You'll see lots of state-of-the-art kitchens and spa-like baths on this year's Artisan Home Tour — as well as some more unusual features targeted to niche interests. Katy Baar, style editor, Builders Association of the Twin Cities, compiled some highlights:
For water lovers: At least eight homes on the tour feature views of lakes, rivers or expansive swimming pools — with upscale outdoor spaces to match. Home #3 in Hudson, Wis. (Custom Homes by JP Bush), has a covered veranda on a hilltop overlooking the St. Croix River, equipped with motorized screens, a BBQ kitchen and wood-burning fireplace big enough to hold 5-foot logs; Home #13 in Chaska (Mark D. Williams Custom Homes) on Lake Bavaria has an outdoor shower, hot tub, patio and beachside fire pit; Home #16 in Orono has a boathouse on Lake Minnetonka with a cantilevered deck; and Home #21 in Wayzata (Pillar Homes Partner) features Cape Cod and nautical influences, plus an octagonal "lighthouse" enclosing a three-story staircase.
For beer connoisseurs: Home #9 in Edina (Great Neighborhood Homes) comes with its own private microbrewery. This modern cottage overlooking Minnehaha Creek features a three-kettle, professional-grade electrical home-brewing system capable of producing 5- or 10-gallon batches of beer.
For golfers: Want to work on your swing in the comfort of your own basement? Check out Home #5 in Woodbury (Custom One Homes), which has a lower-level golf room, and Home #17 in Orono (Swanson Homes), which features a large golf simulator.
For other sports enthusiasts: At least three homes on this year's Artisan HomeTour have sport courts, including Home #2 in West Lakeland (Bruce Lenten Design Build), Home #13 in Chaska (Mark D. Williams Custom Homes), featuring 22-foot ceilings and a "Hoosiers" theme, and Home #14 in Shorewood (Lecy Bros. Homes & Remodeling), featuring a lower-level sport court plus an indoor hockey rink.
For tech geeks: The latest high-tech smart-home technology is on display at several houses on this year's tour, including Home #11 in Edina (Refined), which boasts audiovisual technology that can be controlled via smartphone; Home #12, also in Edina (Oslo Homes), which uses smart technology to manage lights, audio and security; and Home #16 in Orono (Stonewood), which includes full home automation.
Kim Palmer
