Photos of Corey Gaffer & David Benrud

Twenty years ago David Benrud and Greg Foster built a modern cottage in the bustling Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis. While rich in architectural detail and teeming with beauty, this underground-locked abode lacked a meaningful element of their lifelong dream: functionality for farming, crafts, furniture building, seafaring. pleasure and nurture their common passion for the outdoors and nature. They didn’t fancy an escape or a weekend getaway, per se – they were aiming for a second home.

This desire was deeply rooted in their identity as creators and “project people”. Benrud, a photo stylist for Pottery Barn, has an affinity for leather and craftsmanship, while Foster, a financial advisor, is a furniture maker, beekeeper, and baker (who is known to make a nasty English muffin) .

To find a lasting sense of place that better reflected what ‘home’ looked like in their hearts, the couple roamed the properties for two years – hoping to stumble upon a listing offering a mix of wooded areas, open spaces and spectacular landscaping. It was in 2008 when they finally found him perched on a high bluff one mile from the Pepin Lake Marina in Pepin, Wisconsin. An enthusiastic Benrud and Foster made a competitive bid on the land but unfortunately lost to a developer who planned to divide the land into 40 lots, that is, until the funding failed.

The news blew a second wind of hope and the two bought the property a year later. Shortly after, they called Dan Nepp, director at TEA2 Architects, who was familiar with their design styles. After all, he was the one who designed their Linden Hills home two decades ago.

“When we contacted TEA2 about the second project, we knew we wanted a different experience than the other house – a more minimalist and modern experience,” says Benrud. “It was important to us that the house was not modern, but filled with natural materials. Having restraint with details and embellishments was also important to us, and we had to remember to be okay with cleanliness and simplicity.

Although it took six long years of combining their own design-build sensibilities with those of the Minneapolis firm, the finished product reflects their wishes: iconic, calm and married to the site, boasting brilliant architecture. which completes the topography of the region. “We had a lot of conversations and sketches about what this house could really mean – in itself and on the hill, with its imagery and layout,” says Matthew Erickson, senior project manager at TEA2.

Every square inch of the house speaks for itself, even in the way it gradually reveals itself to approaching visitors. “When you walk up the driveway, you only get a glimpse of it through the trees,” Nepp explains. “We have been deliberately hesitant to show the scenery so you can see framed views in person rather than through your car windows.
We wanted to reveal this slowly and whet the appetite.

At the top of the three-quarter-mile driveway, a collection of Cotswold-inspired agrarian-type structures appears directly. Strategically positioned on the cliff, the house (except for a spacious guest wing) consists of three main forms: a flat ‘connecting’ structure and two larger spaces with unique, cut A-line roofs. . The rooflines were designed not only to create an architectural conversation between forms, Nepp and Erickson explain, but also to give a subtle historical nod to their English origins.

More than 30 hectares of restored meadow, dotted with wild flowers and 120 apple trees, soften the clean and modern forms of the facade. The outdoors becomes an experience as bursts of sunlight dance through thoughtfully placed windows and overhanging trellises cast mysterious shadows from the south. The over-jointed limestone columns add character and a rustic, aged thickness visible from the interior of the house.

In the most westerly form, a functional living room features a Kasota stone fireplace, open shelving, and large windows offering panoramic views of the grounds. “There are some wonderful layers that we wanted to make sure we took advantage of,” Nepp says of the south-facing window. “We kept it low to see the scenery up close, including the tree-lined landscape in the foreground and the spotting scopes in the distance.” Meanwhile, the central form includes three other distinct but connected rooms, which are becoming more and more personal – from the kitchen and study room to the serene and private master bath. The third space, which houses the owners’ master bedroom, covers the opposite end of the structure.

Because Benrud wanted architecture to serve as the backdrop as well, it was crucial to find finishes that matched their shared vision. For example, a charcoal-stained polished concrete floor and black honed granite tub draw attention in the master bathroom, while white oak flooring, cabinetry, and built-ins add warmth and simplicity. in the kitchen. The counters are topped with a modest Carrara marble which gives any sparkle or glamor. “The counters have a bit of sheen, but the concrete, wood floors, and walls are all flat,” says Nepp. “It calms the house and allows you to feel its authenticity.”

To complement the simple yet striking aesthetic, the team opted for minimalist ‘barely there’ trim, a neutral color palette, and do-it-yourself plaster textured walls – a powerful undertaking adopted by both owners. “It took months to mix, spread, polish and clean the tools,” Benrud recalls of the technique. “It was not an easy process, but we love the interest it has generated.”

Ultimately, a big part of the beauty of the house is in its handcrafted details. The metal hanging shelves and iron door and cupboard handles were fashioned by Curly’s Welding at Red Wing. The stone for the fireplace in the living room was quarried by Biesanz Stone in Winona. And the wooden furniture – milled, dried and stored on site – was made by Foster himself. “When we had the driveway built, we brought in a portable sawmill on the property,” he says. “We chopped down a bunch of trees that were pulled up. David and I dried it for three years, and that’s what we used to make the furniture, including the white oak hot tub surround and the tables in the workroom and kitchen.

After several years of patience and practical work, Benrud and Foster now live full time on the secluded Pepin estate with their goldendoodle, River, and Portuguese water dog, Franke. And, although bittersweet, they’re finally ready to list their Linden Hills home.

“Over the years, my favorite houses have come out of the TEA2 firm,” recalls Benrud. “They are incredible designers and will leave behind a significant collection of homes.” (Whether he knows it or not, their own modern country escape in the sky will certainly play a part in this legacy..)