Wayzata

What Caught Our Eye

• Cozy Qualities. Chris finds delight in small-scale design. “We can overlook it in this age of consumerism’s more and more,” she says, “but the best gifts often come in small packages.” She and David “fell into a gem,” she says when they purchased the 1946 Cape Cod ten years ago from its original owner. The cottage was a departure from their previous home (they relocated from Phoenix) with its ten-foot ceilings and sprawling plan. “It was a challenge at first, but we loved the charm and felt it was indicative of Minneapolis,” she says. “It’s the ‘little house that could.’ ”
• Family Furnishings. Cherished furniture fills the home. Among Chris’s favorites are a chair of her grandfather’s and a desk that belonged to her grandmother. Her business, which bears her maternal grandparents’ given names, Russell and Hazel, pays homage to her affinity for the pair—and for office tools, an interest she traces to recollections of back-to-school packages filled with new supplies.
• Adaptable Design. Just as the home’s rooms are flexible, so are its furnishings. “We’re always transforming things,” Chris says. “A lot of our furniture is on wheels so we can move things around.” One of the best examples of this adaptability is seen in the dining room china cabinet once owned by David’s mother. “At one time it had china in it, and I thought, ‘This is silly,’ so I loaded it up with binders and dictionaries and cups of pencils.” The decision suits the way the Plantans live right now, with school projects often taking over the dining table. “At another point in life, it might be filled with fabulous glassware,” Chris says.