$1.5M Eden Prairie luxury home is a stargazer's delight

You can see the moon and sometimes even Venus from the two-story windows in Barbara Hamilton-Sustad's living room.

A view of the planets and stars was one of the things that she and her late husband, Gary Sustad, thought about when they built their Eden Prairie home in 2006. He was a stargazer but the way she talks about him, it's apparent that he also got mesmerized peering into her eyes.

"Gary was in sales and loved to throw parties," Hamilton-Sustad said of her life partner, who died in 2012. "He wanted to share his joy with people but he loved the after-party most of all. That's when he would crank up the music and start on the dishes. And when a song came on that he liked, he would grab me and we would go into the entryway and dance."

Their mansion, a melding of their tastes, was built for entertainment. He liked the open floor plan of the 7,124-square-foot structure. Erected by luxury builder Charles Cudd, the house has five bedrooms and five bathrooms. She focused on the rich details, like the crown moulding and enameled woodwork.

Both liked to have fetes.

There's a caterer's kitchen with its own entrance, and a dumbwaiter for the vittles and drinks. Also, the house has a wine cellar, and wet bar — plus a gym to work off the carbs.

"There's enough space here for a massive party, and we've had 85 people on one floor, but the space is usable at other times," she said. "The truth is, it's elegant and comfy and doesn't really feel all that big. All the rooms are just a little oversized."

Quiet times can be spent in the oak-paneled library, outside on the deck or on one of the two patios.

The couple loved to travel, visiting Europe and South America. Their worldly aesthetic is evident at the entrance to the house, which has French-style mahogany double front doors. There's high-gloss Versace tile in the foyer and dining room, and Italian marble throughout.

As much as she relishes her home, Hamilton-Sustad, who has been active in civic, cultural and healthcare causes in Minnesota, wants to downsize.

"It's a lot of house for one person," she said. "It needs people to enjoy it."

And to create their own memories in the space.