This 3,738 Square Foot custom home resides on a lush, wooded hillside overlooking Arbutus Lake. The clients wanted to thoughtfully combine a “lodge” and “cottage” feel to their space. The home’s style has been affectionately and effectively called “Cott-odge” A beautiful blend of neutrals compose the home’s color palette to reflect the surrounding setting’s stone, sands, woods and water. White casework and rustic knotty beams round out the careful blend of “cott-odge” style. The great room’s multi-colored ledge stone fireplace and large beams create a cozy space to gather with family, while the efficient kitchen adorned with custom cabinetry accommodates optimal work-flow. The pairing of the varied styles creates an inviting lakeside, family retreat.

Believed to be the oldest building in Excelsior Minnesota, this humble brick structure has transformed, been moved, and housed countless people over its 162 years. Affectionately known as ‘The Beehive’, it was built in 1857 and began as the original Excelsior schoolhouse. It was moved to its’ current location in the 1880’s and became a 23-room dormitory for Northwestern Christian College, followed by a boarding house, and finally apartments (in addition to the rumors of more sordid activities in the early 20th century!). After being in the same family for several decades, the owner wanted to transform the building one more time to make it her own home. Citydeskstudio worked closely with her and the Excelsior Historic Preservation Commission on the design. She now occupies the main floor, with additional units above and below for rental and for family. The design celebrates the stout and blocky character of the building with a new modern expansion off the back. There, the building steps and expands outwards in glassy boxes of charred cedar. Inside, the original structure was repaired and uncovered where possible, and previous poorly done modifications were corrected. The center piece of this more open and light-filled home is a rich modern kitchen in walnut, travertine, and steel. The old character remains ever present and is essential to the spirit of The Beehive’s latest transformation. This multigenerational home’s design honors the legacy of the property, marrying the original Excelsior schoolhouse with a beautiful, modern, contextually-sensitive remodel and addition. Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

Valerie Wilcox Removal of a fireplace allowed for more space - as did the conversion of the old bulky cast iron rads with more contemporary European style slant-fin rads.

Affectionately known as the "hell strip," the narrow area adjacent to the driveway becomes an absolute inferno with reflected heat when summer temperatures approach 100 degrees and above. Penstemon, angelita daisy and chocolate flower (not shown) look pretty in spring but can take the heat. A little leaf ash, Fraxinus greggii, saved in the renovation, anchors the planting. Design and photo Perennial Garden Consultants.

This gorgeous Carmel Valley kitchen and master bathroom remodel is a great example of how strategic spatial planning can truly transform a space. Affectionately referred to as “Mary Kay’s Kitchen” by the client, the addition of the large, functional island created the perfect focal point for the room and spot to entertain family and friends. By reconfiguring the appliance layout, we were able to achieve one of the client’s most important goals - more storage. A large walk-in pantry was created where previously, only a small cabinet existed. While the overall design is classic, vibrant pops of color pair perfectly with the white cabinetry, white marbled quartz countertops, and rich wood flooring. State of the art appliances by Sub-Zero and Wolf were also selected, making this avid home chef’s dream a reality. Upstairs, the master bath went from dated and drab to stunning and serene featuring His and Hers vanities, a double-sized walk-in shower with beautiful tile work, custom bench seating and dual shower heads, along with gorgeous flooring, and a luxurious soaking tub.

This award winning home was built in 2015 as a second home, and she affectionately named it “Second Wind”. There’s 3,000 SF of living space, and 2,000 SF of outdoor decks and porches. The home has an open floor plan and a dining booth built out of reclaimed pine. It even sports a “shuffleboard court” out on the patio.

Stunning industrial cast iron factory machine age crank-up kitchen, dining, conference table desk base affectionately called the "The Badboii". Newly cast, design circa the 1920s finished in matte black The table base adjusts height from 715 mm (28.75") to 1030 mm (40.75") height by turning the large steel wheel underneath. Conversation piece? Yes! Unlimited potential, dining, kitchen, conference/office, entryway table, console table and so much more. Top with fine wood, glass, steel or epoxy resin tabletop to fit your decor Only frame base. (Table Top NOT INCLUDED)

Located in the Barton Creek Country Club Neighborhood. Arrowhead (affectionately named at one found at the site) sits high on a cliff giving a stunning birds eye view of the beautiful Barton Creek and hill country at only 20 min from downtown. Meticulously Designed and Built by NY/Austin Architect principal of Collaborated Works, this ludder stone house was conceived as a retreat to blend with the natural vernacular, yet was carve out a spectacular interior filled with light.

