Traditional Nordic Residence

Status: Completed
Location: Sunfish Lake, Minnesota
Builder: Streeter Custom Builder
Interior Design: Anne McDonald Design
Photography: VONDELINDE and Haris Kenjar Photography

In the fall of 2019, we were approached by Streeter Custom Builder to help realize a dream for a family relocating to Sunfish Lake. While the lot is quite narrow, it affords wonderful potential views of the lake and is home to a number of old growth white pines. Charged with maximizing the views while preserving the mature pines, we developed a thoughtfully composed home in the traditional Norwegian vernacular. Positioning the home on the site to take advantage of a walk-out basement potential with the natural fall of the land towards the lake, coupled with the strict local height requirements required a room-in-attic approach to the second level spaces. On the upper level, the ceiling starts at shoulder height in certain locations and slopes upwards. This compression of space on the upper level contributes to an intimacy with the architecture and a nostalgic association with traditional notions of “home.”