There are just some things older homes and neighborhoods have over their newer counterparts. That includes towering trees and classic custom features built into the home.
When the owners of shoreline property in Greenwood purchased their lot 14 years ago, the canopy of maple and oak trees was calling to them. The charm of the home's timeless lake-house style was also a draw. Direct views of Lake Minnetonka, a boat dock and the property's location within walking distance to downtown Excelsior didn't hurt either.
Now the home, dubbed Sugar Maple Cottage, is back on the market and listed at $4.4 million. The 6,373-square-foot abode features five bedrooms, seven bathrooms and a six-car garage. Amenities include a wine cellar, wet bar and game room.
"It has a very classic lake style architecture that is timeless. It will always be attractive. It will always fit," said listing agent Gregg Larsen. Still, "new things have been added to the home. They've kept it relevant."
Larsen noted that the south shore of Lake Minnetonka hosts many historic homes built in the late 1800s.
So when the home was built in 2000, that timeless look of south shore homes was kept in mind. Then when the current homeowners moved in, they undertook two major remodels, updating spaces while preserving such things as original fieldstone detailing, natural woodwork, beadboard and millwork.
In the first remodel in 2008, the basement was gutted and finished. A media room with an en-suite bathroom, playroom, wine cellar that holds 1,000 bottles of vino and tasting room with custom cabinetry were added.
The homeowners have lived abroad and are avid travelers, which has inspired some details integrated into the home.
A bathroom weaves in Mediterranean flair, with imported Moroccan mirrors and sconces as well as blue plastered walls and a gilded silver ceiling. The wine room includes a custom wood door with a hand-carved figure modeled after the Bacchus statue at the Vatican Museum in Rome.
"They're pretty well-traveled with a variety of tastes that have come together to make this house a home for them," Larsen said.
And as an ode to the home's natural surroundings and majestic maples dotting the property, the owners commissioned an artist to create stained glass windows adorned with maple leaves for the dining room, kitchen and office.
The last remodel, in 2015, included the addition of an attached garage with two bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms above. An expansive lakeside stone patio was also added and the landscaping was updated.
The homeowners, whose children go to school in Minneapolis, want to move to the city.
Larsen said the Greenwood home is ideal for those looking for classic lake charm and location, location, location.
"This house has newer updates, yet it fits that aesthetic that matches the location. It feels like the good old days," he said. "It's just a very classic, custom, artisan-type house."
Gregg Larsen, 612-719-4477 or glarsen@cbburnet.com, of Coldwell Banker Realty, has the listing.
