Rick Haase & Christine Ward

From the outside, the 1920s brick colonial perched on serene Lake Harriet looks sweet and stately, but once you step inside, there’s no mistaking you’re in the home of  Rick Haase and Christine Ward, owners of the eclectic and charming gift shop Patina. They met in a welding class, fell in love, and opened Patina in 1993. The success of the boutique has surprised them, spreading to four stores, a Web store, and finally allowing them a simple forty-hour work week and a more relaxed life at home with their two daughters, Frances and Cleo, and French bulldog, Vinnie. This summer, the couple moved from a 1920s Mediterranean home on Minnehaha Parkway that was completely finished and brightly painted to this abode with monochromatic paneled walls—a refreshing change that they love. With an impressive eye for design—and serious speed considering most people would still be living out of boxes at this stage—they’ve melded the same furniture and accents into their new home and added a twist. As retailers, the couple has access to incredible dealers, where they find pieces from Italy, India, and beyond to add to their home collections of devotional items and antiques. Everything has a sophisticated yet playful feeling, proving this couple doesn’t take themselves too seriously.

Of the Moment                                                                                       
“We try not to think too far ahead,” Haase says. When the couple entertains, the party is often decided that day. They don’t make weekend plans until Friday. When it comes to decorating, their style constantly evolves. “Plus, I change the stuff around when Rick’s out of town,” Ward says. Haase laughs: “Yeah, if I was home, she’d say she couldn’t move it.”

Material World
While Patina is present throughout the house, the couple is selective about what they bring home: They typically nab something they love right away or buy what doesn’t sell—usually stuff that’s ahead of the trend. “But we could live without any of it,” Haase says, “It’s all just stuff at the end of the day.” 

History Buffs
“We definitely like things with a history,” Ward says. Looking around, you’ll find taxidermy—in nearly every room—and a science classroom of an office full of veterinary animal models. Old wooden crosses grace the mantel, vintage Indian photographs line the library, and seashells from travels are sprinkled all over. “It’s good to surround yourself with inspiring objects,” she says.