'California-style' living in Wayzata could be yours for a cool $4 million

A slice of the West Coast was the vision for a Midwest home with views of Lake Minnetonka.

Now, homeowners Julie Whittington and husband David Gagne have listed their new abode, which was completed just last fall.

Whittington said they had planned to stay in the home, a 5,300-square-foot retreat just steps from Lake Minnetonka and within walking distance of downtown Wayzata's shops and restaurants.

But with the market being so hot right now, the couple decided to sell.

They purchased the property two years ago, after running into the owner at an event and inquiring about it.

"We knew we wanted to live there," Whittington said. "At the time, he said, 'Not right now.' I focused on the 'right now' part and we wrote a letter" asking him to keep them in mind.

As a designer who runs her own firm, J.Whitt and Co., Whittington had already been reimagining the space.

While the location was ideal, the couple thought the rambler-style home on the property was too closed off to the vistas. They decided a new house could capitalize on the views. They also envisioned a contemporary casual California style of living.

"I knew there could be incredible views," Whittington said. "But the kitchen was facing the street. It didn't have a lot of entertaining spaces that took advantage of these really expansive views."

The owner, who knew Whittington and Gagne intended to tear his house down, agreed to sell. The couple got right to work, with Whittington drafting blueprints and coordinating the project.

Where the 1,800-square-foot rambler once sat, there is now a two-story home with five bedrooms and six bathrooms. A media room is designed to give the option of moving the owners' suite to the main floor.

Listing agent Mark Parrish said the home's openness and details top anything he's seen.

"The first time I walked in, every room was a wow. And I've been in this business for 20 years," he said.

One of Parrish's favorite features of the home is the accordion doors that connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. "It literally feels like you're living inside and outside at the same time," he said. "The lines are blurred."

Wanting the home to have elements of a West Coast vibe, Whittington traveled to California to gain inspiration and shop for products.

"It's a California-style house — casual with high-end finishes," she said. "You've got that type of living, only it's a Minnesota background with a lake instead of an ocean."

A California-inspired home wouldn't be one without some of the latest trends in home design.

The main kitchen is outfitted with custom rift-cut white oak, which Whittington picked out for its rarity. There's also a butler's kitchen, where the refrigerator and freezer are hidden behind custom cabinets for a clean-lined look.

The owners' en suite includes a shower with various settings including one that emulates raindrops. Botanicals line a floor-to-ceiling window in a bathroom.

As in California, outdoor living spaces also take center stage. Plenty of windows, as well as sliding doors, connect to the landscaped yard and patio. The pool was strategically placed to overlook the lake.

"It's not an infinity pool, but when you gaze your eyes over the pool just right, you don't see anything between the water from the pool and the water from the lake," Whittington said.

The couple, who have elementary- to college-aged children, said the home is designed for families to grow into.

"The house is meant to have the ability to be fluid as you move through phases of life," Whittington said. "When you have young kids, college-aged kids or when you're empty nesters, it all works."

It's not only the hot real estate market that has encouraged Whittington and Gagne to sell: Whittington is ready for another project.

"We feel like the time's right to do another one," she said.

Asked if she plans to write another letter to another set of homeowners inquiring about their property, Whittington replied, "We've already done it."

Mark Parrish (mark.parrish@lakesmn.com, 612-385-5920) of Lakes Sotheby's International Realty, has the $4 million listing.