Tour rolls out welcome mat to new and remodeled Twin Cities area luxury homes

Looking for the latest in luxe design ideas for your home? The upcoming Artisan Home Tour by Parade of Homes aims to answer that calling.

The self-guided tour, which starts this weekend, features nearly two dozen new and remodeled luxury homes.

"Unique to this year's tour — in addition to the incredible lake homes in the west metro — there are three homes in the east metro this year that sit high on the bluffs of the Mississippi River," said spokesperson Katie Elfstrom.

The homes' sizes and styles are to be just as varied as their locations.

New builds include a villa along a set of row homes in Long Lake, a mountain modern-inspired space in Orono and a Minnetrista spot that takes full advantage of its location on a peninsula.

A Spanish colonial in St. Paul, a midcentury rambler in Minnetonka and a brownstone in Wayzata are part of the remodeled homes lineup.

The tour, in its 10th year, shows no signs of slowing down. Elfstrom said growing interest has prompted organizers to add a second installment this year that will be held in the fall.

"We felt there was room for it with the traffic we were getting from consumers and homebuyers," she said.

What: Self-guided tour of 16 new and seven remodeled homes (the latter are open the final weekend of the tour only) across the metro area. Presented by Housing First Minnesota.

When: June 9-11, 16-18, 23-25.

Tickets: $25 at Bachman's stores or by using a coupon available at Holiday Station stores; $30 online; $35 on-site. Single home tickets can be purchased for $5. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Housing First Minnesota Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to affordable and safe housing.

Info: Visit artisanhometour.org. Guidebooks are available by downloading the Artisan Home Tour app on your phone or at area Bachman's and Kowalski's Markets.