Personality Plus

When homeowners can walk into their new home and feel a deep connection with it each time, they know they have created a space that addresses their needs on both a physical and emotional level. Such nirvana, however, can only be achieved through finding the right builder, researching styles, and opening the lines of communication. Without a good relationship, many things in the process could start to unravel.

“The spaces that people spend time in are very important to their lives,” says Mark Youngdahl, CEO of Senn & Youngdahl, a homebuilding firm based in Stillwater. “Whether you call it charm, warmth, or personality, our surroundings influence our lives.”

We talked with four homeowners to see how they chose their builders and worked with them to develop a home that truly reflects their personal styles.

Finding a Builder through His Work
Even though they weren’t in the market for a new home, Dana and Joel Campbell were out enjoying the Parade of Homes^SM in the late 1990s when they came across a Senn & Youngdahl home. “We immediately liked it. It was well thought out,” Dana Campbell recalls. “We became groupies. Every year we would search out Senn & Youngdahl homes.” The Campbells have since hired Senn & Youngdahl to build two homes. “I never thought we would build. I had heard such horror stories,” Dana says. “I used to think: ‘Why would I put myself through that?’” Now they think differently.

Once the Campbells sat down with Mark Youngdahl and discussed the possibility of building a home, they knew Senn & Youngdahl was the builder for them, not only because they loved the builder’s quality and style, but also because they trusted the company. The first of the Campbells’ two Senn & Youngdahl homes was built in Stillwater’s Liberty on the Lake development. After living in that home for a few years, the Campbells decided they wanted a larger lot for their growing children, but they also wanted to stay in the Stillwater school district and in a Senn & Youngdahl home. Their wishes were granted when they heard that the builder was investigating land in nearby Lake Elmo in the Tapestry at Charlotte’s Grove development, where they now live.

During the building process, Dana says because she and Joel were so impressed with the builder’s homes, they trusted Youngdahl and his team to brainstorm and suggest different options. For example, Dana says she was unsure whether she wanted her kitchen cupboards flush with the ceiling, and if so, how that would blend with the woodwork. “They actually came up with three different designs,” she says. “The whole house was really a collaborative effort.”

The Campbells also found that doing their own research and speaking up when something was not quite right were also paramount in achieving personality in their new home. “Don’t leave it all up to the builder,” Dana says. “Come in with pictures and descriptions of what it is you are looking for.”

The sheer number of selections involved when building was one of the biggest surprises for Dana, but she didn’t let it overwhelm her. “Until you build, you just don’t realize how much thought goes into an outlet,” she says.

The Campbells’ current farmhouse-style home not only reflects the family’s rural roots, but it also blends with the lot’s natural surroundings. “We wanted a feeling of the outside and inside flowing together,” Dana notes. “My favorite element of the home is the screened-in porch with French doors off the kitchen. In the summer and spring, I can have the doors open and have a fresh flow of air through the house.” They also put on a metal roof and installed quarter-sawn oak cabinets in the kitchen to retain a rural feel.

Youngdahl also knew that the Campbells were a good fit with his company soon after he met them. “They liked the simplicity and cleanness of our work,” he says. Furthermore, what the Campbells sought in a home was a perfect match for Senn & Youngdahl’s building style. “That provides for a wonderful experience, and a lot of value is created in the process,” Youngdahl says.