Dream Project: Mid Century Masterpiece on Edgcumbe
When I first moved back to Minnesota, we looked at 50 houses. 50! We came to town over the course of two weekends and zigzagged all over the Twin Cities, looking at the most unique properties me could afford. A prefab home high above the capital in St. Paul. A geodesic dome house in the heart of a Minneapolis residential neighborhood. Craftsman bungalows, Tudors, new construction—you name it.
One of our final contenders was a large midcentury rambler on Edgcumbe, near my grandparents house. It was in original condition and had a huge front lawn. It was also at the top of our price range and needed a ton of work, so we passed.
A nearby home recently sold and is full of the most fabulous original details. We would LOVE to get our hands on this one, and hope the new owners love—and plan to preserve—the best of the authentic features!
A snapshot of the exterior:
And a peek at the interior, with this incredible curved-wood entrance hall and huge windows!
This home, like any home, could obviously go a number of ways, depending on the buyers taste. The main thing is to select furnishings that will celebrate—and play against—all of the wood. Here’s the vibe I would go for if it was my own house:
Color, contrast, and hits of black stand up to the shell, with contemporary art and a mix of furniture that includes lesser-used forms of the era. We also like breaking up the linearity with organic shapes, like that contemporary mirror by Eny Lee Parker, the patchwork ottoman by Adam Pogue, and that vintage fireplace screen in red metal!
Really feeling inspired by this one. What do you think: should they hire us?