twin cities spaces june-july 2009

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+ PlusLAKESIDE DESIGN: KEEP IT SIMPLEMAKE THE MOST OF SUMMER — NEW PRODUCTSPATIO DINING TIPS FROM A TOP CHEF

Homenetworksmade easy

POOLS, PATIOS, PLAYHOUSES AND MORE

June/July 2009

Outdoor Living Issue

05-29-09-TABS-F-1S-Spaces 5/12/2009 7:35 AM

05-29-09-TABS-F-2S-Spaces 5/11/2009 8:54 AM Page 1

Features

62

17

JUNE/JULY 2009

43

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

20

Departments

10 | Editor’s Letter

17 | Noon to Three

That shimmer is heat rising from

Selby and Snelling

20 | Outdoor Living

Cool Products

30 | Accents

Fun Finds

36 | Hi-tech Home

Products with Byte

74 | Bright Ideas

Alex Roberts: Grow your own

goodness

43 | All about the lakeFor owners of waterfront homes,

landscaping must enhance the view,

never compete with it.

52 | Nothing little about itA luxurious 70-square-foot playhouse

built for a charitable auction is a

perfect complement to the auction

winners’ home that shares its Asian

influence.

62 | Plugged inJust a few high-tech upgrades can

turn your home into a digital

playground for music, movies and

photos.

30

36

8 | JUNE/JULY 2009 SPACES


his is supposed to be

the summer of the

deck at my house. My

husband and I have fallen into a

rhythm of doing one big project a

year. But I don’t know if we’ll go

through with it. Like most everybody, we’re feeling a little jittery about the

economy and we could certainly survive one more year without a deck.

On the other hand, Minnesota summers are so short — and that deck would

help us make the most of it. So while we procrastinate on making the big deck

decision, we’re looking for other ways to maximize the outdoor living season

this year.

We started our vegetable garden early by sprouting seedlings indoors. We

built and painted birdhouses with the kids, installed them in our magnolia trees

and watched a pair of chickadees move in. We planted Annabelle hydrangeas by

our front walkway. And we have been grilling for several weeks now (with a lit-

tle help from the free Pioneer Press Cooking Out e-mail newsletter — you can

sign up for it, too, at twincities.com/food).

Deck or not, we intend to spend as much time in the yard as possible. In this

issue of Spaces, you’ll find lots of products and ideas to help you make the most

of the spaces beyond your door, too — from a landscape designer who offers

insight on what’s important in lakeside design to a chef who shares patio-dining

tips.

And then there’s the delightful tale of the deluxe playhouse (Page 52) — a proj-

ect that seems to capture the imagination of everyone who encounters it. Is it

because it was built for a good cause? Is it because it’s made with such fine mate-

rials? Is it because it’s a bona fide work of art? Whatever the reason, I can’t get

that little playhouse out of my mind. When we do finally decided to build our

deck, I hope to take a little inspiration from the playhouse — and think big about

something that could otherwise be a prefab afterthought.

Sincerely,

Heidi Raschke

TPublisher

Editor

Art Director

Creative Consultant

Copy Editors

National Editor

Contributing Writers

Photographers

Marketing Manager

Advertising Sales

Ad Design

Publisher’s Assistant

Martha Severson

Heidi Raschke

Ellen Thomson

Barbara Pederson

Judy Brunswick,

Cheryl Burch-Schoff,

Dana Davis,

Kathy Derong

Denise Gee

214-334-3124

Holly Berecz, Allison

Kaplan, Molly Millett,

Nancy Ngo,

Julio Ojeda-Zapata

Jill Greer, Karl Herber, Sherry LaRose-Chiglo, Chris Polydoroff, Steve Silverman

Carolyn Robertson

651-228-5309

Martha Severson

651-225-1217

Annie Maus

Ann Ettel

651-225-1175

Twin Cities Spaces is a Northwest Publication.

Editorial, Sales, and Back Issues Offices

Spaces

345 Cedar St.

St. Paul, MN 55101

spacesmag.com

Questions 651-225-1175

Information in this publication is carefully compiled to ensure

accuracy. No recommendation regarding the quality of goods

and services is expressed or implied. Contents of this

magazine are copyrighted by Northwest Publications in their

entirety. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by

any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or

otherwise, without the prior consent of the publisher, SPACES,

345 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55102

On the cover: Outdoor living in Wayzata.

Photo by Jill Greer.

Vol. 5, No. 5 June/July 2009

To Our Readers



That shimmer is heat risingfrom Selby and Snelling

Noon to Three * S H O P A N D L U N C H B Y A L L I S O N K A P L A N

SPACESMAG.COM | 17

Veteran vintage boutique Lula has made Selby and Snelling a destination for retro

fashion and furnishings.

THE RECENT ARRIVAL OF SUCCESSFUL GIFT STORE mini-chain Patina at Selby and Snelling avenues in St. Paulsays it all:This corner is hot.

Patina, with five locations in Minneapolis and St.Paul, gravitates to urban neighborhoods that are still alittle rough around the edges. So, don’t expect Selbyand Snelling to be 50th & France. Parking can be achallenge. There isn’t a destination restaurant withineasy walking distance. Situated just south of Inter-estate 94, traffic whips past in every direction.A sign inthe window of Cosmic’s Coffee snaps: “Don’t parkhere and go to Starbucks!”

Call it character. With the exception of Starbucks,this intersection is made up entirely of local, inde-pendent businesses including a couple of institutions:O’Gara’s Bar & Grill and the Sweatshop Health Club.They march to their own beat, which adds to thecharm. Don’t arrive too early — the neighborhood isslow to wake, with many stores opening at 11 a.m. ornoon.

