If you drove past Cory and Stephanie Lake's split-level, you probably wouldn't give it a second glance. But the nondescript house is like a Picasso wrapped in plain brown paper.

Just open the front door and you'll be greeted with a wall of lithographs by contemporary artist Kiki Smith, a vintage cubist cabinet with an antique mille fleur carved slate top, a wild array of colorful geodes and a motley crew of pug dogs, including paraplegic Suki and one-eyed Mae.

"Cory says he married a chattering magpie, so I suppose it is my glamorous nest," said Stephanie.

Stephanie takes a unique approach to decorating, which she describes as "erudite glamour." The same phrase might be used to describe the couple themselves, who cut a striking figure, thanks to Stephanie's layers of fur and jewelry and Cory's imposing height. Together, they've devised a stylish way to merge design, fashion and music.

"We buy things that can stand on their own, and we never buy something for a particular space or to coordinate with something else," said Stephanie. "It is intuition. It comes down to having a great eye."

Stephanie is a jewelry designer, decorator and one of very few people worldwide who hold doctorates in Decorative Arts and Design History. Cory owns American Guitar and Band in Maple Grove. Their passions are clearly reflected in every room of their house.

Because Cory considers guitars one of the few social instruments, he's lined the living room with custom and vintage electric guitars, each one jazzed up with one-of-a-kind straps by handbag designer Carlos Falchi. And while the dining room boasts a Pierre Cardin table, their shared style spans eras and includes everything from flea market finds to DIY taxidermy. On a narrow indoor porch off the master bedroom, there's a 1970s Lucite chandelier, a medieval breastplate and a 14th-century Buddha head.

Under the careful guidance of Stephanie, the Lakes effortlessly incorporate museum-quality artifacts into a livable environment. "From years of dealing with irreplaceable objects in museums, I developed an ease for living with them," said Stephanie. "At home, I want everything to have a life, and there is no stress if you accept that chips and scrapes and marks are part of it. In our house, nothing is reserved for special occasions."

Romancing the home

Seven years ago, Stephanie Iverson was living in New York and Los Angeles. She was asked to curate an exhibit at the University of Minnesota's Goldstein Museum of Design about legendary fashion designer Bonnie Cashin, who founded Coach. Cashin, who died in 2000, was Stephanie's mentor and a dear friend. The two became so close in the final years of Cashin's life that Stephanie eventually wrote her dissertation about Cashin.

Before she came to Minnesota to work on the exhibit, Stephanie, who had declared that she would never marry because of her globe-trotting ways, called up Cory, whom she considered her Hopkins High School crush. Although the two never dated when classmates, they used to go to Walker Art Center together. "I used to teach her about art," said Cory, adding, "I'm not as impressive now that she's a doctor."

Cory, who was single, said he'd been waiting for a woman with "New York attitude, West Coast style and Midwest values." Because he believed that the love of his life would show up at his doorstep, he invited Stephanie over to the Minnetonka house he had recently purchased. It was a bachelor-pad-in-the-making, with towels for drapes and fruit-laden wallpaper lining the kitchen. "I was embarrassed," said Cory.

Still, the two married six weeks later and spent the next few years in a commuter marriage -- and remodeling the house. For Stephanie, the renovation was a way for them to get to know each other through the process of choosing finishes and collecting items for their home.

"On our first date, we looked at floor plans," she said. "For our first Valentine's Day, he bought me a pair of giltwood, snakeskin-upholstered chairs, and I bought him a chapter from [Salvador] Dali's 'Alice in Wonderland.'"

Collecting change

When Stephanie was in town on weekends, they began a routine that continues today: sleeping in, then browsing estate sales, antique shops and gem shows for unusual finds. Cory said they have no need to get to the sales early, because their taste differs so much from the rest of the shoppers. "We can go on the last day and find something," said Cory.

Stephanie agreed. "We are avid but leisurely collectors," she said. "Too many people get caught up in whether or not they can get something, and for us that takes the joy out of it. There is plenty of stuff in the world to go around."

Stephanie moved into the house full-time in 2006, and plenty of Cashin came with her, including framed sketches, papier-mâché sculptures and an extensive personal collection of vintage Cashin clothing and leather handbags, all of which is stored in a climate-controlled room in the basement.

Being surrounded by beautiful objects is a must for the couple, who use their collectibles like other people use Fiestaware. "For me, it does not take extra effort but it is infinitely more entertaining to drink tea from a vintage Christian Dior malachite mug, eat cottage cheese with antique sterling silver baby spoons, and wear high, high heels and liquid eyeliner at all times," said Stephanie. "Our dogs have vintage crystal bowls and I tend to garden in vintage kimonos or lingerie. It is just a matter of what makes you happy."

And one thing that makes Stephanie happy is change.

In seven years, the living room has had four distinct incarnations with "an untold amount of restyling of art in between," said Stephanie. There have been two different sofas, she's switched the upholstery on the occasional chairs from solid to Ikat, French doors have come and gone and throws and pillows change seasonally.

The entire house is treated like a constantly evolving gallery space. A set of five graffiti-covered doors from Cashin's New York apartment have been moved six times in four rooms. "Every time I move something, I feel like I am giving it, and the space, a new life," said Stephanie.

"I'm never bored," said Cory.

"I am," said Stephanie, "which is the reason I have to change it all the time."

Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177