At the Shore

a bedroomSuzy Frisch is a writer from Champlin.
Photos by Jon Huelskamp, Landmark Photography.

A home built for relaxing and entertaining combines comfort with style.

Joe and Sue Francis anticipate a summer of sitting on their deck and watching the sun set over Lake Charlotte in Buffalo. Though they’ve called this lake home for years, they always faced the east. This summer the Francises will move into an elegant gem across the lake that displays the water’s beauty from practically every room.

Working with Lecy Brothers, the couple created a sophisticated home that is welcoming to their five young adult children, comfortable for entertaining, and a haven for enjoying the lake year-round.

“Our kids are all moving out, but we did keep enough bedrooms for when they come home so they can stay with us,” says Sue. “We wanted a house that was homey and inviting. We also entertain a lot and wanted all of that space for entertaining.”

The Francises also wanted to make sure their house had a certain “wow” factor. Lecy accomplished this by creating dramatic views of the water from any west-facing room, high ceilings, and two floor-to-ceiling fireplaces.

Premium materials and a focus on the details are apparent in every corner of this house, from the moment visitors walk on to the cedar porch and through the custom cherry door. An office is richly done with walnut paneling, a box-beam ceiling, and a built-in desk with a granite top. It’s the first place visitors are introduced to a running theme in the home: a stained glass transom decorated with an amber geometric pattern.

The patterned glass—which reappears above the doors to the owners’ suite bedroom and bathroom, the powder room, the entryway coat closet, and the pantry—speaks to the home’s personal meaning. Sue asked the builders to incorporate a piece of stained glass from her grandmother. When that was not possible, Lecy suggested the couple create their own stained-glass design.

The formal dining room features a cherry built-in buffet with interior lights and decorative glass doors for displaying china or collectibles. Sliding glass doors lead to a deck that wraps around the house and overlooks the lake. A two-sided stone fireplace connects the dining room with the hearth room and kitchen. Sue is looking forward to cooking dinner while watching Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Meals on the flat-panel television above the hearth.

Professional-grade appliances and ample countertops—plus tons of extras such as pullout spice racks and a built-in espresso machine—create a kitchen worthy of a celebrity chef. The décor is warm and inviting, with custom cherry cabinets and granite countertops in black and marbled brown. A built-in desk and walk-in pantry provide added conveniences.

The master suite offers the ultimate lounging enclave within the retreat-like home. It includes a stone fireplace with marble and onyx mosaic tile and a cherry surround, as well as views of the lake from large bay windows. More natural light streams in from windows on another wall. The bathroom has radiant heat in the floor, toe-kick lighting under the double vanity, and a soothing air-jet tub. Even the walk-in shower is finely detailed, with a decorative-glass interior window to the bathroom and shelves that slant ever so slightly so water doesn’t pool on them.

“Attention to detail and custom woodwork—that’s what Lecy Brothers has built its reputation on,” notes company interior designer Ruth Lecy.

The lower level is outfitted to allow uninterrupted access to the lake. A chocolate limestone path leads from a sumptuous bar with nearly a full kitchen, past the bathroom with a steam shower, to the door leading to the lake. That way, swimmers and sunbathers can run inside to grab lunch or a drink without trailing sand onto the carpet.

Two bedrooms and a bath join the recreation space on the lower level, separated from the main room by a pocket door. The great room showcases a floor-to-ceiling sandstone fireplace next to a wall of built-in cabinets in knotty alder that match the bar. A pool table, electronic dart board, and an exercise room will keep everyone busy when the weather is bad. Another great place to hang out is the screen porch that also looks out onto the lake. Its warm cedar shake walls, fireplace, and flagstone floor will heat up the space on cool evenings.

In addition to the joy of creating a dream house on the lake, the location of their new home has sentimental value to the Francis family. It’s the exact spot where Joe’s boyhood home used to sit. He can’t wait to show off the house to his mother and other family members, and to host parties and family gatherings all summer long.

BUILDER
Lecy Bros. Homes

HOME LOCATION
Buffalo

SUPPLIERS
Appollo Systems
The Brass Handle
Cartier Lighting
Ceramic Tileworks
Hedberg Masonry &
Landscape Supplies
Guyer’s Builder Supply
Harmony Melamine Creations
by Scherer Bros. Lumber Co.
Marvin Windows and Doors
Minneapolis Glass Company
Molin Concrete Products Company
Peters Billiards
Roth Distributing Company

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