In the heart of Minnesota, where winters paint the landscape in hues of grey and white for months on end, a modern home challenges the monotony of the season. A sculpture for living, the home rises from the earth like a muted yellow, tapered drum, embracing both grace and boldness in its architectural design.
Created for an extended family with an adventurous spirit and unafraid of a vibrant palette, this high-tech residence is a reaction to the cold, desolate winters of Minnesota, a winter refuge against the monotony of the grey and white, often dreary landscape. It is a canvas for color therapy, introducing warm reds, oranges, and yellows that fill the interior through stone and tile, rich wood wall panels, and exotic wood cabinets.
Stepping through the entrance, a glimpse of a grand, sweeping staircase teases through a slot in a tapered privacy wall. It is not until one enters the living room that the staircase fully materializes, with the privacy wall serving as an elegant backdrop. Rising seamlessly, it transforms into a curved bridge that traverses above and between the living and dining rooms, leading to a library before culminating in a two-story fireplace clad in textured metal panels. This bridge serves not only as a functional passageway but also provides a partial visual separation, adding a sense of drama and spatial depth to the living space.
On the same level, strategically located away from each other, the secondary bedroom suites offer privacy while maintaining a connection to the central public areas. At the highest level of the residence, a circular glass sky room, designed for meditation and fitness, offers panoramic views of the surroundings. Changing hues of the sky and surrounding landscape provide a dynamic backdrop for rejuvenation.
The main level of the home features a kitchen meticulously designed for family engagement and culinary convenience. The layout allows the entire family to cook together seamlessly, avoiding interference. Dual cooktops, a built-in coffee maker, rice steamer, wok burner, and a deep fryer cater to every culinary whim. Ventilation for the plethora of appliances is provided by an extended custom vent hood.
The blue Venetian plaster accented kitchen, with its curved ceiling abstractly reminiscent of contrails across the sky, pays homage to the infrequent sunny days of the Minnesota winter. Cooking in this space occurs against a backdrop wall of a stainless steel, housing the refrigerator, warming drawers, and ovens, along with an appliance garage for small appliances.
During large meal preparation, the U-shaped center island functions as a complete kitchen in itself. A dedicated cleanup station spans one wall and features two independent sinks and dual dishwashers, along with dishware storage. A large walk-in butler’s pantry provides additional refrigeration, storage and cleanup facilities.
This modern home in Minnesota transcends traditional boundaries, both in design and functionality through its unconventional layout, innovative design, and vibrant color palette, it becomes a haven of warmth and inspiration for the extended family within its walls. In this dwelling, architecture and art coalesce, all the while standing in bold defiance against the harshness of an icy climate, aspiring to prolong the allure of the beautiful warm summer season within the confines of the home throughout the winter.
