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Houzz Tour: Contemporary Farmhouse Vineyard in Minnesota
Simple geometries, industrial materials and a nod to Eastern philosophy update the historical Midwestern farmhouse
A contemporary farmhouse may seem like an oxymoron to some people, but for Bill Costello of Murphy & Co. Design, the farmhouse feel was appropriate for his client, vintner Billy Smith. Although the house and land function as a vineyard, historical barns in the area were Costello's starting point.
"In architecture, there is always a leap of faith that the realized form will align with the intentions with which it was created," Costello says. "We as designers are asking the client to invest a lot of money in something we can only represent abstractly. Thankfully, my client and I trusted each other right away."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Billy Smith and his 2 sons
Location: Wayzata, Minnesota
Size: 5,444 square feet
That's interesting: The home was built on land once farmed for its foxglove flowers, which were processed into a heart disease treatment.
"In architecture, there is always a leap of faith that the realized form will align with the intentions with which it was created," Costello says. "We as designers are asking the client to invest a lot of money in something we can only represent abstractly. Thankfully, my client and I trusted each other right away."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Billy Smith and his 2 sons
Location: Wayzata, Minnesota
Size: 5,444 square feet
That's interesting: The home was built on land once farmed for its foxglove flowers, which were processed into a heart disease treatment.
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| Although not initially apparent, Costello used the simple geometries of historical farmhouses in the area to create Smith's home. The concept of having contrary forces working interdependently in the natural world was brought in by Smith, who, according to Costello, "embodies the yin and yang principle of balancing opposite energies." |
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| "The plan is a simple cross. Historical farmhouses had simple overhangs to get rainwater out and away from the barn. We played off of that idea by doing a zero overhang on the back side and doing overhangs of up to 8 feet on the white side," says Costello. The biggest challenge for Costello and his design firm: The city of Wayzata's government staff objected to the farmhouse's contemporary spirit. Costello says, "Wayzata is a quaint suburb of Minneapolis, and they have a provision in their code that basically says that they can deny building permits based on architectural style and design. Thankfully, my client believed strongly in what we were creating and fought the city for a year to build what he wanted. He triumphed in the end." |
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| The placement and order of the windows reflect the yin and yang principle that Smith lives by: On the black side of the house, the windows are all aligned and the same size, while the placement of windows on the white side (seen here) appears random. "What people don't know is that the window placement on the white side is actually strategic, most often to frame a particular view," says Costello. |
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| "We wanted to create a home that reflected the site on which it was constructed — for the home to avoid being the same old suburban house," says Costello. The farmhouse provides a comfortable space for Billy and his sons, Harrison and Parker, to entertain and ... |
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... includes a wine "cellar" to showcase his wines. The lower level houses the wine structure as well as an open area for tastings that opens out onto the vineyard. Although Warehouse Winery was founded only five years ago, its offerings have been voted Best Minnesota Wine for two consecutive years.
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| Costello says that this room, constructed of galvanized steel mesh and glass, showcases the "literal fruits of the homeowner's labor." |
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| Warehouse Winery is the only vineyard of its size that's located in a residential neighborhood. Only two rows of vines from Smith's vineyard were lost in securing the building permit for his farmhouse. |
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| The railing, a mixture of industrial and natural materials, was designed by Murphy & Co. and custom made by Islero Fabrication. |
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| The architectural lines of the rectangular windows, steps, cabinets and exposed beams are reinforced by the leaning staircase guardrails — albeit in a quirky, angled manner. |
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| The dining table top is Italian wood veneer over an aluminum plate with a galvanized steel underbody. Costello says that Smith loves galvanized steel, so the sentiment was carried into the furniture pieces custom made for him by Costello's furniture company, Lucero Studio. Foreground pottery: Billy Smith; green vase: purchased in Peru; ceramic orb: Steve Hemingway |
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| As you can see from the kitchen (previous photo), the hallway cabinets and the staircase floor padding, the black and white motif runs throughout the house as a representation of yin and yang. |
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The hanging LED pendants of different lengths have shades constructed of carbon fiber. The pendants' placement in the room is based on anticipated gathering spots.
Pendant lights: Vibia
Pendant lights: Vibia
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| Another view of the deliberate placement of the LED pendants in the common areas. |
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| The bar stools are a great example of the combined efforts of both client and professional: Lucero Studio did the metalwork, and Smith carved the wood blocks himself out of old telephone pole remnants. "My client uses the kitchen daily. He loves to cook for friends and family as they gather around the island," says Costello. |
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| The bed and floating headboard are made of black walnut, part of a tree that fell on Smith's property. Costello had it milled and dried; the sculptural headboard pieces were "left a little less dry and mounted on rotatable pins so that they can twist over time." Bed frame and headboard pieces: Lucero Studio |
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| "We also played off the idea of front porches by having multiple open areas connected to the house to take advantage of the views and multiple fire pits," says Costello. For Smith, the house simply works. "The contemporary farmhouse appeal, the flow of the interior, the use of natural light day and night — the house works. Everything is in balance," he says. More: Country Modern: A Balancing Act Rebekah's Weekend Farmhouse Retreat |
Ideabook published on March 6, 2012.
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