Selby and Snelling owes its retail personality to vet-eran vintage boutique Lula, arguably the best in town.Once the only store worth stopping for, Lula nowcounts several other vintage boutiques as neighbors.

Lula is the place to find serious women’s fashionsfrom the ’40s through ’70s. You won’t have to digthrough junk to find the gems in this expertly edited

PHOTOS BY CHRIS POLYDOROFF


* N O O N T O T H R E E

shop,which draws customers from across thecountry. Up Six specializes in midcenturyfurniture and clothing at accessible prices.You might find an end table, old Levis or aHalloween costume (the owner prides her-self on pulling together party pleasers).GoVintage deals in apparel and accessoriesas recent as the ’80s and as far back as theturn of the century. You’ll find seriousdesigner pieces sprinkled in with the every-day items. The Drawbridge is more antiquethan vintage, offering goods with history,from furniture and tableware to accessories.The newest arrival is Everyday People (alsoin Dinkytown and Uptown), a youthful resaleshop aimed at those who create their owntrends.

But Selby and Snelling is not stuck in thepast. Newcomer A. Michele is drawing trendseekers with its contemporary mix ofwomen’s clothing and accessories, from cooltees and premium denim to playful sun-dresses. Of course, Patina offers a modernspin on gifts, stationery, garden, homeaccents and bath and body — and that’s juston the main floor. Be sure to venture down-stairs, where you’ll find chic and affordablehandbags and jewelry, plus toys and more forchildren. Furthering Selby and Snelling’smomentum: Grand Avenue lingerie boutiqueFlirt is scheduled in June to relocate to a cozyspace around the corner from Patina onSnelling.

Don’t overlook Rebel Ink Baby — SelbyAvenue is company headquarters for thebrand, which is sold at boutiques nationwide.The front of the space is a store, featuringRebel Ink’s signature baby and toddler shirts

with snarky sayings and hipster appeal.Time for a snack. Two Smart Cookies

serves up homemade treats. In addition toCosmic’s Coffee, there’s Cahoots Coffee,decorated like a cozy old living room. Neigh-

borhood Cafe is a family-friendly spot forbig breakfasts. If it’s a beer you crave, look nofurther than O’Gara’s. And there is that Star-

bucks. Don’t shoot the messenger, but on asunny day, the outdoor tables are not a badplace to take in all the action on this busycorner.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS POLYDOROFF

Super gift boutique Patina now anchors Selby

and Snelling.

UpSix sells this furniture from the ’50s and ’60s.

A. Michele is

drawing trend

seekers with its

contemporary

mix of women’s

clothing and

accessories.


* N O O N T O T H R E E

Selby and Snelling:Where to find it

Cosmic’s Coffee, 189 N. Snelling

Ave., 651-645-0106

Two Smart Cookies, 181 N.

Snelling Ave., 612-384-1069

Flirt, 177 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul,

651-698-3692

Starbucks, 171 N. Snelling Ave.,

651-659-9033

O’Gara’s Bar & Grill, 164 N.


Sweatshop Health Club, 167 N.


Up Six, 157 N. Snelling Ave.,

651-917-0470

GoVintage, 1560 Selby Ave.,

651-646-4455

Cahoots Coffee, 1562 Selby Ave.,

651-644-6778

Neighborhood Cafe, 1570 Selby

Ave., 651-644-8887

Patina, 1581 Selby Ave.,

651-644-5444

Lula, 1587 Selby Ave.,

651-644-4110

The Drawbridge, 1589 Selby

Ave., 651-644-1701

A. Michele, 1591 Selby Ave.,

St. Paul, 651-917-6966

Rebel Ink Baby, 1593 Selby Ave.,

651-647-0655

Everyday People, 1599 Selby

Ave., 651-644-4410

Drive for lunchYou won’t go hungry on SelbyAvenue. Here are some greatlunch spots not far from thestores.

W.A. Frost & Company,

374 Selby Ave., 651-224-5715,

Wafrost.com

La Grolla, 452 Selby Ave.,

651-221-1061, Lagrollastpaul.com

Happy Gnome, 498 Selby Ave.,

651-287-2018,

Thehappygnome.com

Cheeky Monkey Deli, 525 Selby

Ave., 651-224-6066,

Cheekymonkeydeli.com

Pizza Luce, 1183 Selby Ave.,

651-288-0186, Pizzaluce.com

Blue Door Pub, 1811 Selby Ave.

651-493-1865,

Thebluedoorpubmn.com

See more of SelbyAs long as you’re in the car, moreSelby Avenue highlights

FiveTwoSix Gallery, 526 Selby

Ave., 651-222-3839: Hidden

behind the salon, this spacious

gallery with contemporary appeal

highlights the best of local and

regional artists, including jewelry,

hand-blown glass, sculpture and

paintings.

Fleur de Lis, 516 Selby Ave.,

651-292-9562: Charming flower

shop plus home accents and gifts.

L’Atelier Couture Bridal

Boutique, 493 Selby Ave.,

651-602-9492: One of the most

exclusive bridal boutiques in

town, featuring high-end

designers like Carolina Herrera

and Karl Lagerfeld.

Common Good Books,

165 N. Western Ave.,

651-225-8989: Garrison Keillor’s

bookstore is tucked beneath

Nina’s Coffee Cafe.

Paper Patisserie, 366 Selby

Ave., 651-227-1398: Romantic

space filled with stationery,

journals, card sets and more to

enhance your correspondences.

