of the water and sunrise. “From every window in this house, guaranteed, you can see the lake,” Bieker says.
Wherever you look inside, custom details stand out: the rough stone of the powder room is lit from below, so that shadows play against its surface just so; the terrazzo granite topping the kitchen island is also inset into the tile backsplash behind the stovetop; the lower level’s three-sided fireplace is cunningly framed by sculptural, hand-cut metal; the wine cellar features a curved glass wall; and the home’s maintenance-free exterior is composed of stone, steel, and metal. In this lakeside home, it doesn’t matter which way you look, it’s one “wow” after another. —C.L.
- Sited majestically on Palmer Pointe and surrounded by Lake Minnetonka, this 9,300-square-foot home is reminiscent of a mountaintop retreat in style. Cedar-lined steel beams run from front to back, while the roof cantilevers 20 feet over the rear deck.
- A gourmet kitchen, with three ovens, 2-foot grill, and 6-feet of refrigeration, boasts everything a chef wants. Mahogany cabinetry, used throughout the first floor, and hand-scraped 9-inch walnut flooring sets off the terrazzo granite topping the island, which is also inset in the stone-tile backsplash. The custom steam-punk-style range hood is fabricated of aged stainless steel.
- The powder room’s wall of stone, lit from below, creates a sculptural background for the custom vanity and floating mirror.
- The clear cedar lining the structural steel beams is on display in the great room’s 28-foot ceilings. A custom, nine-pendant chandelier hangs from the peak.
- A wall of four sliding doors opens from the right and slides neatly into the pocket in the wall on the left. The disappearing wall of sliding doors, also used in the great room and the lower level, opens the hearth room and dining area to the outdoors. Of course, since this is Minnesota—not Colorado—a retractable screen drops into place to foil mosquitoes, when necessary. The patio and outdoor fireplace extends the outdoor season well into autumn, while a firepit near the lake offers boaters and swimmers another place to warm up.
BUILDER
Denali Custom Homes, Inc.
HOME LOCATION
Minnetrista
INTERIOR DESIGNER
Martha O’Hara Interiors
SPONSORS
Delta Vacations
Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies
Marvin Windows and Doors
Minneapolis Glass Company
Orion Home Systems LLC
Peters Billiards
Phantom Screens
For more information on featured products and suppliers, please see our Buyer's Guide.
6 ISSUES (1 YEAR)
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