They wanted to find a home on the North side of the Longfellow Neighborhood of Mpls, no other location would do. These newlyweds also knew they wanted a modern home designed to fit respectfully within a neighborhood of mostly traditionally styled homes. They approached Shelter to design their new home …even if they didn’t know where, exactly, it would be; after booking their wedding at Icehouse (because they loved the modern industrial vibe of the place). After a few months of helping them search they found the perfect location. A quiet lot in the Seward Neighborhood close to the river, bike paths, coffee shops and restaurants.

Their sophisticated aesthetics (she has an advanced degree in art) and a confident understanding of what they wanted guided the design. The house was to feel cozy but not small, it should have plenty of wall space for artwork. They wanted a modest kitchen but he had to have an amazing stove. She wanted the suite to have a beautiful tub. There should be a very open and striking staircase. All of this should be wrapped in a very modern looking exterior.

The end result?

We embraced the wish list and created a home that is bright & breezy with plenty of walls to show off their art collection. The floors, stairs and cabinets are wood to make sure the house always feels warm and inviting. It’s the same reason we clad the exterior walls and ceiling at the front door in wood; to invite you in and make you feel welcome.

Though the overall style is very contemporary we made sure the scale of the house fit well within the neighborhood. As it turned out the Mpls Star Tribune was doing an article on the appropriateness of modern homes in traditional neighborhoods; the home owners and Shelter were interviewed for that article, you can find a link to it here.