05-29-09-TABS-F-19S-Spaces 5/11/2009 2:06 PM Page 1

Outdoor Living * C O O L P R O D U C T S B Y D E N I S E G E E


Nights in white canvas

The Loxley Bed, designed by Phillipe

Starck for Sutherland Furniture’s

RobinWood Deluxe Collection, is the

picture of medieval romance — and

elegant outdoor style. The soft landing

pad (84 inches wide by 105 inches tall

by 87 inches deep) is made of natural

teak, with polished aluminum detailing

and washable outdoor fabric choices.

Available to the design trade;

sutherlandfurniture.com or

800-717-8325.

Smart pavers

Belgard’s Subterra permeable pavers

are the newest thinking in

environmental stewardship and style.

They allow surface water to drain

through each paver (made of concrete

with polymeric sand), letting water get

directly absorbed into the soil

beneath. That keeps it from making its

way into the streets, only to be mixed

with motor oil and other toxins before

hitting storm drains leading to

recycling stations. Other pluses: The

pavers’ interlocking design allows

them to stay stable in shifting soils;

they’re sustainable (lasting for up to

30 years) and slip-resistant. About $4

per square foot (uninstalled);

belgard.biz or 800-899-8455.

Flower power

Sure, the bold colors and modern

floral prints are fun, but the true power

of these Flower Plates is rooted in

their construction — of lightweight,

practically indestructible melamine.

Another plus: They’re 11 inches wide,

the ideal size for presenting whatever

you’re serving, with all the sides. In a

variety of patterns; $6.95;

crateandbarrel.com or 800-967-

6696.

Outside ‘In’From lighting to flooring and everything in

between, kick back with our picks for the

coolest goods in outdoor living.


Green light

How fitting that this light fixture

looks like it belongs outdoors.

This custom-crafted, six-light

Twig Chandelier (38 inches

wide by 36 inches tall),

developed by Adirondack

Mountain artisans for Meyda,

can be used within covered

patios (it’s rated for damp

locations) or customized for wet

locations. (And a flush-mount

version is also available.) About

$3,300; meyda.com or

800-222-4009.

Bathing beauty

One of the sleekest, deepest whirlpool

tubs to be had is the new Blue Moon by

Duravit. At 55 inches wide by 21 inches

deep, it’s nearly twice the standard depth

of other contenders and is likened to a

minipool. The relaxation unit can be

adjacent to a wall or left freestanding

(perfect for an indoor-outdoor bathroom).

It features inspection-friendly acrylic or

teak inserts and 10 LED spotlights inside

(with colored LED lighting options

available). From $8,500; duravit.com or

770-931-3575.

Hot topic

Red is the hot new appliance color this year,

and that goes for outdoor ones, too. Here’s a

great-looking, great-cooking grill from Char-

Broil that uses evenly distributed infrared heat

to get its job done. Because of that, it uses

one-third less gas and won’t catch fire from

dripping food juices (there’s no open flame,

which also helps keep food moist). The grill,

with rotisserie and 13,000 BTU side burner,

offers a wide temperature range for everything

from slow-cooking to intense searing. With

storage underneath; $599; charbroil.com or

866-239-6777.

At your feet

Outdoor rugs can look as good as indoor ones,

as is the case with the Persimmon Area Rug

from Home Decorators Collection, available in

terra cotta or sage green with a natural leaf

pattern. (Yes, friends, that’s the shape of a

persimmon leaf.) It offers not only the look and

feel of natural fibers but also the durability of

synthetic fiber, which makes it easy to clean as

well as stain- and mildew-resistant. Eleven sizes

are available; prices range from $17 to $269;

homedecorators.com or 877-537-8539.

Warm feelings

For a built-in look of a fireplace

without the built-in price, consider

one you can have without a lot of

masonry fuss. This wood-burning

Stone Grey Large Fireplace, in a

sandy texture that ages well over

time, is made from a patented

concrete blend that’s lighter and

stronger than concrete. It features

a spark arrester (to keep

hazardous sparks from leaving

the hood), as well as a firebox and

a grate. The three-piece

interlocking unit (42 inches wide

by 72 inches tall by 28 inches

deep) is touted as easy to

assemble; $2,199;

smithandhawken.com

or 800-940-1170.

* O U T D O O R L I V I N G



Star power

The portable Celstron NexStar 8 SE

telescope features 8-inch Schmidt-

Cassegrain optics and has all the bells

and whistles you’d want in a deep-space

viewer, including an F10 focal length, the

ability to find a specific star or planet

(there are 40,000 objects in its database),

a digital hand controller, plus PC-

operation and GPS compatibility; $1,400;

telescopes.com or 800-303-5873.

Linear thinking

Richard Schultz’s Wing Collection of open-

minded aluminum chairs and tables aims to

allow cool breezes, refreshing pool water or

the warmth from fire pits to reach you. Plus,

they’re really good-looking, in powder-

coated finishes of pearl, blue, yellow, red,

green, light bronze and dark bronze (with

tabletops available in porcelain, teak or

bamboo). Chairs, available with or without

pads, start at $3,150; richardschultz.com or

215-679-2222.

Grow up

This cedar Living Wall (22 inches wide by 59 inches

tall by 6 inches deep) is beautiful in so many ways: It

can be combined with others to form a partition

around an outdoor living area or hung on a wall to

bring natural beauty to a small space, outdoors or in

(thanks to water being collected within a removable

tray at the bottom). Two planting panels allow both

sides to come alive. Just add soil, small plants, water

and sunlight; $399; smithandhawken.com or

800-940-1170.

Sail worthy

Keep your cool with this nautical-style

54-inch Sanibel ceiling fan from the

Hunter Fan Co. It’s rated for damp

environments like covered porches and

features washable off-white sailcloth. It

also promises a quiet motor and wobble-

free performance. In both bronze and

white finishes; about $200;

hunterfan.com or 888-830-1326.

