Lake Harriet Home of the Month provides room for all hobbies

Empty lots near Lake Harriet are rare, so when Gray Kimbrell found one, he thought there must be a catch — maybe it was because the hillside site didn’t have an alley.

An avid cross-country skier, cyclist and rower, Kimbrell worried about where the garage (and all his sports gear) would go.

Architect Eric Johnson saw the potential snag in a different slant.

“It was perfect for a tuck-under garage,” Johnson said of the slope.

The house was a family project for Kimbrell and his adult daughter, Austyn, who lives out of state but frequently visits. They imagined a home with the coziness of a bungalow but the simplicity and natural light of a modern house.

Kimbrell also wanted to make sure the design fit the neighborhood, not wanting to “diminish the other homes in any way,” Johnson recalled.

Scale and materials were key. ​From the street, the house looks like a single-story. And even with the partial second floor on the back, the home is the same height as neighboring houses. There are no walls of glass, which would’ve felt out of step on the block and given Kimbrell little privacy. Instead, Johnson placed clerestory windows across the entire house to coax light deep into the home. Corner windows in the front offer additional light and views, making a happy place for Kimbrell’s decades-old cacti.

The design similarly elated the Home of the Month judges. They chose this project as one of 12 winners for the 2024-25 program, which honors residential architecture as a partnership between the Minnesota Star Tribune and the Minnesota chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

On the exterior, Johnson took cues from the ubiquitous brick and stucco homes in the neighborhood but used bluestone blocks instead of clay and dark-painted stucco instead of light.

“A twist on the familiar,” he said.

Tuck-under garages also have their history in the neighborhood, though many have since become basements. Kimbrell warmed to the idea because it affords him more backyard space and offers easy access to his sports gear, whether taking off from the house or loading up the car.

The only disadvantage of the layout is stairs: one flight inside and two outside, which he takes, literally, in stride.

“I’m a venerable 70 years old now, but I don’t have any problem with them,” Kimbrell said. “And the attached garage is pretty convenient.”

The house has four bedrooms: one on the lower level, which Kimbrell uses as a ski and wax room; his own on the main level; and two on the second floor (one has exercise equipment, the other belongs to Austyn). Up here, Austyn requested and received a pale pink-tiled bathroom. Kimbrell’s features a mosaic of turquoise tiles inspired by a restaurant he visited in Aix-en-Provence, France.

Austyn also suggested a black kitchen, which designer Ruth Johnson kept from feeling monolithic by mixing finishes: a blackened stainless steel range hood, matte Fenix cabinets and a veined quartz backsplash that brings to mind minimalist art. Hidden behind the kitchen is a combined butler’s pantry and laundry with prep space, a beverage fridge and built-in bowls for the family dog, Isla (refreshments for all).

There’s a calm about the house that comes from the warm wood and outdoor views. Kimbrell likens the staircase, in particular, to a boat’s pilot house.

“You can see everything,” he said. “But you still have tons of privacy.”

Johnson repeated materials to reinforce the indoor-outdoor connection. For example, in the living room, a cypress wood ceiling extends to deep porch overhangs, and bluestone bricks from the front of the house also appear on the fireplace.

Kimbrell’s personality comes through in the art and plants throughout the home, as well as a wall of guitars in the dining room. It’s a striking feature, but the placement is mainly for convenience — so Kimbrell can pluck one off the wall when the mood strikes. The same applies to built-in shelves specifically sized for his vinyl record collection.

A layer of mineral wool insulation wraps the entire house, an extra step that covers areas that spray foam insulation misses, such as the studs. The combination reduces energy loss and provides additional soundproofing.

“The exterior insulation is like the house is wearing a coat,” Johnson said. “And earmuffs.”

Designing firm: Christopher Strom Architects.

Project team: Chris Strom, AIA; Eric Johnson, AIA; Rachel Alexander, AIA; Brett Biwer, Assoc. AIA.

General contractor: Hage Homes.

Other project partners: Ruth Johnson Interiors, Western Systems, Bunkers and Associates, Bold Metal Work, Maura McDaniel.

Laurie Junker is a Twin Cities-based writer specializing in home design and architecture. Instagram: @fojunk