Love the colors at the Kate Spade store in the Galleria. If you get a chance to do some high-end shopping, visit the amazing shops in Edina. Think luxury, luxury, luxury!
It took some time, just over two years, but the gorgeous luxury mansion in Dellwood at 18 Doral Road has final sold. Owned by Dwight Opperman (listed by Forbes as one of the 400 richest Americans),the home was first placed on the market in August 2011 for $12 Million. That price was halved in the Spring of 2013, and then dropped further to $3.5 Million six months later. It was finally sold for $3 Million in January 2014.
The new owner is CEO of Skyline Builders Inc, Roland Stinski. The sale includes the main house, plus four additional lots in the neighborhood.
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2719 Dean Parkway, Minneapolis
Located one block from Lake of the Isles and over looking Kenilworth Lagoon, 2719 Dean Parkway is unique among properties for sale around the Chain of Lakes. Constructed to ultra high-end specifications by Stonewood Builders in 2012, this home combines spacious open-plan living with stylish comfort and is magnificent for sophisticated entertaining. A huge, attached two-car garage with circle drive is a winter dream, while the front porch and rear deck provide special outdoor options in the warmer months. A heated and cooled workshop is perfect for projects, and the epoxy garage floors makes cleanup a breeze.
The charming breakfast-nook is wonderful for informal meals, while the formal dining area complements the large, efficient kitchen. An enormous center island offers extra seating and plenty of counter space for cooking up a feast for friends and family. Stainless steel appliances, pull-out pantry, cherry wood cabinets, and coffee station are additional kitchen highlights. And don’t miss the gorgeous American Cherry hardwood floors throughout the main and upper levels! The living room features floor to ceiling french doors overlooking the lagoon that pour in the natural light, a top of the line gas fireplace, and behind the large wall mirror is a hidden nook for your large flat screen TV. Finishing out the main level is a formal office with coffered wood ceiling and separate kitchen desk.
With 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4299 square feet, this home is for sale at $1,315,000. You won’t find a new house with a better location for this price around Lake of the Isles!
For additional information, photos, and floorplans, please visit www.2719DeanParkway.com .
614 Hidden Creek Trail, Mendota Heights, MN
It is hard to believe a home of this stature can be so close to Minneapolis and St. Paul, major Interstates, and the MSP International Airport, but feel like it resides outside the Metro area. The home owners combined two lots into one to create a 5+ acre nature retreat that is amazingly quiet, secluded, and pristine…not to mention frequented by deer, ducks, turkeys, many varieties of birds, and more! Christened as “Three Meadows” for the meadows stretching on and behind the property, a favorite part of the owner’s day is walking along a nature trail that winds through the trees and land for a “good mile”.
As soon as you step into this one of a kind home, you will instantly see the quality in craftsmanship. With over 13,000 heated square feet, no detail was overlooked in its design. Built over a period of 18 months, the home was crafted by Mihm Custom Homes and finished in 2005. The three level layout has 6 bedrooms, 7 baths, 2 half baths, a main floor laundry, and another small laundry in the lower level.
To view additional photos, documents, floorplans, please visit the property website at www.614HiddenCreekTrail.com
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One of my favorite luxury neighborhoods is located in Credit River Township, just south of the Twin Cities. I came across Cressview Estates years ago when two of the homes were on the Parade of Homes. Since then, even more luxurious homes have been built in the development, with every home having its own unique style. Home sites range from 2.5 – 13 acres, allowing you all the privacy you could desire. The Legends Golf Course is just down the road, as is the Cleary Lake Golf Course.
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These are the homes we dream of owning, or at the least the homes our kids dream of playing in. I had a childhood friend who had an architect for a father. He built her a real house, sized down to fit us kids, and it was larger than the little mansion pictured above built by the Little Cottage Company. It was so much fun to play in, my favorite part being the grocery store with real cash registers. I will always remember that house, as it gave way to imagination and dreaming. Today, with the blessing of technology and easier building techniques, playhouses can be enjoyed by many more people/kids. Of course, building a playhouse mansion will set you back around $10,000-30,000, you can pick up less luxurious ones for$1000-2000. Boys don’t have to be left out for a playhouse – build them an awesome firehouse or old fashioned red school house.