Two-timer

Target calls this the Orbit Lounger, perhaps

for its circular Atomic Age styling. This all-in-

one set features two chaise lounges; a

retractable umbrella; comfy, reclining

cushions; two toss pillows; and a tabletop

made of tempered glass — a nice spot to

place a refreshing sipper while you chat

face-to-face with a fellow lounger; $400;

target.com or 800-440-0680.

Denise Gee is the national Spaces editor.

* O U T D O O R L I V I N G



Accents * F U N F I N D S S

> GLOSTER “ELAN”

RECLINING CHAIR:

Hoigaards, 5425

Excelsior Blvd.,

St. Louis Park,

952-929-1351,

$1,429.

Breathing

[ P H O T O G R A P H S

B Y K A R L H E R B E R ]

[ A R T D I R E C T I O N

A N D S T Y L I N G B Y

B A R B A R A S C H M I D T ,

B S T Y L E , I N C . ]


> 1950s ANTIQUE

BUFFALO HIDE URN:

Inner Gardens, 6050

W. Jefferson Blvd., Los

Angeles, Calif.,

310-838-8378, $975.

05-29-09-TABS-F-30,31S-Spaces 5/11/2009 10:17 AM Page 1

> 6-FOOT

CHARCOAL AND

BLACK UMBRELLA:

Hoigaards, $129.

> BURL WOOD

CANDELABRA:

Zachary at

International Market

Square, 275 Market

St., Suite 461,

Minneapolis,

612-305-1201, $595,

available through

your interior

designer.

> VINTAGE GLASS

FLOATS AND BUOYS:

bstyle inc., 4832

Garfield Ave.,

Minneapolis,

612-270-7502,

$20-$90.

> LAVA ROCK PLANTER:

Uncommon Gardens,

5750 Lyndale Ave. S.,

Minneapolis,

612-866-3033, $50

(more than 35 varieties

of succulents

available, $5-$11).

> ERIC BRAND LOG

CARRIER available in

various leathers:

Rita Haberlach at


Square, 275 Market

St., Suite 411,

Minneapolis,

612-332-7482, $477,

available through

your interior

designer.

> Special thank you to

Patrice and Dan Perkins for

tractoring in featured

products to our remote

locations — and to Manor

Delivery, 7077 Shady Oak

Road, Eden Prairie,

952-942-3313.

Room

SPACESMAG.COM | 31


* F U N F I N D S


> DANAO OUTDOOR

CHAISE IN SONOKELING

WOOD: Rita Haberlach at


Square, $1,566,

available through your

interior designer.

> JUTE WITH BRAID

TRIM PILLOW ($53),

paper crochet pillow

($63) and throw ($64):

Pottery Barn at Arbor

Lakes, 12225 Elm

Creek Blvd., Maple

Grove, 763-425-4002.

> REEF POINT

TEXTURED PLANTER

($275) and

acanthus oak leaf

plant ($70): Otten

Brothers, 2350 W.

Wayzata Blvd.,

Long Lake,

952-473-5425.


SPACESMAG.COM | 33

> VINTAGE STRING

LIGHT: Swank

Interiors, 1910 W.

University Ave.,

St. Paul,

651-646-5777,

$119.

> TEAK ROOTED

STUMP: Zachary at


Square, $625,

available through

your interior designer.

> GEOMETRIC LOUNGE

CHAIR ($3,100) and

Crescent Lounge Chair

$2,700: Baker, Knapp &

Tubbs at International

Market Square,

275 Market St., Suite 335,

Minneapolis,

612-341-2906, available

through your interior

designer.

> LIPSTICK

PLANT:

Otten

Brothers,

$30.

> AGED

TERRACOTTA

POTS: bstyle

inc., $10-$18.


“EFFICIENCY IS DOING BETTER what is already

being done,” mused American educator and writer

Peter F. Drucker.That’s the thinking here. From an

improved slow cooker to wine that tastes better to

energy-saving electronics and waste busters,

these products for the home can help make better

use of your time and energy. ●

Waste not Did you know landfills contain more food waste than

diapers and Styrofoam and tires combined? Help reduce

landfill trash and greenhouse gas emissions with the

NatureMill electric composter. Just lift the lid and add the

scraps. Then, every two weeks, empty compost fertilizer

into your garden. Using less energy than a nightlight and

priced at $399, the Pro Edition is available in cool designer

colors; naturemill.com.

Just chill Live the wine bar experience right in your own home. The

Skybar wine storage system chills, pours and maintains

up to three bottles of wine at a time. The individual

compartments feature nine pre-set temperature settings

but also can be manually adjusted. The vacuum-like

system removes all oxygen, preserving an open bottle for

up to 10 days. Retails for $1,000; skybarhome.com.

Smart sound Bringing new meaning to “listen and learn,” Bang &

Olufsen’s BeoLab 5 is the first speaker system that

listens to you as much as you listen to it. If you move

or change seating arrangements, it adjusts to match

the exact acoustic properties of your room. With a

commanding presence and unique design, it delivers

an out-of-this-world experience. Listed at $21,950;

bang-olufsen.com.

Get-it-donegadgets

High -Tech Home * P R O D U C T S W I T H B Y T E B Y H O L LY B E R E C Z



* H I G H - T E C H H O M E

Skinny mini Sony’s Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) television is the world’s

skinniest TV set. Measuring only 3 millimeters deep (that’s 0.12 inch for

the metrically challenged), the ultra-slim 11-inch screen is about the

thickness of this magazine. The first to feature OLED technology, it uses

40 percent less power than a conventional 20-inch LCD TV. Its tilt-

screen design accommodates any viewing position. It sells for $2,500;

sonystyle.com.

