This cottage-style home extends a warm welcome with a covered porch over the front door.
Every family goes through seasons, and the best homes are versatile enough to meet those changing needs. This Mendota Heights dwelling will be an everyday nest for a couple to enjoy their mature years together, and it will easily host multiple generations under one roof.
The library boasts floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a cozy ambiance for curling up with a good book.
“They’re looking for a place that will allow them one-level living,” says project designer Jen Storms of M & M Home Contractors, Inc., describing the recently retired couple who built the home. “Just as important, they want the ability to entertain their children and grandchildren.”
An airy and light-filled master bedroom, complete with fireplace and mounted TV, is a perfect retreat.
The main living spaces breathe with cool, refined lines: glass doors and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in the library, with inset white custom paneling; and rich hickory floors. Elegance continues in the master suite, and its bath with custom tile, Roman shower, freestanding soaking tub, and marble-topped vanities with ample space for two.
The master bath features a Roman shower, freestanding tub, and his-and-hers vanities.
In the kitchen, amenities include chef-quality appliances, quartz countertops, and a butler’s pantry—affording the versatility for both gourmet meals for two as well as larger-scale entertaining. A three-season porch looking out on a wooded hillside can be enjoyed for meditative alone time or as a conversation hub when guests spill out from multiple gathering spots.
The kitchen’s classic good looks are family-friendly and bright.
Anticipating visits from grown children as well as grandchildren, the homeowners wanted a lower level for entertaining and hosting overnight guests. Two comfortable bedrooms and two baths can effectively double as small apartments. The distinctive touches include a custom bar topped with granite, tin ceiling, and reclaimed barn-wood details. The wine room features a stone wall, reclaimed beams, ship-lap details. Just outside the lower level will be a swimming pool, to be installed soon. In anticipation of wet feet, the floors are low-maintenance, stained concrete—a finish that also fits the casual, organic flow of the space. Meanwhile, the couple who live here year-round can still enjoy a very comfortable version of a smaller, intimate space when it’s just the two of them.
The lower-level bar, with industrial-style rusted metal ceiling, is just steps from the outdoor pool.
The best homes augment the phase of life we’re in, while accommodating the comfort of those we hold dear. This is a house that will feel like a home for all seasons—and with four fireplaces throughout, it’ll also be warm and cozy during the most frigid of months.
Luxury Home Tour
Builder:
M & M Home Contractors
Home Location:
Mendota Heights
Square Footage:
4,850
Sponsors:
• Marvin Windows & Doors
• Scherer Bros. Lumber Co.
Digital Extra: Additional Photos
By Quinton Skinner. Photos by Spacecrafting
