Photographs by LandMark Photography
Living room
A series of white oak beams accentuate the vaulted living room ceiling and continue into the kitchen. Striking a more subtle profile that doesn’t overpower the view, a pair of inky velvet chaise lounges “is more inviting and doesn’t block access from surrounding rooms,” says Amber O’Brien, a designer with Vivid Interior.
Statement-making details often define custom homes, and the arched entryways, rounded drywall corners, and boundary-pushing light fixtures were no exception inside this home sited on a picturesque property near Lake Minnetonka. But for Amy Hendel, principal of Hendel Homes, it’s the magical features that aren’t found on a blueprint or pinned to an inspiration board that make this home truly special. “It has a beautiful presence,” she says. “When you drive up and the sun is hitting the house, it glows. And you have sun going in that home throughout the entire day.”
“Every room has its own sense and style. It’s like you’re peeking into this beautiful jewel box.”
—Amy Hendel
When Hendel and Minneapolis architect James McNeal collaborated with the home’s owners, they all knew that the large, private lot with wooded areas and water views called for a home that would embrace the land. “We wanted to capture the beautiful views of the setting,” McNeal says. “The sequence and the volume changes of the individual spaces make it more interesting as you approach the house and walk through it.” The resulting modern European home, which McNeal says is a nod to traditional English Tudor homes, does just that. “It has the massing of an English Tudor, the steep roofs and that stately feel, but it’s stripped down from other details like timber framing and other ornamentation,” McNeal says. Large black metal windows, some stretching almost floor to ceiling, frame verdant views of nature. Many of the rooms have separate entrances to outdoor balconies, terraces, and patios. “It’s almost like the windows, and views out them, become art,” Hendel says.
Similarly, other areas of the four-bedroom home are brought to life with design details. White oak ceiling beams bring drama to the vaulted ceiling and define areas of the open-concept living room and kitchen. Artistic and ultramodern light fixtures add more up-high interest. In the primary bathroom, a gold tub is an unexpected glitzy feature in the otherwise subdued and minimalist design. “The home is not overstated, but each room has this jewelry and elegance and beauty,” Hendel says. “It’s like you’re peeking into this small and beautiful jewel box.”
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arched front entry
The arched front entry is one of the features that gives the home a modern spin on traditional English Tudor style, says architect James McNeal.
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Kitchen
Special Recipe // The front portion of the partitioned kitchen features black appliances, including a custom range hood, vented up the beams and out the roof, and a fridge and freezer integrated into cabinetry—all designed to make the kitchen look less utilitarian and more a part of the living areas. A quartzite waterfall countertop “adds substance,” Hendel says. “It feels like a solid table and not just an island.”
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Dining room
Room With a View // “It’s like being in a glass box,” Hendel says of the dining room with to-the-floor windows on three walls. McNeal notes that the room juts out from the back exterior in a way that is reminiscent of a European conservatory addition to a house. The rope-light chandelier by Luke Lamp Co. plays into the room’s minimalist vibe. White oak built-ins provide sleek storage without the bulk of a freestanding hutch. Caned Baker chairs are a nod to nature surrounding the ebony cerused oak table.
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primary bedroom
The primary bedroom reflects the trend toward downsized spaces sans dressers by shifting the storage to closets. “It’s extremely enveloping,” Hendel says. The limestone fireplace wall breaks up the white walls. Metal and stone mix on the modern fireplace with a bench-like hearth—the style echoing that of the living room fireplace.
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primary bathroom
Bathing Beauty // Hendel designed the primary bath around a luxe brass and nickel tub handmade in England. (Electric shades hidden in the ceiling drop down for privacy.) The tiled floor is warmed with reeded white oak vanities. “It has an old Hollywood Regency vibe,” says Vivid designer Gregory Clark.
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Powder room
Set in Stone // “Powder rooms are where you can go at it—you can have fun and be as bold as you want and get away with it,” Hendel says. The Brazilian amazonite quartzite sink and backsplash, which go all the way up the wall and below the sink, commands attention set against blush leather wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries from Hirshfield’s.
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Dressing room
Fashion Forward // Taking its cues from a luxury boutique, the dressing room keeps handbags and shoes on display with “shoppable” organization. Cole and Son Khulu Vases wallpaper, quartzite counters, and creamy leather insets on wood door and drawer handles add the finishing touches. Cabinets below the counter are tip-outs for laundry.
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Guest room
A muted palette in the lower-level guest room creates a peaceful escape. Designer Gregory Clark added a focal point above the headboard with a series of clamshells inspired by the bed’s botanical upholstery (California Velvet from Kravet). The design team flanked the bed in vintage ’70s style with white shagreen bedside tables by Made Goods and swanky lamps from Arteriors.
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pool house
The 564-square-foot pool house mirrors the home’s architecture. “It’s like a mini home,” Hendel says. A hydraulic lift door opens the interior to a patio for expanded indoor-outdoor entertaining. Hendel designed the door to lift out, rather than roll inward, so it didn’t detract from or interfere with the interior ceiling detailing. “A bonus is that it provides cover when it rains or to provide shade,” she says.
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pool
Stately Elegance // The all-white stucco exterior owes its classic European look to multiple peaks and accents of black metal windows and doors by Marvin. “The roof forms are done in a classical way where the simple forms create an interesting building,” McNeal says. “It’s beautiful because it’s authentic.” The back terrace surrounding the pool offers plenty of area for entertaining.
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pool house living area
Beauty on the inside // “It’s almost cathedral-like,” Hendel says of the pool house’s living area and kitchen (right) detailed in white oak beams and with rake windows on both ends. “The beams bring the ceiling down, and they and the windows add symmetry.” A pair of plush art deco–inspired chairs by Interlude Home bring the home’s elegantly eclectic vibe poolside. “It’s a fun mix that’s unexpected,” O’Brien says.
Architecture: Architect James McNeal and principal Angela Liesmaki, James McNeal Architecture and Design, IMS, 275 Market St., Ste. 135, Mpls., 877-796-5623, jamesmcnealarchitectureanddesign.com // Builder + Interior design: Rick and Amy Hendel, Hendel Homes, 15250 Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata, 952-404-7204, hendelhomes.com // Furnishings + Styling: Danielle Loven, Gregory Clark, and Amber O’Brien, Vivid Interior Design, 226 Cedar Lake Rd. S., Mpls., 612-874-3282, vividinteriordesign.com // Landscape design: Scott Ritter, Topo, 530 N. 3rd St., Ste. 401, Mpls., 612-929-2049, topollc.com
