Photos courtesy of Redstone Architectural Homes / SpaceCrafting
More than just lakes, Minnesota is rich with an abundance of natural beauty. The St. Croix River Valley and all its spoils lured one of the founders of Redstone Architectural Homes, Bob Appert, to settle with his family amongst the rolling prairies. When a large and naturally well-endowed farmstead went on the market nearby, he saw an opportunity to create something truly special—a development that exists in accordance with the landscape. Appert’s co-founder, David Washburn, was fully on board, and the two worked to debut the 320-acre luxury home development labeled White Oaks Savanna.
Opened in Stillwater in 2018, the project is the result of Redstone Architectural Homes’ mission to create a design-driven housing community that lives in harmony with the native prairie. Appert and Washburn use digital models to consider every aspect during their design process. Each lot is an organic parcel of land, nestled in native grasses and landforms. With options that vary from Modern Farmhouses to Mid-Century Modern builds, White Oaks Savanna offers dream homes in a dream location, just minutes from downtown Stillwater.
Tucked in the lush landscapes stands the first completed residence in the White Oaks Savanna—Eyeland. At 5,200 square feet, Eyeland is reminiscent of a modern farmhouse with unique touches to set it apart. Where a farmhouse usually consists of a white exterior with black cladding, designers from Christopher Strom Architects opted for a grayscale color scheme with black framed windows and two shades of dark gray cladding. Redstone’s architecture and building and Strom’s design come together to present an expansive homestead with 360-degree exposure and access to a scenic wetland and pond. Building from an architectural viewpoint presented Appert and Washburn with opportunities to consider the design of the Savanna completely. For example, Eyeland’s fenestrations create sightlines to the water features nearby, a 100-year-old oak tree, and all else the rolling prairie has to offer. While some houses might be seen from the road, others are completely hidden, and some barely peak out over the horizon. Architectural builds offer control over scale, scope, and magnitude of the homes, but still give homebuyers full freedom over home size and styling.
White Oaks Savanna is a passion project from those who appreciate a well-designed home but realize the landscape is just as important. Those who wish to join the homestead can head to Redstone Architectural Homes’ website to make inquiries about all options surrounding remaining properties. For a sneak preview, Redstone invites visitors to embark on a Digital Fly Through tour of Eyeland. The tour glides through the airy abode and truly feels like an in-person experience.
