MNfusion: Tour Of Mpls. St. Paul Mag ASID 2015 Showcase Home
During this gorgeous stretch of autumn weather, there are plenty of things to keep you occupied. From hayrides to apple picking to leaf peeping, there are many ways to enjoy the fall season.
But for those interested in tantalizing their senses in a different way, the Mpls. St. Paul Magazine ASID MN Showcase Home is in its final weekend of tours. And while it may not boast crisp apples and luscious leaves, it is sure to excite and transport you.
The home along Fremont Avenue in the Lake Harriet neighborhood of south Minneapolis belongs to the Laceks; Susan, Mark and their two girls Emmy, 14, and Ally, 12.
The family purchased the home the previous year with plans to renovate. So when they found out at Mpls. St. Paul Magazine's 2014 Fashionopolis event that a house had not been chosen for the 2015 Showcase Tour, they jumped at the chance.
Each year, when selecting a home for the showcase, a number of factors must be considered.
"It has to be a large enough house to accommodate several designers and large tours, [it has to have] a large yard for events," Karen McKay, Committee Chair of the Minnesota chapter of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) said. "They have to be willing to do a full kitchen and bath renovation and also be willing to move out."
The home owners also must be able to afford to do the renovation on their own.
As the Laceks were already planning to renovate, and were currently not living at the home, it was easy for them to agree on the conditions.
But, of course, they had lots of opinions.
The Laceks are self-described "sun and water people," and wanted to incorporate coastal elements that reminded them of their time living in the Caribbean.
"Susan had quite extensive house boards and Pinterest boards for the designers," McKay said.
And Susan wasn't alone. Both Emmy and Ally had requirements for their rooms as well. Ally wanted a clean, chic white look while Emmy required one piece of furniture – a swinging chair.
But, as Mpls.St Paul Magazine features editor Emily Sefton noted, every family has some idea of how they want their home to look and conversations are always ongoing.
"There are a lot of conversations throughout the process to make sure it's what the homeowner wants, and then incorporating the homeowners' tastes," Sefton said.
Construction began on the 1920s Tudor style home in the winter, and in the beginning of October was completed.
The three-level home has 21 spaces that 27 different designers worked on. Each tying in the coastal-chic theme the family desired.
The front porch, designed by Rob Edman and Laura Engen, welcomes guests in with an outdoor fireplace and wicker furniture. It is also one of two rooms that features a blue ceiling, something Susan wanted after learning during their time in the Caribbean that it is believed that blue ceilings ward off evil spirits.
In the front entrance, designed by Renae Keller, hangs the Summer Breeze chandelier from Creative Lighting.
A piece made from delicate strands of shells and crystals that also acts as a wind chime. The ceiling is also made from reclaimed wood and ties into the wood flooring seen in the neighboring Great Room.
"They said 'We don't like sheet rock. We really love other textures, other architectural features.' So [the] floors, walls and ceilings all have really unique details," McKay said.
Brand new marble from Cambria decorates the kitchen island and upstairs bathroom which also boast tiling from Ruble Tile.
Many of the lower level rooms are easily converted from indoor to outdoor spaces with the use of large sliding glass doors. The back porch has an invisible screen to help keep the bugs out but allows for the family to enjoy the beautiful fall air.
In addition to beachy elements, family is another reoccurring theme as you move through the house. Each space is designed for the family's specific needs and wants; a hallway nook for the girls to dip into, pullout desks for each girl in Mark's office or a window seat that looks out onto the yard for the girls to wait for friends.
Numerous family photos don the walls, with a gallery wall in the sunroom and a mural in the upstairs hallway. A number of paintings from local artists hang on wall space not dedicated to family portraits.
While the event allows guests to view beautifully renovated homes, it also acts as a mouth piece for the work of ASID designers.
"The goal is to bring awareness to the American Society of Interior Designers," McKay said. "It's a profession organization that promotes the education and knowledge about design and just hopefully [encourages] people to look for those credentials when they are looking for a designer." McKay said.
The 2015 Mpls. St. Paul Magazine ASID MN Showcase Home is located at 4533 Fremont Avenue in south Minneapolis.
It is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. now through Oct. 11. Tickets cost $20 online or at the door and $15 at discounted outlets. For more information, visit the 2015 Showcase Home Tour online.