Plug in It’s free, and it’s green. Solio is the world’s most advanced hybrid

charger, letting you plug straight into the sun. The most powerful

and versatile universal charger of its kind, it combines efficient

solar panels and a high-capacity battery to collect and store power

for iPods, digital cameras and more. The Magnesium edition

features a strong alloy shell and lists for $169.95;

solio.com/charger.

Flame on Enjoy the cozy atmosphere of a fire anywhere you’d like with

Conmoto Travelmate. Looking like a fire in a suitcase, this

traveling smokeless fireplace uses bio-alcohol fuel. The

clean-burning flame and weather-resistant, powder-coated

steel frame means you can easily set the mood inside or out.

Measuring 20 inches high, 28 inches wide, 8 inches deep, it

sells for $3,300; ameico.com.

Touch and go The folks at Crock-Pot kick up the convenience of slow

cooking a few notches with the eLume Touch Screen.

With the same touch-screen interface as today’s hand-

held electronic devices, it offers the convenience of

preparing meals with a single touch. Priced at $129.99, it

has a 6.5-quart capacity and programmable cooking

times from 30 minutes to 20 hours; crock-pot.com.



hen it comes to landscaping the grounds of a lakehome, don’t compete with Mother Nature.

“The lake is the lake — you can’t battleit, you can only go along with it,” saysJeff Gaffney, a landscape designerwho tried to go with the flow of aproject on Lake Minnetonka.

“The client is there for the lake,so you take a back seat to the lakeand let the lake guide youthrough,” says Gaffney, ofM.A.Peterson. “The one thingyou never want to do is obstructany view.”

The view was important to hisclient, Gregg Larsen, who grew upon Lake Minnetonka and nowworks as a Coldwell Banker Burnetreal-estate agent out of Wayzata.

Larsen, a third-generation Lake Min-netonka lakeshore resident,bought a proper-ty in Minnetonka Beach on Crystal Bay with hiswife, Stephanie, so their two children, ages 5 and 7,

All About the Lake

SPACESMAG.COM | 43

Ceasar’s Brothers Blue Iris

B Y M O L LY M I L L E T T > P H O T O S B Y S T E V E S I L V E R M A N

For owners of waterfront

homes, landscaping

must enhance the view,

never compete with it.

w


New Growth on Morel Pine

could also experience lake life.Gaffney’s task involved making the irregular lotmore usable for the couple, who would also use the

property to entertain friends and clients.“It’s a unique lot, like most lake homes are,”

Gaffney says.“It’s a long rectangle on a cornerlot.”

As is commonly done with lake proper-ties, the couple tore down the existinghome and built a new one.That’s why theywanted to bring in a landscape designer.

“We wanted to soften the impact of anew house,” says Larsen. “We needed a lotof creativity to figure out how to make the

house blend into the landscape.”Larsen hired Gaffney after seeing how he

handled another project.“He had done a house of a friend of mine’s,

using random stone plantings instead of retainingwalls, which can be too linear and abrupt,” he says.

“You didn’t even realize this landscape was beingretained.”

Gaffney took a similar approach with the Larsen home.

SPACESMAG.COM | 45

A fire pit with

plenty of seating

space is a natural

landscaping design

choice for a home

on the shores of

Lake Minnetonka.


“There was a slope that needed to be retained, and it’sheld together by random large stones and plantings,”Larsen says. “I didn’t want a large retaining wall,which can look too sterile and industrial, likesomething you’d see at an office building.”

Gaffney had the same challenge mostlake-home owners face: The front yard isreally the back yard.

“The front is not really the front, it’sjust the access point,” says Gaffney.“It’s not the main focus, and yetbecause of the narrowness of theshape of this particular lot, it gave usan opportunity for a longer walkingpath — a long foundation to plant andhave fun with.”

Gaffney had his fun with a meander-ing concrete pavestone walkway and apalette of colorful perennials mixed up withevergreens. It’s one of Larsen’s favorite spots.

“It’s really nicely landscaped, it’s low mainte-nance and it looks good all season long,” he says.

On the lakeside, the family has a yard that is a perfectplace for kids to play or for the couple to hang out.


Firewitch Dianthus

When it comes to

lakeshore landscape

design, one of the

rules is keeping it

simple, so the water

remains the focus.


SPACESMAG.COM | 47


Tiger Stripe Boulder

“It’s a big flat area, our patio is level and we have a nice stretch of grass,” says Larsen.The patio also features a fire pit, which is a nice gathering place after a long sum-

mer’s day spent on the water.“We hand selected three natural boulders that would be comfort-able to sit on and help make that setting look more natural, like

they were always part of the landscape,” Gaffney says. “Butthen, also, between the boulders, there’s plenty of room for

five or six Adirondack chairs.You could also put a blanketdown in front of the fire. ”

The plantings, too, were selected with relaxation inmind.

“You want to enjoy living in outdoor spaces, not betaking care of them,” Gaffney says. “The main drivingforce here was finding a really great balance of bloom-ing colors with perennials and well-placed, unique

evergreens.”Specifically, that meant everything from irises and

coral bells to Acrocona Norway spruce.“There were a few mature trees on the lot, but he put in

a lot of nice evergreens and plantings that look good all yearround,” says Larsen. “They change and come to bloom at differ-

ent times, there’s always something going on, and it also looks reallygood in the winter.”

But even if there were nothing there but two Adirondack chairs, really, thatwould be enough.

“Lakeshore living is all about putting the lake and the sunset on display,” Gaffney says.“Because that’s what people want — to be near it, to experience it.” ●

Molly Millett, a reporter at the Pioneer Press, is a frequent contributor to Spaces.

“You want to enjoy living

in outdoor spaces, not

taking care of them,”

Gaffney says. “The main

driving force here was

finding a really great

balance of blooming

colors with perennials

and well-placed, unique

evergreens.”



