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New Lake House Designed for Three Generations
After a devastating fire, a Minnesota couple rebuild to create a welcoming retreat for their extended family
This Minneapolis couple had many cherished memories of summer days spent with their children at their lake cabin, about 50 miles outside the city. When a devastating fire destroyed the home, they saw an opportunity to rethink how the property could better serve their family in the years ahead. With their children now grown and raising families of their own, the homeowners wanted a larger, more comfortable retreat that could accommodate all three generations under one roof.
“The homeowners wanted the house to be transitional in style … modern enough but with a lake home feel,” says Hailey Hansen of Murphy Bros. Design | Build | Remodel, which completed the design and build of the home. “They wanted us to keep it simple but also give it character.” Durability was another priority, with materials chosen to withstand wet feet returning from lake activities and the wear and tear of visits from young grandchildren. Because the homeowners also plan to remain in the house for years to come, aging-in-place principles helped shape the design.
“The homeowners wanted the house to be transitional in style … modern enough but with a lake home feel,” says Hailey Hansen of Murphy Bros. Design | Build | Remodel, which completed the design and build of the home. “They wanted us to keep it simple but also give it character.” Durability was another priority, with materials chosen to withstand wet feet returning from lake activities and the wear and tear of visits from young grandchildren. Because the homeowners also plan to remain in the house for years to come, aging-in-place principles helped shape the design.
After: The new home is two stories high, and this is the lake-facing side. “These homeowners wanted lots of blues and greens on the interiors to reflect the lake,” Murphy Bros. spokesperson Hansen says. Green board-and-batten siding along the second story brings a touch of that color scheme to the exterior and blends in with the tree canopy. Mixing horizontal and board-and-batten siding broke up the facade.
The main entrance is on the side of the house, creating an approach from the driveway that reveals the lake views. A small side deck provides a bucolic spot to sit and enjoy the scenery.
Inside the entrance, the homeowners wanted a landing zone to take off shoes and hang up coats. A shiplap accent above the bench nods to lake cabin style, while the maple bench brings in some warmth. There’s a coat closet to the left of the front door, while the tall cabinet to the right serves as both a pantry and shoe storage, with rollout shelves for easy access.
The staircase railing combines maple and iron. “The homeowners wanted some curves in the space to break up the hard lines,” Hansen says. To create cohesion throughout the home, she used maple with a rich stain for all the wood details and cabinetry.
Wall paint throughout the house: Worldly Gray, Sherwin-Williams; wood stain on maple railing, millwork and cabinetry throughout the house: Husk, KraftMaid
Wall paint throughout the house: Worldly Gray, Sherwin-Williams; wood stain on maple railing, millwork and cabinetry throughout the house: Husk, KraftMaid
Beyond the staircase, the kitchen and family room occupy one large, open space. “The main focus of the design was to open up the house to the views of the lake with lots of windows,” Hansen says. Within the relatively compact footprint, combining the two spaces was the best option for maximizing the views and square footage.
Maintaining a simple and consistent look throughout the kitchen and family room puts the focus on the view out the window. The material palette in both includes Shaker-style cabinetry, maple, black accents and lake-inspired blue upholstery. Clear glass pendant lights help keep the lake views open.
Maintaining a simple and consistent look throughout the kitchen and family room puts the focus on the view out the window. The material palette in both includes Shaker-style cabinetry, maple, black accents and lake-inspired blue upholstery. Clear glass pendant lights help keep the lake views open.
The Shaker-style cabinets with black pulls reinforce the home’s simple cottage character, while maple for the vent hood and island adds a layer of refined rustic warmth.
How to Design a Multigenerational Kitchen
How to Design a Multigenerational Kitchen
The homeowners wanted deep drawers for storing large items like pots and pans. Drawers are more ergonomic and conducive to aging in place than cabinet doors that require squatting and digging around inside to find items. Long pulls that are easy to open were also selected with aging in place in mind.
The working side of the island contains the dishwasher, a double-basin sink, a trash pullout and additional storage. Cambria quartz countertops provide highly durable surfaces that are easy to clean and resistant to stains and water spots from the sink.
Countertop: Ironsbridge quartz, Cambria; Gravena 32-inch undermount double-basin sink: Ruvati; matte black faucets: Delta
The working side of the island contains the dishwasher, a double-basin sink, a trash pullout and additional storage. Cambria quartz countertops provide highly durable surfaces that are easy to clean and resistant to stains and water spots from the sink.
Countertop: Ironsbridge quartz, Cambria; Gravena 32-inch undermount double-basin sink: Ruvati; matte black faucets: Delta
The outdoor views also inspired the backsplash. Soft green ceramic tile echoes the grasses and foliage outside, while its elongated subway shape gives the classic look a fresh update.
Backsplash: 2-by-10-inch subway tile in Chameleon, Boston collection, Soho Studio
Backsplash: 2-by-10-inch subway tile in Chameleon, Boston collection, Soho Studio
Measuring about 10 by 3 feet, the large island helps define the kitchen and family room while maintaining an open connection between them. A generous overhang provides seating on three sides, allowing family members to face the range wall while eating, working or chatting with the cook. They can also easily turn and join conversations with those gathered on the nearby sofa.
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Durability guided every decision in the space. The wood-look luxury vinyl plank flooring is easy to clean and well suited to wet feet returning from the lake. The homeowners handled much of the furniture selection themselves, choosing performance fabrics and darker coastal hues, such as the sofa’s blue upholstery, to help disguise the dirt and spills that inevitably come with visits from the grandchildren.
