In a pleasing echo of the main house, the guest house boasts a lower level that walks out to a wide patio, offering views of Lake Minnetonka and a shady, secluded spot for drinks or solo pursuits, reading, daydreaming or come what may. “The furnishings we used on the patio were selected based on linear silhouettes and the clean geometry of midcentury modernism,” Aniuska Payares says. “We selected neutral colors and materials, with wood tones and the use of stone for the coffee table, side table and fireplaces, adding different textures to the whole composition.” An upper-level deck has plenty of seating, too, and a clever awning that shades the space from the sometimes-harsh summer sun. Photos: Landmark Photography
An exquisite Lake Minnetonka guest house mirrors the shape and style of the original home.
On the eastern half of the land between Lake Minnetonka’s Stubbs and Maxwell bays sits Fox Point, an area with enviable access to the lake and leafy stands of trees. Like many lake-goers before them, one family—with roots both in Minnesota and abroad—decided to build a dream estate on the point.
To realize that dream, the couple brought in local architect Peter Eskuche for the design, and the main home, which was built in 2019 by the team at Hendel Homes, embraces a style that feels both modern and classic, with tall rooflines, dark trim and light siding. It blends indoor and outdoor living with sliding doors, large patios and an expansive pool area.
An impressive stone wall on the main level is the “heart” of the guest home, Payares says. It features a long, sleek fireplace on the bottom and a place for a mounted television higher up. “We needed to find a stone that could capture what we were feeling,” she says. “We decided to use one that simulates the growth of tree roots through the shades of lime green and dry green.” Those colors—plus the calm, minimal lines of the curved chairs and rug—lend an organic character to the space. Behind the fireplace is the home’s central staircase, which opens to the foyer and includes wood panels and strip lights, making it another artful composition for guests to enjoy.
Perhaps, the real gem of the Fox Point property is the guest house, which was a necessity for the jet-setting owners and their family and friends. “They’re international,” says Amy Hendel, Hendel Homes’ marketing and design director. “When they travel back here, they love to host everyone here at their homestead during the summer.” Guests come from the Netherlands, Singapore, Venezuela and all over the United States, says Hendel. Making traveled guests feel comfortable and relaxed was a priority for the homeowners. Instead of trying to expand the main house to ensure enough private and entertaining space for guests, the Hendel project team and the owners worked together on a guest house, which is just as exquisite as the main building.
“They loved the architecture of their main house and wanted something that emulated that,” Hendel says. “It’s just a smaller, ‘jewelry box’ version of the main home.” Eskuche designed the guest house with four suites that can accommodate up to four families, plus a main-level shared living space, decks and patios that bring the lake views up close.
The guest home’s main level features a wall of sliding doors that opens completely to the deck, letting in plenty of sunlight and fresh air (with the flexibility to stay cozy in inclement weather, of course). Conversely, the living room fireplace is echoed by two fire pits on the deck. “That idea was to make an architectural statement outdoors,” Payares says. “The fire pits capture the look and feel of natural limestone, which encapsulates the outdoor theme.”
Maybe the guest home’s most unique feature is a light-filled showroom for the creations of one of the homeowners. “She’s a fashion designer, so she has all her pieces when you walk in on the left side,” Hendel says. “It has a real boutique feel with a changing room, and there are built-in racks in front of the windows. It’s just beautiful.”
In addition to suites for visitors, the guest house also hosts the homeowner’s showroom for her fashion designs, making use of the large windows for plentiful natural light and efficiently designed storage spaces. Gold-toned, minimalist hanging racks in front of the windows let the colorful clothing shine, and the feature wall is made from the semiprecious stone labradorite. “Our main intention for this space was to make this interior unique,” says Payares. “The stone mostly has deep green tones with touches of blue. Our client loves those two colors, so when we presented the stone selection, she wanted to use it in the guest house. This specific space was designed for her own use, so we decided this stone would be perfect.”
Aniuska Payares and Cory Gonzalez, the owners of Chicago-based Studio Brown Bag, were brought in to address the interior design of the main and guest homes. “They wanted both houses to have some connection in terms of style but just enough [differences] so that each could still have its own personality,” Payares says. The luxe details and materials featured in the guest house—from semi-precious stone to wood to lighting—were inspired by movements, like midcentury modernism, and places, like Tulum, Mexico, which provided the aesthetic for the outdoor living spaces, Payares says.
The homeowners’ goal for the guest house kitchen was to create a space that was relaxed and inviting. Sleek, clean lines are everywhere, from the flat-front cabinetry to the cylindrical light fixtures over the island. In keeping with the modern eat-in kitchen trend, the island offers seating to enjoy snacks, drinks and conversation while still leaving plenty of room for cooking. Payares says the Studio Brown Bag team worked with Scavolini, an Italian kitchen provider that offers products and materials with a high-end, European aesthetic.
Although it was a challenge to “pack a lot of function into a relatively small amount of square footage,” the guest house is clearly a beloved project by everyone on the team, says Molly Zwettler, Hendel Homes’ project manager. “These homeowners are not scared of color or bold pattern, which makes the design of this space very fun and playful but very sophisticated.”
“The guest house is a jewel,” Payares says. “Everything in it was carefully thought out and selected. Every detail was the result of continuous work and dedication.”
The Hendel History
Rick Hendel often calls the building company he runs alongside his wife, Amy, “design sensitive.” What does that mean? “We are highly detailed,” Rick says of the firm, which has been constructing high-end homes in the Lake Minnetonka area for more than 20 years. “Anyone can read a plan, but to implement it well, with proportions and details and knowing what the architect’s intent is, is so important to us,” he says.
Rick says bringing a wealth of experience to the table is reassuring for clients, who are building their dream homes and want to put their trust in a builder. Rick notes that the Hendel Homes team also uses its expertise to help clients achieve those dreams.
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