A luxurious 70-square-foot playhouse

built for a charitable auction is a perfect

complement to the auction winners’

home that shares its Asian influence.

t could be Minnesota’s most extravagant playhouse.“If you add up everything, there’s probably $50,000 that was put

into this little house,” said Steve Kleineman, the architect whodesigned the miniature Japanese teahouse.

This dollop of architecture is not an indulgence for some pam-pered child, though. Instead, it was part of a group effort to help thosein need of real shelter. The 70-square-foot house was designed and

constructed by trades people and companies who donated time and mate-rials to create the “Mia” playhouse for a charitable auction benefitingCommonBond, a provider of affordable housing.

The Mia, filled with such luxurious finishes as mahogany and hand-scraped white oak, got a lot of buzz while it was on display at the Mall ofAmerica with five other one-of-a-kind playhouses last year.

“It won the ‘Wish I Could Live There’ category in an online contest, andit won the Builder’s Best Award, given by a selection committee made upof architects and builders and other people in the building community,”says Jennifer Sutch, director of special events for CommonBond.

It also fetched the highest bid — $17,000 — while the others brought in

[ B Y M O L LY M I L L E T T ]

I[ P H O T O S B Y J I L L G R E E R ]


nothing little about it


Would you spend

$17,000 on a piece

of art? That’s how

much these Wayzata

homeowners bid on

this Japanese

teahouse playhouse

that now is a major

landscape feature in

their back yard

(proceeds benefited

a nonprofit provider

of affordable

housing).

SPACESMAG.COM | 53


IN A WAY, the

teahouse already

belonged to the

couple: They had

hired Kleineman and

Dan Mulrennan of

MS&I Building Co. to

design and build a

new home for

themselves and their

two children (who

are way past the

playhouse stage, by

the way). While their

home was still under

construction,

Mulrennan asked

the couple if his

crew could use the

garage to build the

playhouse.

The architect and the

builder of the tiny Japanese

teahouse also designed and

built the main house of the

homeowner who

successfully bid on the

playhouse at a charity

auction. The teahouse was

built in the couple’s garage

while the main house was

under construction. “It

represents what this house

and yard is about,” said the

homeowner. “They fit

together so naturally. It will

always be out there.”



between $3,000 to $6,000.“There was actually a bidding war

over it,” Sutch says.The Wayzata woman who won that

face-off wasn’t about to be outbid.“I was pretty determined,” says the

woman, who asked to remain anony-mous.“It got down to me and another guyat this auction, which was held at theMall of America. My husband was gettingnervous, but he said, ‘If you want it, it’syours.’ ”

In a way, the teahouse alreadybelonged to the couple: They had hiredKleineman and Dan Mulrennan of MS&IBuilding Co. to design and build a new

home for themselves and their two chil-dren (who are way past the playhousestage, by the way). While their home wasstill under construction, Mulrennanasked the couple if his crew could use thegarage to build the playhouse.

“The playhouse was built in the win-ter, and since we weren’t living in ourhome yet, the garage was a big, openspace where they could work,” the home-owner said. “I’d go to our house often tocheck on the progress and I’d see theplayhouse and I just thought it was soooocute. I’d go home and tell my husband,‘My God, you’ve got to see what they’vedone with the playhouse now!’ and he’d

SPACESMAG.COM | 55



THE COUPLE, who have spent time in Japan, appreciate the Eastern aesthetic

and wanted it reflected through the grounds as well as their house.

“I wanted to use stone and evergreens because it’s a natural look that also

stays green year-round,” says the homeowner. “I was going for a kind of

private oasis, something with a spa-like feeling, but very natural.”


say, ‘But, what’s going on with ourhouse?’ ”

A NATURAL PAIRING

In a way, the teahouse mimics themain house.

“There’s an Asian influence to ele-ments of the house, such as how thewindows and the roof are sized anddetailed, and so the main house and theplayhouse look like they go together,”Kleineman says.

The couple, who have spent time inJapan, appreciate the Eastern aestheticand wanted it reflected through thegrounds as well as their house.

“I wanted to use stone and ever-greens because it’s a natural look thatalso stays green year-round,” says the

homeowner. “I was going for a kind ofprivate oasis, something with a spa-likefeeling, but very natural.”

The house continues that theme ofnature.

“The look of the home has beeninfluenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, withlarge overhangs, dark wood siding anda very organic, brownish color stonethat makes it look like the house haserupted out of the earth,” Kleinemansays.

The family’s oasis also has a pooland a waterfall feature that reinforcethe Asian feel.The little teahouse, then,is the perfect piece of garden art for thisparticular setting.

“They wound up buying it as a pieceof sculpture,” Kleineman says.

SPACESMAG.COM | 57

The home’s family room — which looks out onto

the back yard — can melt into the back

porch/terrace with the unfurling of a glass wall.

To keep away bugs, a push of a button brings

down motorized screens.


A MINIATURE MASTERPIECE

The teahouse consists of one beautiful inte-rior room that is rich with mahogany and oakand lit with recessed lighting.A kitchenette hasCambria countertops and even a sink with run-ning water for teatime.

The sitting area is outfitted with kid-sizedutlrasuede furniture, but its vertical designstretches up to about eight feet, with windowsproviding more natural light than a typicalplayhouse, as well as a comfortable spot forgrown-ups to stand in.

Besides playing tea, children can also — getthis — watch a flat-screen television that hascable service.

Outside, the luxury continues from top tobottom, from the copper roof to an Ipe deck,decorated with planters and working carriagelights (a nice landscape touch for the yard atnight). An exterior ship’s ladder leads to a sec-ond, rooftop deck.

