If there’s 1 thing residents of the Twin Cities don’t do, it is hibernate! Minnesotans across the board agree that the biggest misconception in their region is that they don’t have to invest a lot of time outside. “People from different states appear to believe that the weather is cold all the time and that people remain indoors. In reality, the weather in the summer is fantastic, and we’ve got one of the greatest rates of outside living in the nation,” says landscape architect Meg Arnosti of Windsor Companies. Additionally, for example residents of most states in between the coasts, they want to make it clear to people who have a skewed view of the United States that Minneapolis and St. Paul are complicated and filled with culture and fabulous fashion. Behind conventional facades are fresh and updated insides that blur the lines between indoors and out.
There is a rich variety of architectural styles all around Minneapolis, from classic Tudors to cutting edge modern. We have asked design professionals in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region to weigh in and reveal what makes a design distinctly Minneapolis, tendencies on the increase and also the biggest misconceptions about Minneapolis style.
Windsor Firms
The park system and natural resources around the area inspire busy lifestyles. “Perhaps the most striking manner this shows up in style would be that the Chain of Lakes in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Laid from Horace Cleveland, noted landscape architect, it’s a method of parks and parkways developed in the turn of this century which concentrate on natural characteristics, such as many lakes in Minneapolis and along Minnehaha Creek,” says Arnosti. “The abundant quantity of park property within the Twin Cities and the connections between the parks and lakes make it possible to bike, walk, run, boat and ski for miles while remaining in the city.”
Windsor Firms
Minnesotans continue this tradition of outside life with their properties. “Wood, water and fire are clearly Minneapolis/St. Paul looks. The inspiration comes from our north woods area, such as the Boundary Waters wilderness and the Lake District, where many people have cabins,” says Arnosti. “People are building pergolas and decks, often in combination with fire fireplaces or pits and babbling brooks and other water characteristics.”
Tour a fantastic Minnesota lakeside cabin
Windsor Firms
Residents are bringing the relaxing lake-cabin atmosphere to their own landscapes. “People love the notion of coming home to their very own comfy outdoor spaces, instead of needing to escape into the lake,” says Arnosti.
Screened-in porches are extremely popular, not just for enjoying the fresh air and enlarging outdoor dwelling to three seasons, but also for preventing mosquitos. “Another popular and fantastic way to extend your indoor space in Minnesota is with decks or terraces, often with pergolas overhead and plentiful flowers in containers,” Arnosti says.
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
Even though there’s a wide variety of architectural styles around the area, architect Charlie Simmons notes that “the architectural forms are understated and simple, with clean lines, probably derived from the Scandinavian roots of many who settled here originally. The color palettes have a tendency to be quite mild, with punches of accent.”
He adds, “The exteriors of these homes are trending historical in form (cottage, shingle or Tudor styles) but have simple and clean insides, which creates an interesting juxtaposition.”
Stonewood, LLC
Stonewood, LLC
Homeowners in the region extend the time they can spend in the fresh air with outdoor fireplaces, and make views a priority for those days when they’re stuck indoors. “Bringing the outside into the home and blurring the line between exterior and interior space is something which virtually all homeowners discuss,” says architect Tom Flint of Stonewood. “Each sunny and warm day is precious, and homeowners want to be able to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible while still using the conveniences of a home — outside rooms with kitchens, bars and game tables.”
Stonewood, LLC
“Minneapolis/St. Paul doesn’t actually have a distinctive style of residence I do not think that is a poor thing,” says Flint. “We see homeowners come with a range of design preferences and home ideas.”
RLH Studio
Interior designer Renée Hallberg RLH Studio agrees. “Everybody loves a sunporch, but in Minneapolis we want our porch to function in the dead of winter while still maintaining the screen-porch feel. Massive windows, cosy rugs and also a lot of color warm our chilly days.”
REFINED LLC
Refined has seen a growth in popularity of giving traditional cottage design a modern edge. Airy, open spaces are comfortable yet complex.
REFINED LLC
White paint, modern appliances and light fixtures, and metallic accents and furniture upgrade the cottage look.
ROSEMARY MERRILL DESIGN
“Clients are opting out of a formal living space in exchange to an open kitchen plan exposed to the dwelling room,” says Rosemary Merrill, president of Casa Verde Design. This means one must think about the perspective of the kitchen in the living room when designing. “Cabinetry design is shooting on a furniture appearance, and the appliances have been incorporated to the cabinetry, making a more personalized look,” she says.
ROSEMARY MERRILL DESIGN
Merrill also notes that a lot of people are ditching the suburbs for an urban lifestyle: “People are moving from the suburbs, either opting for smaller, updated homes in the city or choosing to live in the downtown area in loft-style condos.”
Lucy Interior Design
Regardless of what the weather, Minnesotans do not let it prevent them from getting out and enjoying friends and loved ones. “We’re all about family gatherings and community, whether it be outside dining for a household get-together or long tables of great friends laughing and telling stories. We design spaces which are warm, inviting and comfortable for entertaining,” says Lucy Penfield of Lucy Interior Designs.
Lucy Interior Design
See the rest of the home
Lucy Interior Design
As for misconceptions, Penfield would like to set the record straight for people who use the term “fly-over states.” “People living on shore think that it all happens on the shore and that the Midwest is tired and frumpy! We are design rate setters. You may see it in our memorable restaurants, the style on the road and our world-renowned museums. We’re happening, and that’s our award-wining design!”
LLC, KSID Studio
Interior designer Karen Soojian concurs. “it is a frequent misconception about design in Minneapolis/St. Paul that we have a tendency to be overly conservative — believe 50 shades of beige. The design work within this region is groundbreaking. Midwest designers are risk takers and innovators.”
LLC, KSID Studio
Martin Patrick 3
Dana Swindler, of Walsh Design Group, wards off much more specific stereotypes regarding Minneapolis design. “A misconception about Minneapolis is that our houses are all decorated in brown and red paisley. This typical Minnesota color palette has become considerably more intriguing, with pops of color and textures that are rich.”
More:
Kitchen of the Week: Modern Minnesota Walk-Up
1929 Mansion Revival in Minnesota