These clients wanted a lot for their dream home—literally and figuratively. The couple had been looking for a specific type of lot with a south-facing, flat backyard abutting a creek and ringed by old-growth trees. Their expectations also included private living spaces indoors and out while maximizing sight lines to the verdant yard.
Jeff Nicholson, principal architect and founder of Quartersawn, a Minneapolis-based design/build firm, knew his clients were serious about their expectations because they’d already parted ways with another architect.
The raised vertical detail on the garage door is intended to evoke the birch trees on the site.
Photo: Andrea Rugg Photography
“We spent more time on 3D modeling with them than on any other project,” Nicholson says, chuckling. “These clients are passionate about design and so we kept meeting with them to help them refine all of their ideas, but also used the modeling to show them how elegant the concept of ‘less is more’ can look.”
Nicholson’s design/build approach also helped bridge the gap between approving a design and selecting the actual materials to achieve it. He enlists his entire team—project manager, field superintendent, and designer—to participate in client meetings from beginning to end.
Natural ventilation was a priority for the homeowners, so the design team paid close attention when positioning operable windows to catch prevailing breezes.
Photo: Farm Kid Studios
In this project, for example, the clients knew they wanted warm wood accents to balance a mostly white palette. The team gave them a 3-foot-by-8-foot sample of stained, sealed cedar in a groove shiplap assembly. “It allowed them to make sure it had the feel and look they wanted,” Nicholson says.
Stucco covers the rest of the modern exterior, punctuated by black trim outlining windows and rooflines, including a striking center gable. “We wrapped the stucco around the wood and offset the front door to pull people into the center of the house,” Nicholson says. “And projecting the stucco boxes around the wood-wrapped door and the windows gives a feeling of protection.”
Verdan views are the local point of the home’s public space, so architect Jeff Nicholson looked for a light, natural stone that wouldn’t overwhelm the room. A smile shelf above the fireplace swerves as the mantle and ties in visually with the black window frames and exterior trim.
Photo: Farm Kid Studios
Walking through the entry, the owners and their guests glimpse views into the wooded backyard as they pass through a hallway that bisects two guest rooms and culminates in an expansive, open living, dining, kitchen space. The lot widens as it nears the creek, which allowed Nicholson to angle the living room to maximize views and add square footage. The lot’s unusual shape also afforded the opportunity to set the screened porch—the clients’ highest priority programmatically—on the corner opposite the living room.
READ MORE: Blurred Lines
How do you have a screened porch in Minnesota that doesn’t block the views in winter but takes advantage of them when usable? “The wedge shape let us set the porch off to the side,” Nicholson says, “while letting most rooms, even the stairwell and basement, benefit from southern light.”
Project
Modern Tudor
Architect/Builder
Quartersawn, Minneapolis
Shelley D. Hutchins writes about residential construction, design, and sustainable building.
Related Stories
Custom Builder
Floodproof on a Floodplain
An impressive addition to the IDEA Home series, the NEWLOOK Experience Home is a master class in engineering and creative design, with builder Michael Freiburger out-thinking an exceptionally tricky lot
Custom Builder
3 Questions Answered About Reliable Energy in Home Construction
Energy expert Bryan Cordill makes a case for why and how propane is an answer to growing concerns about reliability and resilience in home construction
Business
Custom Builder to Talk Color Design with Becki Owens at IBS
At this year's IBS, renowned designer Becki Owens will sit down with host James McClister, editor of Custom Builder, to discuss a variety of topics from basic color play in design to the Allura Spectrum palette, a collection of Sherwin-Williams colors curated for the benefit of pros
Business
PERC Highlights Sustainability and Efficiency at IBS with 'Clean Build Conversations'
Hear from industry standouts Matt Blashaw and Anthony Carrino at this hour-long Show Village event
Custom Builder
Telling a Story That Preserves the Past
Custom builder and historic restoration and preservation expert Brent Hull walks us through the careful details of his Pennsylvania Farmhouse project
Business
Defining Outdoor Living in 2024
Residential experts weigh in on outdoor living trends in new report
Construction
How to Air Seal the Garage
A poorly sealed wall or ceiling between the garage and the main house can let harmful fumes into the living space
Business
Taking Advantage of Incentives Through Weatherization
Industry insider Kristen Lewis walks us through the basics and benefits of weatherization
Custom Builder
2023: A Year of Case Studies
A look back at the custom homes and craftsman details we spotlighted last year
Customer Service
A Smart Home Built Smart
Custom builder August Homes blends efficient, high-tech home automation systems with high-performance, sustainable building strategies