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CommentsSerene Style
Elegant contours and amazing conveniences characterize a hilltop dream home
By Michelle Baltus
Photo by Jim Kruger, Landmark Photography
Architect Chris Doehrmann of New Brighton designed all that and more into this 7,200-square-foot residence. The house features an abundance of architectural curves. Archways between the rooms are echoed in the broad, barrel-vaulted ceilings above, while a curved kitchen island softens the home’s lengthy central living space. In their quest for a serene, stylized abode, the couple even cut a few corners—literally. The walls and baseboard trim feature round edges.
“I’ve taken a feng shui class or two,” Lorry says. “Round is calming; I like the feel of it.”
The couple also enjoys the feel—and ease—of radiant tile flooring on the main level and gorgeous stained concrete in the lower-level walkout. Visual warmth stems from an earthy color palette, granite counters, and gleaming cherry woodwork throughout the home. Trim-free windows and doors further enhance clean interior lines and allow beautiful, matched-grain cabinet doors and drawers to garner deserved attention.
“The matched grain adds a definite sense of elegance,” says Jim McNulty, president of McNulty Construction, the home’s builder. “It’s a unique element.”
Arched copper roof sections and four concrete Tuscan columns, a detail repeated inside the foyer, give the home a stately feel. A round table in the entryway is used for dining and subtly directs interior traffic into the light-filled kitchen and living room beyond. “I want people to drop off their coats and feel like they know where to go,” Lorry explains.
Direct views of the tree-lined backyard and pond make the center kitchen island an obvious destination. This multi-functional masterpiece is highlighted by frameless, concave cabinetry and matching wood backsplash. Double counters spanning 50 linear feet cap myriad conveniences, including a vegetable sink, wood-front beverage cooler, trash compactor, and double dishwashers.
Photo by Jim Kruger
Landmark Photography
Double patio doors open from the kitchen to a stamped concrete terrace, where four more masonry columns support a pergola. Large, vertical windows in the front sitting area and nearby owners’ suite, set off by an intimate interior vestibule, overlook the romantic scene. Wrought-iron doors precede the dramatic owners’ bathroom, which features wall-mounted faucets and deep, chocolate-brown tile around the air-jet tub and in the glass-enclosed shower.
Opposite the owners’ suite, a mirror set of double arched doors leads to a handsomely appointed home office. The main floor also includes guest quarters and a multi-purpose mudroom/message center with an icemaker, laundry facilities, and storage lockers. “There’ll be no more mail sitting in the kitchen,” Lorry vows. “Everything has its place.”
And she’s not kidding. A cavernous tuck-under garage, featuring floor drains, enhanced ventilation, and a sizable workshop provides heated parking for the couple’s recreational vehicle. An adjacent space duplicates the square footage of the finished three-car garage located above. A cherry-paneled elevator makes loading the RV an easy task, and offers universal access to the lower-level recreation room, bedrooms, and slate-tiled bathroom.
Additional considerations on the lower level include walkout patio doors with between-glass blinds and ample unfinished space earmarked for a possible home theater and poolside dressing room. “We’ll likely put a pool in the back,” says Lorry, who also foresees backyard bonfires. “It’s going to feel like we’re up North.”
The home’s obvious conveniences are matched by its intelligent construction, which includes energy-efficient spray-foam insulation, a standby generator, and geothermal heating and cooling. “Designing this home was so much fun,” Lorry says. “We plan on living here forever.”
Michelle Baltus is a St. Paul freelance writer.
Builder
McNulty Construction
Home location
Gem Lake
Suppliers
Chris Doehrmann Architect, Inc.
Cityscape Painting
Guyer’s Builder Supply
Haferman Water Conditioning, Inc.
IDC Doors
James Hardie Siding Products
11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)
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