Now, if you don’t have kids, don’t feel left out. Your pets can have their own puppy mansion too. Check out some of the custom built doghouses from La Petite Maison.
If you haven’t had the chance yet to view the Parade of Homes, then today is your last chance to check out the newest trends in luxury new home construction. I was able to check out a few in my spare time this week, and I have to say that some of the homes are simply stunning. My favorite by far was the “Dream Home” located in Edina.
Not only does it sit on a fantastic lot, the design inside and out is classic. Designed by Charles Cudd De Novo, one of the premier luxury home builders in the Twin Cities, the home boasts 8700 square feet.
From this home and others on the market, here are some of the newest trends found in luxury homes in the Twin Cities:
- Deep, rich, and dark hardwood floors. Some almost look black giving a great contrast to the lighter colors of the home
- Built-in cabinets and bookcases everywhere. Many are made to look like furniture, placed in nooks and along walls. These features are not only classic, but very functional on eliminating clutter and keeping a grand home organized.
- Marble. For high end homes, granite is no longer the staple. The use of marble for counters and floors is being seen more and more, especially for tiled bathroom floors, tiled luxury showers, and kitchen/bathroom countertops.
- White cabinetry and trim has made a dramatic comeback with a high end twist. Many of the most expensive homes available today feature white everywhere, which mixes well with dark furniture or colorful accessories.
- Huge, organized closets worthy of Rachel Zoe.
- Informal office space open to the home. For instance, in the home above, informal space is part of the huge mudroom off the garage giving easy access to computers and such to family and children.
There are tons of additional features highlighted in the newest luxury homes found in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Edina, and Lake Minnetonka, but if you want a first hand glimpse, take a free day and visit some of the local open houses on weekends throughout the area.
Some of you might be wondering where I have been the past month. While I hate to be away from the blog so much, it happens sometimes that other parts of the business take me away from writing. I have to say that the reason this time is a good one, as I have just done something I have been dreaming of doing ever since I entered real estate – opening my own real estate brokerage.
The company is small to start out with, but that’s the way I like it. Too many real estate brokerages spend tons of money of what I call “Go Big, Go Large”. Their money goes to expensive offices that no one visits, nor any agents actually work from. Overhead eats them up, and their agents suffer. The old way of running a real estate company is dying. I plan on being a part of the new way.
My boutique firm sells real estate in the Twin Cities, including Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Lake Minnetonka, and the surrounding Metro areas/counties. While we cater to all price ranges, special emphasis is given to luxury properties, historic homes, and waterfront/lakefront real estate. By keeping the firm small, we will be able to better serve our client’s needs with personal attention. Clients will not be lost in a shuffle of a big box firm where no one knows their name. While our goal is to be the best, it is not to be the biggest. Think “Jerry McGuire” if you will.
Being as I have just opened Kirby Fine Homes, it will take time to get everything in place. This year a new website will be developed for the brokerage, and knowing me, an Internet presence will quickly be established. I am very excited about this new venture, and can’t wait to see what 2011 brings for the local real estate market!
“Kirby Fine Homes – Opening Doors to the Most Exceptional Homes in the Twin Cities”
Luxury Grand Hotel
Looks like the Grand Hotel in downtown Minneapolis has sold for $33 million to Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. According to Business Wire, the new owner plans on investing $4.5 million into building renovations. The building will continue as a top luxury hotel for Minneapolis.
The building was originally opened in 1915 as the Minneapolis Athletic Club, built by Bertrand and Chamberlin. Its short stature of 12 stories can be attributed to a 1920’s height restriction.
Looking to buy a luxury home in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Lake Minnetonka, or the Twin Cities metro area? Here are more ideas on what to do before your next home purchase:
