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The landscape blends into the rugged terrain.

The clients—a family of five with three children in college—wanted to create an “urban cabin” that embraces the tranquil forested site on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. The solution was to use vast expanses of glass to dissolve the boundaries between inside and out.

Planning regulations required a gable roof, which the architects split into four shed roofs carefully designed to respond to heavy snow shed and meet spatial and aesthetic wishes.

A floor lamp nearly eight feet tall anchors the seating area in the living area. Ceilings that are 12 feet tall at the highest point help the room feel expansive. “We needed to find a way to define different areas in a relatively tight space,” Lachapelle says. It’s the clients’ first experience with an open floor plan. “We raised our kids in an old Victorian, and the farmhouse we live in now is chopped up into tiny rooms save for the studio we just added,” the husband says.

Another view of the master bedroom.

The corner library takes color inspiration from the facade.

Inside the enclosed front courtyard, a deck extends off main entrance. The exterior is covered in dark gray stucco, which contrasts with the deck cladding.

Upstairs is a show-stopping oversize bathroom. “When I chose the tile, I was afraid I was going to get sick of it,” says homeowner Melina Polly, “but I do love it. It makes me happy every time I walk in there.” The tiles are Fez by Granada Tile, the sinks are from Kohler, and the faucets are from Newport Brass.

In the backyard, the 20' x 8

Every room of the home has a view of the sea, and the salty air patinas the bespoke cedar panels over time.

The pergola overlooks the pool with the Baltic Sea in the distance. The couple built the home so that there would be as much outdoor space as indoor space.

Jari and Anna furnished their patio and backyard with pieces from their furniture line, Skargaarden.

Los Angeles's Stahl House served as inspiration for the home, which capitalized on its views of the Baltic Sea with floor-to-ceiling windows.