Flooring: Adura in Swiss Oak Truffle, Mannington
Flooring: Adura in Swiss Oak Truffle, Mannington
A wall facing the side yard provided the ideal location for the TV and surrounding built-ins, which conceal everything from board games to extra diapers.
“Our clients also wanted space to display their favorite Minnesota items that they enjoy finding locally and all over the state,” Hansen says. Painting the sides and backs of the display built-ins in the same color as the trim makes the maple shelves stand out.
This bar sits just to the right of the family room built-ins, with a dining area directly in front of it. The setup provides a convenient spot for a beverage station or buffet during family gatherings. The homeowners also enjoy dining on the front deck, where they especially love having their morning coffee.
“The homeowners were able to add a lot of lake cabin character in the powder room,” Hansen says. Chasing Paper’s Pacific Northwest wallpaper brings silhouettes of evergreen trees into the space, and the vanity’s deep green paint color also nods to the forest. The extra-tall mirror emphasizes the height of the compact space, which makes it feel larger.
Vanity: 24-inch single-bath vanity with ceramic top in Vintage Green, Broadway; 30-by-40-inch horizontal beveled mirror: Lutalo
Vanity: 24-inch single-bath vanity with ceramic top in Vintage Green, Broadway; 30-by-40-inch horizontal beveled mirror: Lutalo
With large family gatherings comes a steady stream of beach towels, bath towels and linens, so an efficient, well-organized laundry room was a priority. A sink provides a convenient spot for hand-washing delicate items such as bathing suits, while generous counter space and abundant storage make sorting and folding easier.
Cabinet color: Pewter Green, Sherwin-Williams; cabinet hardware: Factor in matte black, Amerock; faucet: Essa pull-down, Delta; countertop: Ironsbridge quartz, Cambria
Cabinet color: Pewter Green, Sherwin-Williams; cabinet hardware: Factor in matte black, Amerock; faucet: Essa pull-down, Delta; countertop: Ironsbridge quartz, Cambria
Located on the first floor, the primary suite supports the homeowners’ plans to age in place. In the bedroom, they selected furniture and bedding that complement the natural views beyond the windows.
The primary bathroom design began with a sumptuous tile with a handmade look and varied blue and blue-green hues. In the shower niche, a mini herringbone mosaic in a coordinating aqua tone adds an eye-catching accent. A clear glass enclosure keeps the tile fully visible.
Tile: Artisan 3-by-8-inch in Aqua, Ceramic Tileworks; shower system: Trinsic Monitor 14 series single-function, pressure-balanced in Brilliance stainless steel, Delta
Tile: Artisan 3-by-8-inch in Aqua, Ceramic Tileworks; shower system: Trinsic Monitor 14 series single-function, pressure-balanced in Brilliance stainless steel, Delta
The floor tile adds a lively pattern, while its neutral colors keep the focus on the shower tile.
Floor tile: Mr Jones in Dove Grey, Laura Ashley
Floor tile: Mr Jones in Dove Grey, Laura Ashley
The maple cabinetry combines slab-front drawers with Shaker-style doors. A custom wood frame ties the mirror to the vanity, while centrally placed drawers provide convenient storage and create additional countertop space above.
Sinks: Caxton rectangle 20¼-inch undermount, Kohler; faucets: Trinsic in Brilliance stainless, Delta; vanity light: four-light in brushed nickel, Madison; countertop: Ironsbridge quartz, Cambria; hardware: Factor in satin nickel, Amerock
Sinks: Caxton rectangle 20¼-inch undermount, Kohler; faucets: Trinsic in Brilliance stainless, Delta; vanity light: four-light in brushed nickel, Madison; countertop: Ironsbridge quartz, Cambria; hardware: Factor in satin nickel, Amerock
The design-build firm took advantage of the extra space under the staircase by adding a large storage cabinet next to the shower.
Upstairs are two bedrooms, a full bathroom and a spacious loft designed for the grandchildren. The generous layout allows for bunk beds as the extended family grows, while ample open floor space lets the room double as a play area.
Losing their beloved lake cabin was a devastating experience, but the homeowners are ready to create new memories in a home designed to welcome their growing family.
“They said the house will be ‘a free-for-all’ where no one has to schedule separate time here,” Hansen says. “There’s plenty of room for the homeowners, their children and their grandchildren to all be here together.”
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Losing their beloved lake cabin was a devastating experience, but the homeowners are ready to create new memories in a home designed to welcome their growing family.
“They said the house will be ‘a free-for-all’ where no one has to schedule separate time here,” Hansen says. “There’s plenty of room for the homeowners, their children and their grandchildren to all be here together.”
More on Houzz
See more home tours
Browse millions of photos for ideas
Find home design and construction professionals
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a vacation home for three generations of a family
Location: Annandale, Minnesota
Size: 2,100 square feet (195 square meters); three bedrooms plus bunkroom, 2½ bathrooms
Design-build firm: Murphy Bros. Design | Build | Remodel
Before: The fire gutted the original 1½-story lake cabin, which technically had one bedroom and another sleeping space. To glean inspiration for their new home, the couple perused Houzz photos and saved them in an ideabook and shared them with Brittani Swedberg, the designer on the project. Tom Streff managed the project.
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