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.”
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