Northern Style

If thinking of Minnesota conjures up images of quaint log cabins on placid ice-covered lakes filled with kitschy Scandinavian relics, the publishers of Spectacular Homes of Minnesota want to challenge you to think again. In a state that brought us design pioneers Ralph Rapson and Target, as well as a bevy of beautiful arts spaces, we also have a stock of interior designers and decorators who create world-class work. Take, for instance, the exquisitely designed homes of Greg Walsh (Walsh Design Group), or the sparse and modern style perfected by Thomas Gunkelman and Andrew Flesher (GunkelmanFlesher Interior Design), or the European eclectic look of Kim Salmela (owner of the now-defunct Alfred’s Grand Petit Magasin).

Spectacular Homes—published by Panache Partners, a Texas-based company that publishes coffee table books about architecture, interior design, travel, and golf—pays homage to the Northstar State’s talented, artistic, and thoughtful designers and is filled with interiors that are as varied as Minnesota’s landscape. More than purely a showcase of some of the finest homes and interiors, the book also celebrates the personalities behind the homes. Through interviews, simple Q & As, and, of course, a nicely laid out portfolio, Spectacular Homes of Minnesota is a must-have if you are planning to renovate or redecorate and want to find someone to help you.

Touching on all of the aesthetics—contemporary, classic, traditional, modern—and all of the styles in between, or cross-referencing other styles—the book is a breathtaking photographic tour of sophisticated design. There are the feminine, European-inspired styles of Kerry Ciardelli-Olson (Victory) and Deborah Wegener (Deborah Wegener Interiors); over-the-top opulence from Michele Boucher Eich (Eich Interior Design), Julie Ann Johnson (Julian Interiors and Design), and Shelly Riehl David (Riehl Designs); rooms that seamlessly marry traditional architecture, classic furnishings, and modern amenities by Marie Meko (Durr, Ltd.); and even a few contemporary homes and lofts designed by Linda Engler and Talla Skogmo (Engler Skogmo Interior Design) and Linda Miller (Cities Interiors). And that is just a start. The book features forty-four designers and decorators and 200 photos. The beauty is that all of these homes represent our communities, and the lifestyles of those who live in Minnesota.

Spectacular Homes is available online from the Independent Publishers Group.