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CommentsNatural Retreat
Empty-nester rambler offers fun and games
By James Walsh
Photo by Landmark Photography
Situated on one of 60 lots being developed by Budzynski in a gated community in Blaine, this brick and stone-sided home borders the 80-acre Loch Ness Park and a wildlife area. Deer feed in fields nearby. Geese fly overhead regularly. A flock of wild turkeys can be spied from the home’s three-and-a-half season porch.
The development features a putting green and a swimming pool, and will be “no snow, no mow”—the homeowners’ association will handle landscaping and snow removal.
Perhaps this close-to-nature home’s most eco-friendly feature is its geothermal system. Seven wells that go down 200 feet on the property heat and cool water using the year-round temperature consistency of the Earth. Since no natural gas is used, there is no gas bill to pay. “Basically, this house is going to heat for almost nothing,” Budzynski says. The system also pre-heats the water for the home’s electric water heater, reducing its operating costs, as well. Combined with low-watt fluorescent lights and rigid, spray-foam insulation, the home incorporates a “green” philosophy into its idyllic surroundings.
Yet the four-bedroom rambler is still a luxury home with plenty of flourishes. The great room features a 14-foot ceiling and a fireplace flanked by cherry built-ins that house a 52-inch television and audio system.
A large, informal dining area adjacent to the gourmet kitchen replaces a formal dining room. Custom cherry hutches, glazed cabinetry, and granite countertops deck out the kitchen. The dining area opens to a large, maintenance-free deck that overlooks the park and wildlife area. Steps lead down to a hot tub, then to a patio and fire pit. At the other end of the kitchen, a large walk-in pantry transitions to the mudroom, which leads to the heated three-car garage.
Photo by Landmark Photography
The lower level boasts the kind of communal, Super Bowl-watching space usually found in large sports bars. A giant, 110-inch projection screen television fills a wall facing a large bar area with a massive island, complete with refrigerator and wine chiller. The orientation of the space allows the guests and their hosts to catch every minute of the big game while schmoozing with friends over chilled glasses. And when the game is over, the room can be darkened to transform into a home theater.
“It’s a rec-room/TV/theater,” Budzynski says of the space’s multiple entertainment uses. Knotty alder trim and brown shag carpeting give the room even more of a masculine feel.
A two-bedroom guest suite welcomes weekend guests or visiting children. Completing the lower level is an exercise room and sauna area with another flat-screen television mounted on the wall. Perfect for watching while working out or enjoying some dry heat.
James Walsh is an education reporter at the Star Tribune.
Builder
TJB Homes, Inc.
Home location
Blaine
Suppliers
The Brass Handle
Harmony Melamine Creations
James Hardie Siding Products
Pipeline Supply
11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)
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