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Minnesota's Top Homes (vol. 2)

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Distinctive architecture demands an eye-catching exterior. Interplay between color, texture, shape, and dimension invite the eye to linger on the façades of Minnesota’s finest homes. Midwest Home and James Hardie Siding Products have again partnered to highlight the homes and builders that define the benchmark of “curb appeal.”

Photo courtesy of landmark photography & design

St. Croix Chalet

Builder: Mark Anthony Homes
Siding: James Hardie lap and shingle siding with ColorPlus Technology
Location: Hudson, Wis.

As the first home in the Cedar Woods neighborhood, nestled in the rolling hills of the St. Croix River valley, this chalet-lodge hybrid had to establish a precedent, setting a natural and relaxed tone. Its primary influence is chalet architecture, mixed with the warm, rustic features of a lodge and Arts and Crafts influences, explains Mark Anthony Homes owner and President Tony Nasvik. “The home sits and feels as though it’s nestled down into the lot,” Nasvik says. “It’s a natural extension of the environment.” Fittingly, the exterior is a combination of stone, natural cedar corbels, and James Hardie lap siding, shakes, and panels and trim for a board-and-batten look in the gables. “The color combinations on the home are what really made us go with this product,” Nasvik says. “It truly was a perfect fit.”

Photo by jon huelskamp, landmark
photography & Design

Woodland Manor

Builder: LeGran Homes
Siding: James Hardie lap, shingle, and panel siding
Location: Lake Elmo

Tucked among the oaks and pines of the shady Discover Crossing neighborhood, this manor home is all about bringing the outside indoors. High ceilings and tall windows maximize these views—including a stream and the neighborhood’s signature arched bridge. “You feel like you’re up north, yet you’re very close to the city,” says Jody Hallonquist, interior designer for LeGran Homes. A grand entrance and tall roof peaks enhance this estate architecture. James Hardie lap and shake siding, and board-and-batten panels and trim around the terrace and office, ensure visual interest from all angles. The siding will hold up well in the moist woodland environment, Hallonquist says: “It’s not going to expand and contract. It’s going to keep its character.” It will keep its soft green hue, too, which complements the home’s wooded surroundings without getting lost in the darker greens of forest foliage. “It’s a nice soft contrast,” she says, “but it’s not taking away from all of the beautiful woods.”

Photo courtesy of landmark
photography & design

Workmanship Made to be Lived In

Builder: JB Woodfitter
Siding: James Hardie lap and panel siding
Location: Credit River Township

It gives JB Woodfitter owner Ted Kowalski a bit of pause to explain the style of this home. “It’s kind of a cottage rambler,” he says, pauses again, and admits it’s hard to categorize architecturally. No matter: It is perfect for the large family it was designed for—mom, dad, and 12 children. “Casual, but nice,” is perhaps how it’s best said. James Hardie lap siding with board-and-batten gable accents achieves a desired simple elegance. “It lays the base for all of the fancy stuff,” Kowalski explains. “The siding is like the foundation for the façade; it’s not the focal point, but it’s got to be there for everything else to stand out.” The siding will keep this custom paint job looking great for years to come—handy, since there won’t be much time for painting in a family of 14. “You could see where a family could live here,” he says. “This isn’t fancy for the sake of fancy; this is nice, quality workmanship…made to be lived in

Photo courtesy of Jon Huelskamp
Landmark Photography & Design

At Home in the Treetops

Builder: JMS Custom Homes
Architect: Mike Sharratt, Sharratt Design
Siding: James Hardie shingle and panel siding
Location: Minnetonka

Perched atop a Minnetonka hill, this home gives the sense of being in a tree house. “As you look out of every window, you’re looking at the treetops,” says Andy Porter, president of JMS Custom Homes. The home was christened “The Aspen”—although more because of its style. “It ended up being kind of a crossover between a mountain/lodge feel and a Craftsman,” Porter recalls. At first glance, it’s not immediately recognizable as a rambler, thanks to a tall, oversized roofline. “It anchors the house, it allows it not to get too far out of the ground visually,” he explains. The cross between styles is evident in a subtle exterior touch—a mix of James Hardie shakes and board-and-batten siding in the gables. Lifting the front gable skyward, the arch above the front entryway also sets a tone. “The house, because of its style, becomes pretty linear,” Porter says. “The arch brings in a new element, softens, and gives depth.”

Photo courtesy of landmark photography & design

East Coast Looks, Neo-Traditional Appeal

Builder: Toll Brothers
Architect: Toll Architecture
Siding: James Hardie lap siding with ColorPlus Technology
Location: Maple Grove

As a national homebuilder, Toll Brothers is involved with the creation of homes and neighborhoods from the East Coast to the West Coast, and the Midwest to the Southwest. It’s no surprise, then, that homes built in one region might ultimately influence streetscapes in other areas of the United States: This home’s lineage hails from Philadelphia, where it first was inspired for a community called New Britain Walk. Drawing from a colonial heritage, today’s design in the Lakes at Maple Grove neighborhood has been shaped to appeal to all Twin Cities buyers. “The premise…is to promote a strong front porch design that fosters outdoor life at the street level among neighbors and friends,” explains Alex Martin, senior project manager for Toll Brothers. Most of the homes Toll Brothers builds are 100 percent siding, Martin adds; a combination of James Hardie lap siding, shakes, and trim gives this home’s exterior a sharp, clean look that’s assured to last long into the future.

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