Located in the Barton Creek Country Club Neighborhood. Arrowhead (affectionately named at one found at the site) sits high on a cliff giving a stunning birds eye view of the beautiful Barton Creek and hill country at only 20 min from downtown. Meticulously Designed and Built by NY/Austin Architect principal of Collaborated Works, this ludder stone house was conceived as a retreat to blend with the natural vernacular, yet was carve out a spectacular interior filled with light.

Finding the Perfect Match Caribbean Blue Pools did a great job on this Franklin Lakes home, affectionately known as grandma’s house. Matching the existing stone on the house was challenging because the stone was no longer being quarried. This meant beginning the search for a similar stone that was still available. Ultimately using the experts at Braen Supply, a natural blend was selected to match the existing stone for the pool house as well as the focal point of the backyard, the fireplace. Perfecting the Details The details on this custom built fireplace, which include custom bluestone surrounds, bluestone chimney caps, and bluestone wall caps, were hand chiseled to enhance the look of the fireplace surrounds. Moss rock boulders and Kearney stone steps were chosen to help add natural beauty to the project. Norwegian Buff was an easy choice for the patio due to its favorable temperature and beauty around pool areas.

Country Grade White Oak flooring is used throughout the home. In one room affectionately called the "Crab Shack," nautical blue is not just an accent color, but a focal point. The Heritage Wide Plank Flooring used in the room was stained blue. Random width boards (3", 5", 7", and 9") were used.

Erik Grammer Photography - I recently came across a post on Facebook with a photo of an elderly couple with a quote saying "We were born in a time when if something was broken we would fix it, not throw it away..." This quote resonated with me. I found myself thinking of it while working on the same house - for the fourth time. I affectionately call this beautiful Southern California beach house the Humpty Dumpty home. I started a wonderful business relationship with one of my favorite clients back in 2003. Initially, I was called in to "fix" and finish what another designer started. Once completed and with everything just so, the couple unfortunately divorced and amicably divided the art, rugs and furnishings. I was hired for a second time to recreate each room as close as possible to replace all items that were missing. The house was happily restored back to the original design and all was well for a few years. My client relocated to the East Coast for a temporary job assignment and the house was rented to a person (whose name I can't say) from a famous all-girl band. During this time there was a problem with the upstairs laundry room and water damage occurred. I was hired for the third time to help repair and update (ever so slightly) some areas in the house. My client requested to keep the design and feeling of the house intact because he loved it so much. A few years passed before a pipe broke in the master bathroom while the new renter was out of town on vacation. Unfortunately, things like this do happen - and if not attended to quickly, major damage can occur. In this case, nearly the entire house was flooded requiring it to be completely gutted and stripped down to the floorboards and studs. In January of this year, I was hired to help the client, the insurance company, and the contractor put the house back together again. But unlike the Humpty Dumpty story, this house has actually been put back together again - several times over. Although, this house and client have experienced some challenges, I say this is a perfect example of design success. My client has had many opportunities to change and create something new in his environment with every mis-adventure. Instead, he realizes his home is exactly the way he likes it. It has been such an honor to work with this man who is definitive, trusting, and confident enough to create (or re-create) the perfect home that "fits" his personality and lifestyle. Although this Humpty Dumpty home has been good for my business, I hope the next project with this client is to decorate another property - perhaps a New York City Apartment!

As part of an interior remoderning (yep, a made up word for modern remodel) this section of the living room is home to the TV, some serious AV and inspired furnishings. Each element boldly stays in its own lane while simultaneously merging with to tell the story. Affectionately referred to as The Records Cabinet, a custom crafted barmoire (yep, better describes the cabinet) is a masterpiece. The circle motif like full silver moons - or platinum records - counterbalance the angles of the room and of the furniture. Without coincidence there are silver full moons in the most sentimental artwork in this family home.

