Two June tours showcase $1 million-plus homes

Joel and Amy Anderson built their sprawling Edina abode on Indianhead Lake to create a comfortable home for their family of five.

"We wanted a house that looked timeless, but also had the feeling of a lake home," said Amy.

The Andersons' house also epitomizes what many new home buyers are requesting from builders of upper-bracket properties today. Rustic reclaimed wood is showcased on walls, posts and ceiling beams. The lower level is outfitted with a two-sided bar, exercise room, billiards and TV-watching zones. In the winter, the Anderson kids play basketball and pickle-ball tourneys in a sport court tucked under the garage. In the summer, the family bakes pizzas in a stone oven on an outdoor terrace overlooking the lake.

You can see the Andersons' 7,000-square-foot-home, along with 17 others, at the upcoming Artisan Home Tour. After debuting last year, the event organized by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC), is back for its second run.

The Luxury Home Tour, meanwhile, is in its 15th year, and offers 13 dwellings ranging from Old World Tudor-style to a sleek modern rambler.

Both tours — a total of 31 decorated, $1 million-plus houses, plus four high-end remodeling projects — showcase the work of custom builders, craftsmen and product suppliers. Both tours are open over the same three weekends in June, beginning Friday. And both require admission, with the Luxury Tour priced at $20, and the Artisan Tour at $20 at retail outlets and $25 online.

BATC changed its tour dates from nine days in a row last year, to Friday through Sunday this year, because of more tourgoer traffic on weekends, said David Siegel, executive director. BATC also added the four remodeled homes, which are open the last three days of the event. "The builders felt it was successful last year," said Siegel of the tour. "They could talk to potential buyers, and had a chance to get their brands out there."

Builder Scott Busyn, owner of Great Neighborhood Homes, chose to spotlight the Anderson property on the BATC tour. "I like the focus on artisan qualities, which includes a multitude of handcrafted woods and unique custom spaces," he said, noting that he also likes to support the builders association. He's also OK with both tours being held at the same time; "There will be more people and traffic out there."

Tourgoers will get to gawk — as well as gather ideas — inside a mix of architectural-style properties that boast popular agrarian-inspired elements, such as sliding barn doors, as well as spa-style master baths, restaurant-worthy wine cellars and massive retractable glass doors that merge indoor and outdoor living. A modern rambler in Lakeland Shores on the St. Croix River even has a 2,300-square-foot patio, which is bigger than the average house. The majority of the Luxury Tour's 13 homes are presold, demonstrating a rise in consumer confidence in the upper-bracket housing market, said Flaws.

But are there enough Twin Cities tourgoers to support two similar events held at the same time?

"People in this market like to see houses," said Wendy Danks, director of marketing and communications for BATC, which also presents the Parade of Homes twice a year. The Artisan Tour attracted about 18,000 visits last year, she said. "Even if you can't afford a million-dollar house, there might be a bathroom vanity that takes your breath away."

Builder Sven Gustafson has submitted a home on the Luxury Home tour every year but two, and remains loyal to that event. This year, his company, Stonewood, built a traditional English country cottage in Wayzata customized for empty nesters with a golf simulator and a sewing room. "They've done a great job, and it's a well-run tour," he said.