Kleineman’s vision came together with thehelp of a building crew headed up by Mulren-nan.

“It was very challenging, particularly for thecarpenters, who are big men and did not fitinside the teahouse very easily,” Mulrennansays. “But all of them took tremendous pride init — it was fun to see them enjoy the process somuch.They just glowed when it was all done.”

The construction was indeed a labor of lovefor Mulrennan — the playhouse was namedMia after his new bride, who is part Japanese.

While the teahouse was designed over aperiod of 2½ months, Mulrennan and his crewworked nights and weekends to build it in just10 days. And it was not an uncomplicated proj-ect.

“‘You’ve got to keep things small but stillmake them look right,” Kleineman says. “Youdon’t want the normal thickness of materials —the framing is thinner and the walls are thin-ner, so you can make it bigger and taller inside.”The Mia’s materials were also chosen with con-sideration for the intended clients: kids.

“The inside flooring is hand-scraped oak,and the reason we did that is it would be for-giving for kids,” Kleineman says. “You don’twant them to have to be careful, and that floorcan handle more imperfections. The windows

are framed in mahogany, but the windowsthemselves are not actually glass but polycar-bonate plastic, so you don’t have to worry aboutkids banging them. I mean, nothing is going tobreak. Even the walls are built out of smoothplywood material painted to look like drywall— it’s more durable; a kid could swing a bat andnot damage the wall beyond maybe just a littlenick.”

A BACK YARD FOR ALL

Since the grown-ups can’t exactly hang outin the Mia, the main house also has a uniqueroom that overlooks the back yard.

“A folding glass wall can expand the familyroom into the porch,” Kleineman says. “And ifthe bugs are out or it’s hot, you can push a but-ton and screens come down from the ceilingand it becomes a screened-in porch.”

The homeowner finds the retractable wall issometimes more efficient than air-conditioningin the summer.

“It helps cool down the entire house atnight,” she says.

The porch has a stone floor and a masonry-built fireplace with a gas insert — and it usesrocks instead of logs for yet more of that Asianinfluence.

“We have teak furniture out there, and it’s agood place to read the Sunday paper,” says thehomeowner. “It overlooks the pool and thewaterfall and the playhouse.”

The homeowners’ teenage daughter and herfriends like to hang out poolside (their son isaway at college), but just because their play-house days are over does not mean the Mia sitsempty.

“We had our children earlier than ourfriends,” says the homeowner,“and so when ourfriends bring their kids over to swim and play,the children will also use the playhouse. Webought some toy dishes for them and they’llplay with the dishes and the stuffed animals,and we’ll turn on the Disney channel for them.Grown-ups always want to know about the his-tory of the house, and so it also gives us achance to talk about CommonBond.” ●

Molly Millett, a reporter at the Pioneer Press, is a

frequent contributor to Spaces.

“IT WAS VERY

challenging,

particularly for the

carpenters, who are

big men and did not

fit inside the

teahouse very

easily,” Mulrennan

says. “But all of them

took tremendous

pride in it — it was

fun to see them

enjoy the process so

much. They just

glowed when it was

all done.”


05-29-09-TABS-F-58,59S-Spaces 5/11/2009 2:46 PM Page 1

One reason the

homeowners

wanted a pool

was that it would

be a natural

gathering spot

for their teenage

daughter and her

friends.

SPACESMAG.COM | 59



B Y

J U L I O

O J E D A -

Z A P A T A

It’s a digital age —but is your home set up to

make the most of your digitalmusic, movies and photos? If not, a

few high-tech upgrades can transform yourhouse into a pulsing multimedia network. We’re

talking effortless access throughout your home, withthe push of a button or the press of a touch screen.All youneed is the right gear and a little time to set it up.

Just a few high-tech upgrades can turn

your home into a digital playground

for music, movies and photos.

Plugged In

1. YOUR PIPES. Your first goal is to set up con-duits that will pump your entertainment fromplace to place. Think of these as multimediapipes running throughout your home.

You have two options: wireless or wired.If you want wireless, you need to set up a

Wi-Fi network. Cisco’s latest Linksys-brandedwireless routers are the most stylish aroundand incorporate the latest Wi-Fi technology forfaster speeds throughout the house. Head tolinksys.com for details.

Or set up a wired network. One good optioninvolves harnessing electrical wiring in yourhome to move multimedia from room to room.

I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y K I R K LY T T L E


Yes, that’s right:You are pushingyour digital goodies through thewall sockets.Wacky!

Cisco has Linksys gear forthis, too. Plug its Powerline Net-work adapter into your broad-band modem and into an outlet.Next, set up a Powerline 4-PortNetwork Adapter in your enter-tainment center, near your TVand other gear.

Presto! You have fast data tothe entertainment center viayour electrical wiring. If youhave TVs in more than oneroom, set up multiple powerlineadapters to extend the wirednetwork to all your big screensand related gizmos.

2. SHARING. Once your network isset up, you need a device thatwill let you enjoy flicks, tunesand pics in the family room.Whether you’re wireless orwired, the Apple TV set-top boxis one of our favorite devices forthis. The Apple TV plugs into aTV via an HDMI cable and intoyour wired network via an Ethernet cable going into one ofthe ports on the Powerline 4-Port Network Adapter. (Obvi-ously, no need to plug it in ifyou’re wireless.) With the Apple

TV installed, you can send allyour home movies, family photo-graphs and MP3s from yourcomputer to it for family-roomconsumption. You can also buyTV shows and Hollywoodmovies from Apple’s iTunesStore via the Apple TV. Seeapple.com/appletv for more info.