This green custom home is a sophisticated blend of rustic and refinement. Everything about it was purposefully planned for a couple committed to living close to the earth and following a lifestyle of comfort in simplicity. Affectionately named "The Idea Farm," for its innovation in green and sustainable building practices, this home was the second new home in Minnesota to receive a Gold Rating by MN GreenStar. Todd Buchanan Photography

This award winning home was built in 2015 as a second home, and she affectionately named it “Second Wind”. There’s 3,000 SF of living space, and 2,000 SF of outdoor decks and porches. The home has an open floor plan and a dining booth built out of reclaimed pine. It even sports a “shuffleboard court” out on the patio.

This gorgeous Carmel Valley kitchen and master bathroom remodel is a great example of how strategic spatial planning can truly transform a space. Affectionately referred to as “Mary Kay’s Kitchen” by the client, the addition of the large, functional island created the perfect focal point for the room and spot to entertain family and friends. By reconfiguring the appliance layout, we were able to achieve one of the client’s most important goals - more storage. A large walk-in pantry was created where previously, only a small cabinet existed. While the overall design is classic, vibrant pops of color pair perfectly with the white cabinetry, white marbled quartz countertops, and rich wood flooring. State of the art appliances by Sub-Zero and Wolf were also selected, making this avid home chef’s dream a reality. Upstairs, the master bath went from dated and drab to stunning and serene featuring His and Hers vanities, a double-sized walk-in shower with beautiful tile work, custom bench seating and dual shower heads, along with gorgeous flooring, and a luxurious soaking tub.

Believed to be the oldest building in Excelsior Minnesota, this humble brick structure has transformed, been moved, and housed countless people over its 162 years. Affectionately known as ‘The Beehive’, it was built in 1857 and began as the original Excelsior schoolhouse. It was moved to its’ current location in the 1880’s and became a 23-room dormitory for Northwestern Christian College, followed by a boarding house, and finally apartments (in addition to the rumors of more sordid activities in the early 20th century!). After being in the same family for several decades, the owner wanted to transform the building one more time to make it her own home. Citydeskstudio worked closely with her and the Excelsior Historic Preservation Commission on the design. She now occupies the main floor, with additional units above and below for rental and for family. The design celebrates the stout and blocky character of the building with a new modern expansion off the back. There, the building steps and expands outwards in glassy boxes of charred cedar. Inside, the original structure was repaired and uncovered where possible, and previous poorly done modifications were corrected. The center piece of this more open and light-filled home is a rich modern kitchen in walnut, travertine, and steel. The old character remains ever present and is essential to the spirit of The Beehive’s latest transformation. This multigenerational home’s design honors the legacy of the property, marrying the original Excelsior schoolhouse with a beautiful, modern, contextually-sensitive remodel and addition. Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

Believed to be the oldest building in Excelsior Minnesota, this humble brick structure has transformed, been moved, and housed countless people over its 162 years. Affectionately known as ‘The Beehive’, it was built in 1857 and began as the original Excelsior schoolhouse. It was moved to its’ current location in the 1880’s and became a 23-room dormitory for Northwestern Christian College, followed by a boarding house, and finally apartments (in addition to the rumors of more sordid activities in the early 20th century!). After being in the same family for several decades, the owner wanted to transform the building one more time to make it her own home. Citydeskstudio worked closely with her and the Excelsior Historic Preservation Commission on the design. She now occupies the main floor, with additional units above and below for rental and for family. The design celebrates the stout and blocky character of the building with a new modern expansion off the back. There, the building steps and expands outwards in glassy boxes of charred cedar. Inside, the original structure was repaired and uncovered where possible, and previous poorly done modifications were corrected. The center piece of this more open and light-filled home is a rich modern kitchen in walnut, travertine, and steel. The old character remains ever present and is essential to the spirit of The Beehive’s latest transformation. This multigenerational home’s design honors the legacy of the property, marrying the original Excelsior schoolhouse with a beautiful, modern, contextually-sensitive remodel and addition. Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

This 3,738 Square Foot custom home resides on a lush, wooded hillside overlooking Arbutus Lake. The clients wanted to thoughtfully combine a “lodge” and “cottage” feel to their space. The home’s style has been affectionately and effectively called “Cott-odge” A beautiful blend of neutrals compose the home’s color palette to reflect the surrounding setting’s stone, sands, woods and water. White casework and rustic knotty beams round out the careful blend of “cott-odge” style. The great room’s multi-colored ledge stone fireplace and large beams create a cozy space to gather with family, while the efficient kitchen adorned with custom cabinetry accommodates optimal work-flow. The pairing of the varied styles creates an inviting lakeside, family retreat.