Musician couple transform 1926 Minneapolis fixer-upper into 'inviting' oasis for art

As musicians and artists, Tessie Coen Brown and Edward Brown lived in Los Angeles, creating original musical scores as well as working alongside some of the biggest names in the business.

Four years ago, they moved back to Minneapolis.

"We wanted to leave L.A. and at first we thought we would move to Puerto Rico," where I'm from, Tessie said. "But then we also considered Minneapolis. His mom was getting to a certain age. She was 90 at the time."

Tessie and Edward set their sights on a 1926 duplex with almost 3,000 square feet on Penn Avenue in north Minneapolis. The location in the Willard-Hay neighborhood is near and dear to Edward's heart: It's near where he grew up and where his love for music was nurtured.

When they purchased the property in early 2020, it had been condemned. But a major rehabilitation project didn't deter them. After all, they had done it before.

When they lived in Minneapolis in the 1990s, they breathed new life into a Victorian that also was destined for the bulldozer. After an extensive remodel, the house was featured in the 1992 Minneapolis/St. Paul Home Tour, lauded for its transformation into a "warm, elegant home," according to the event's promotional materials.

So they rolled up their sleeves once again and set out to work on their recently purchased property.

"We have dug up and stripped every corner," Tessie said.

A gathering spot

They tore the house down to the studs, then worked with contractors to replace the faulty electrical and plumbing systems to bring the house up to code. After city inspectors signed off and the condemned status was lifted in April 2022, the couple took on the remaining work themselves.

Tessie, who studied carpentry and design, took the lead while Edward tackled the drywalling, taping and mudding.

"We want it to be inviting for our family and guests to come here and have a central place," Tessie said.

A series of vignettes

As artists and art collectors, they filled their rooms with their own art and a well-curated collection of vintage and contemporary decor and furniture that Tessie amassed over the years.

One of the first things the wife-husband team did was redo the entryway. In the space, which now doubles as a gallery, they hung portraits of their children and installed sculptures, most notably a 7 ½-foot-tall wood rendering of the female Buddha of compassion.

"Everybody gets greeted by Quan Yin at the door," Tessie said.

Their kitchen has a casual farmhouse vibe, from the beverage counter with a contemporary black and white geometric backsplash to the English hutch Tessie bought in Los Angeles and chalk painted.

They tore out the linoleum in the kitchen and refinished the floors.

"We loved what was underneath," Tessie said. "It had the original 4-inch slat wood floors."

With a collection of more than 100 cookbooks, Tessie loves to cook food from around the world. Her specialty is mofongo, a deep-fried plantain and pork dish from Puerto Rico, which she learned to make from her family while growing up in the Bronx. The couple installed high-end appliances that include a double oven and a floating range hood. Tessie stores her collection of Le Creuset, Moroccan tagines and other cookware in a bedroom-turned-pantry across the hall from the kitchen.

The primary bedroom emits a Hollywood Regency feel, with jewel-toned accents that set off modern and midcentury pieces. The remodeled bathroom has fleur de lis flair with hexagonal tile, an art deco curio cabinet filled with Parisian perfumes and a French Bombay antique dresser that Tessie scored on Facebook and turned into a vanity.

"Then for the wallpaper, I chose a cherry blossom winter scape in gray and white," she said.

Artists spaces

Tessie and Edward use the upper unit of the duplex as a creative space that also tells the story of who they are as artists.

There's the living room that Tessie, who ran a couture shop in Los Angeles, is recasting as a design space. A bedroom tucked into a quiet back corner of the house acts as a meditation room. One day Tessie hopes to turn the unused upper-level kitchen into a space where she can test recipes, pickle, can and "all that stuff that makes a mess." She also wants the space to be a resource where budding chefs can join forces and hone their culinary skills.

"I want it to be a fully equipped test kitchen for youth," she said.

Music continues to be a big part of their lives, so they are transforming a bedroom into a recording studio in the hopes that their home will be a collaborative space for artists.

The couple met 47 years ago in the music industry. Tessie is a singer and percussionist, whose drumming can be heard in recordings by Carole King, David Clayton-Thomas and Herbie Mann. As a bass player, Edward has performed with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Brenda Russell and Minnie Ripperton.

"Our house in L.A. was always the pit stop where musicians. … George Harrison, Stevie Wonder used to come and eat and/or where songs were put together," Tessie said "That's what we want to facilitate here. I want to create a North Side social club that includes books, films and art. There are a lot of cool things happening here."

Edward said the Twin Cities' talented artists' community is something to celebrate and nurture.

"It's a place of power," he said. "I'm feeling the same surge of creativity and positivity from when I first started playing music."

Edward remembers growing up in the era that shaped the Minneapolis Sound, where, as his friend best described it, "there was a band on every block" and community gathering spots that provided music education. That provided plenty of opportunities to sing and play piano, guitar, drums, violin and other instruments alongside music veterans happy to pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

That future generation included a neighborhood kid five years his junior who would become the most famous of them all.

"When we were playing basketball, we would call him [by his nickname] Skipper," Edward said. "But if we were playing music, he was Prince."