Another family-room gizmoworth checking out is the NetflixPlayer by Roku. If you use theNetflix DVD-by-mail rentalservice, you have access to Inter-net movies and TV shows thatyou can “stream” on your com-puter. With the Roku box, youcan watch those videos on yourTV, too.To do this, plug the Rokuinto another port on your Power-line 4-Port Network Adapter oruse your Wi-Fi network. Thisgets the Roku on the Internet.Then, simply use your computerto queue up videos you want towatch. A bonus: The Roku alsooffers access to online moviesand TV shows from the AmazonVideo On Demand service.

3. AUDIO. Music lovers can useSonos gear (sonos.com) to createan audio-only network thatallows you to dip into your MP3s— as well as Internet and satel-

lite radio — anywhere.Sonos pieces include an iPod-

like handheld controller with acolor screen, a stationary gadgetcalled a ZonePlayer that jacksinto your main computer andadditional ZonePlayers de-ployed around the house. Thiscreates a home-wide Sonoswireless network. Sonos evenoffers speakers if you needthem. And the gear is a snap toset up.

A cheaper option is the Eoswireless system (eoswireless.com). Dock your iPod into theEOS base unit, which has speakers. Put up to four satellitespeakers around the house.Then, when you play your iPod,you’ll hear it anywhere.

4. IPOD APPS. If you use Apple’smobile phone or iPod Touch,there’s a good chance you canuse it as a remote for your home-entertainment gear. Just installthe right iPhone app via Apple’sApp Store. Sonos has an iPhoneapp for controlling ZonePlayers.Apple has its own Remote appfor manipulating its Apple TV. ●

Julio Ojeda-Zapata writes about

technology for the Pioneer Press.

ANOTHER family-

room gizmo

worth checking

out is the Netflix

Player by Roku. If

you use the

Netflix DVD-by-

mail rental

service, you have

access to Internet

movies and TV

shows that you

can “stream” on

your computer.

With the Roku

box, you can

watch those

videos on your

TV, too.



HAVING A GREEN THUMB SPANS

generations in chef AlexRoberts’ family. As a gift, hisgreat-grandfather gave hisfather a dried bean, and thenthey planted it and watched itgrow. His father, a Wisconsinfarmer, did the same forRoberts and his brotherwhen they were young. Now,Roberts is getting ready topass on the tradition to hiskids.

Roberts’ love for freshingredients is apparent at hisRestaurant Alma and BrasaRotisserie in Minneapolis (asecond branch of Brasa isslated to open in June), wherehe regularly takes herbs andvegetables straight from thegarden and incorporatesthem into his dishes.

Here, chef Roberts talksabout his love for gardening,offers tips on how to make thebest of a Minnesota growingseason and even throws in arecipe:

How has your love for

growing been integrated into

dishes at your restaurants? Ihave plum trees at home that Iuse to make desserts, such assorbet. I would like to grow moreat home, but my restaurantshave been keeping me busy.Luckily, I have the option ofgoing to my father’s farm in Wis-consin for organic vegetables I

use at both of my restaurants.A Minnesota gardening

season can be harsh. Are

there some things you’ll never

grow again?

I thought it was a great idea togrow fava beans one year. Theywere off to a strong start, butthen produced only a smallhandful of beans. They didn’treally taste that great, either.

Can you offer tips on what

does work well?

I have always had good luckwith root vegetables, and I espe-cially would recommend Swiss

chard — it has fewerpest problems than mostgreens, it’s easy to growand there’s a lot of it. Forkeeping your gardenhealthy, I recommendcomposting vegetablewaste. It provides excel-lent mulch in your gar-den or flower beds, andyou’re not puttingunnecessary waste into alandfill.

What are some

unique things that

you’ve grown?

In addition to thingsthat typically grow inthis climate, I also plantvegetables and herbsthat are difficult to findwholesale. It has helpedme make dishes like anauthentic Caribbean-style sofrito sauce. In

order to make the dish, I have togrow a particular mild chile pep-per called aji dulce and the herbculantro (not cilantro).

Mind sharing your sofrito

recipe with us?

I like adding a heapingspoonful of this sauce whenstewing meats or cooking beansto add flavor, and it’s best servedover rice. If you can’t find thechiles or culantro, the sauce canstill be made. It will just be lesstraditional. Store unused sofritoin refrigerator for up to a weekor freeze in ice-cube trays. ●

Alex Roberts: Grow your own goodness

Bright Ideas * F R O M N A M E S Y O U K N O W B Y N A N C Y N G O


Caribbean-InspiredSofrito Sauce

Makes 1 quart.

1 green pepper, cut into

quarters and seeds removed

5 aji dulce chiles, cut in half

and seeds removed

(optional)

1 medium onion, peeled

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1 small tomato, cut into

quarters

1/2 bunch cilantro (a little stem

is OK)

5 or 6 leaves cilantro

(optional)

1/2 teaspoon dry or fresh

oregano

To make sauce: In food

processor, blend all

ingredients with just enough

water to liquefy.

To make sofrito with beans: In

large pot, gently saute 1/4 cup

sofrito sauce with a splash of

olive oil and 2 teaspoons

chopped bacon or smoked

ham (optional) for 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups cooked red or

pinto beans and 2 cups water.

Bring to a slow rolling boil and

cook for 1-1/2 hours or until soft

and soupy, adding more water

as needed. Season with salt

and a few drops of vinegar

(white, cider, sherry, red wine

or balsamic). Serve over

cooked rice.

SHERRI LAROSE-CHIGLO

Alex Roberts


twin cities spaces june-july 2009

Documents

thisissue of spaces

page 1features6217junejuly

deluxe playhouse page

getthat little playhouse

little inspiration

outdoor living issue05

outdoor living seasonthis

big aboutsomething