This grand brick home, built in 1917, overlooks Lake of the Isles, which interior designer Heather Peterson describes as “the prettiest in Minneapolis’ chain of lakes.” The neighborhood surrounding the lake is known for its leafy streets and unique homes, and features a boat house with rental boats and an icehouse with rental skates.
In the winter, Lake of the Isles is the site of the Luminary Loppet, a gathering of people in the frigid night, lit by thousands of luminarias, some in ice pendants that resemble blown glass.
A Home with Character
Perched high on a rise, the home commands sweeping views of the lake and retains incredible original details, including a slate roof and plaster ceiling moldings with complex designs.
The home’s large, well-proportioned rooms made it an ideal fit for a young family relocating from Seattle, who were looking to upsize from their previous home.
Heather Peterson notes that the first order of business was to scale everything correctly while space planning, as the family wanted the home to feel cozy for their family of four, but also accommodate larger gatherings, such as Thanksgiving dinner and fundraisers for the kids’ school.
Design and Decoration
The wife’s aesthetic drew inspiration from Sister Parish and English Country style, while the husband preferred a clean, mid-century aesthetic, which Heather brought to life in his home office, creating a space that reflects his personal taste.
Heather describes the scope of work as simply decorating, as a previous owner had already renovated the kitchen, added the family room, and made other modifications to make the old house functional for modern family life, allowing her to focus on contemporary renovations that honor the home’s history.
The biggest challenge came when deciding which existing elements to keep and what to replace, with Heather explaining that this decision requires strategy and careful consideration of how much to update for maximum impact.
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In the kitchen, this meant introducing new lighting and hardware, painting the island, adding window treatments, and selecting softer, prettier barstools, all of which contributed to a more inviting atmosphere.
A Thoughtful Approach
Rather than erase the home’s layered history, Heather chose to respect it, proving that thoughtful decorating can be just as transformative as a full renovation, and allowing the family to appreciate the home’s unique character.
The result is a house where century-old character, collected furnishings, and family traditions coexist beautifully, with Heather noting that the family room’s cherry built-ins were fairly classic, but a black granite fireplace surround dated the whole composition, which she addressed through her design choices.
By introducing hand-made tiles from Kristen Falkirk, more traditional sconces, and a vintage painting, Heather was able to make the cherry feel more appropriate, and all of the spaces now feel complete and aligned with the other decorating, creating a sense of harmony throughout the home.
One of the key aspects of this project was finding a balance between preserving the home’s original character and updating it to meet the needs of the modern family.
They were able to overcome this challenge through a thoughtful and strategic approach to decorating.
It was a success.