Show Stoppers

Every spring, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine brings thousands of eager visitors through the annual American Society of Interior Designers Showcase Home. We give guests a ballot and ask them what they loved most about the home—this year a Summit Avenue  masterpiece designed by famed architect Cass Gilbert. The home was open for four weeks in May and June, with proceeds  benefiting Second Harvest Heartland, Cornerstone, The Jeremiah Program, and the Junior League of Saint Paul. The tour was a  smashing success—we met history buffs, design lovers, Cass Gilbert fans, architectural enthusiasts, and, best of all, people who adore beautiful homes. We’re proud to present the winners of this year’s poll.

Favorite Overall Space

Caretaker’s Suite
Stephanie Angen, Allied Member ASID, SIS, Ltd.; Molly Ouradnik, ASID; Madison Montgomery; Sarah Wood, Allied Member ASID; Sarah Wood Interiors

Tucked behind the bierstube (or rathskeller), the Caretaker’s Suite was a pleasant, if unexpected, surprise to many Showcase Home visitors. The designers morphed a modest space (it had been a kitchen and once used for coal storage) into a comfortable yet refined apartment complete with a kitchen, living area, reading nook, bedroom suite, and bathroom. Although the space felt as familiar as a contemporary great room, countless details paid homage to the home’s rich Victorian roots: The design for the custom-stained concrete was inspired by an antique vent grill; the scalloped glass in the bathroom echoes a pattern found on the main level. Embellishments such as the handmade kitchen tile, painted cabinets, and the range with a built-in microwave drawer caused more than a few people to muse, “Can I be the caretaker?”

Favorite Bedroom and Favorite Bathroom

	The master suite boasts a sitting room, sleeping chamber, bath, and private porch. Here, the multipurpose sitting room com- prises a dressing area, a writing table, and a reading lounge with a sixteen-foot cushioned window seat.
	The shade of yellow in the master bath complements the original tile in the sitting room.

Master Suite
Maureen Haggerty, Allied Member ASID; David Heide, Allied Member ASID; and Mark Nelson, Allied Member ASID, David Heide Design Studio

Contemporary art, tailored window treatments, and unexpected textural combinations lend a modern twist to the Master Suite, however, architectural details such as the built-ins and casework are painstakingly true to Cass Gilbert’s original design. The design team wanted to respect the home’s historical integrity while invigorating the Master Suite (which took the prize for both Favorite Bedroom and Favorite Bathroom), with a fresh and “collected” look—one that more believably reflects a stylish individual instead of an impersonal show room. The sleeping chamber is a relatively simple space reserved for just that: sleeping. It appeals to both the masculine and feminine with its dark walnut wood, clean lines, and alluring images of women, in frames and on the walls. The bathroom is opulent, yet approachable. Marble mosaic tile on the floor looks almost hand-woven, and a handsome stenciled mirror invites you in while giving the illusion of more space. Each nook, whether in the dressing area of the sitting room or the heated seat in the shower, begs for a lighted candle or two. The designers achieved a private retreat fit for any era.

Favorite Window Treatment

The winning window treatments are feminine without being frilly. They also perfectly frame the baby grand piano.

The Music Room
Keri Olson, Allied Member ASID, and Jen Ziemer, Allied Member ASID, Addison Interiors

The Music Room evokes femininity and sociability with a light, lyrical touch. It’s only fitting then, that the window treatments, free of hardware and shaped like an elegant ball gown, would take center stage. Created with sumptuous silk drapes, Italian strung shears, and silk brocade roman shades with braided trim and careful bead detail, the window treatments impart drama and whimsy to the celadon-washed room. In lieu of an ordinary curtain rod, a delicate smocked heading finishes the effect.

Favorite Gathering Space

A compass inlay artfully reimagines the wave pattern found in much of the home’s original hand- carved woodwork.

Three-season porch
Carol Boyles, Allied Member ASID, Carol Boyles Interiors; Sheree Vincent, Allied Member ASID, fusion designed

Relax. Dinner is prepped, though it won’t be ready for an hour. Step out onto the porch, mix martinis for your guests, and bask in the twilight glow of the river valley. The air is pleasingly sultry even as fans made of large woven palm fronds keep everything cool. The three-season porch feels inviting, yet subtly exotic with its teak and wicker seating area and eclectic artifacts from Turkey, Morocco, Thailand, Burma, and Syria. Although the décor spans the globe, the view of the Mississippi anchors the space in St. Paul and creates a tranquil escape right at home.