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Tom Wallace, Star Tribune

The house was designed to be modern, green and family friendly for Roxanne Nelson, Delcan Flynn, Cormac Flynn, Kevin Flynn and Maziere Flynn.

Bigger, better, greener

By JUDY ARGINTEANU, Special to the Star Tribune

Last update: October 31, 2009

The scale is deliberately modest, the colors tasteful, the proportions harmonious, but there's no debating that the house on a quiet street in St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood stands out from its neighbors. It's not a typical renovation -- at least not yet.

But homeowners/architects Kevin Flynn and Roxanne Nelson hope projects like this one will become more common. Their home is an ambitious demonstration in sustainable design, construction and materials, complete with solar panels for hot water and for heat, and an 800-square-foot green roof. It's all packaged in a clean, modern aesthetic that belies the 1940s Cape Cod they started with.

Flynn and Nelson designed and supervised every aspect of the renovation, down to the glowing blue doorbell. The couple, who have three children, wanted a home that could adapt to their family, had office space for Kevin and was within walking distance of public transportation and amenities. They also wanted to prove that a green renovation could emerge from the bones of an existing home on a standard city lot.

"Renovation" might be an overly modest term, however. Flynn and Nelson demolished the original gabled upper story and replaced it with a full second floor. They put on an addition that took the house from 1,676 to 3,006 square feet. They also moved the front door several feet to create a direct path to the kitchen and replaced the original door with a window to bring in more light.

Open, not massive

The addition made room for a larger kitchen, which opens into new dining and living areas off the back of the house. While the addition feels spacious, none of the rooms within it is particularly large. Still, the open floor plan allows Flynn and Nelson to be flexible in how they use and arrange the space.

Natural light and large windows also help the space seem open and airy. "We spent a lot of time on the placement of windows," said Kevin. "We wanted to make them meaningful."

Farmhouse revival

Rural retreat captures the simple spirit of the farm with an eye on modern sustainability.

Back to nature

Natural blends

When they were kids, Jennifer and Pascal Dalseth spent lazy days canoeing, fishing and building bonfires on separate lakes in the Twin Cities. As adults, they wanted their kids to have the same kind of experience.

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