The 2018 Luxury Home Tour has everything that home enthusiasts could want. From completely modern to urban cottage to turn-of-the-century traditional, the tour offers a glimpse into a wide variety of home styles, designs, and amenities. And knowing that each home was constructed by the best custom builders in the state ensures that the quality and craftsmanship go above and beyond.
If you want to get a feel for what’s in store on the tour, below are some of the must-see features in each home. Whether it is gorgeous wood detailing, high-tech equipment, or custom-made entertaining spaces, there are elements in all of the homes that will truly wow you—and we want to make sure you see them all!
The Luxury Home Tour is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from noon-6 p.m. on August 3-5, 10-12, and 17-19. Tickets are on sale for $15 at Twin Cities Menards locations, $20 online at LuxuryHomeTour.net, and $25 at the door. A full list of all of the home addresses and a map can be found here.
What to know before you go: No shoes or bare feet will be allowed inside the home, so bring socks with you and wear shoes that slip off easily. (A limited number of booties will be available upon request.) If you see something in a home that you like, visit the sales center/garage area for more information about the product and service partners in that home. Photography of the homes is not allowed.
Home 1: Stonewood, LLC in Orono
Walking down the long driveway towards this secluded home on Lake Minnetonka, you are 
greeted with a view of modern lines, mixed metal, wood, and stone textures, and an impressive 10-foot-tall door. After this first impression, the inside of the home follows suit, blending contemporary architecture with a mix of natural materials that give it a modern, mountain style. The layout of the home is specifically designed to maximize the view of the lake with large windows in every area of the house. The steel, open staircase makes a dramatic statement and connects all three stories of the home. With the top floor reserved for bedrooms, the remaining two floors are meant for entertaining with a large, modern kitchen and wine cellar on the first floor and a full bar, exercise room, sauna, guest room, and entertaining space in the lower level. Don’t leave without walking out on the extended front porch with an outdoor kitchen and taking in the views of the pool and private water access to the lake.
Home 2: Reuter Walton Construction, Inc. in Linden Hills
Poking around the home of Nick Walton, Reuter Walton’s co-founder, you can feel that it was designed with family in mind. With the bonus of using your own construction company, there are a myriad of details that make the home more personalized, such as the office off the kitchen with a magnetic wall, the mudroom with extra storage and a dog water faucet, the powder room with hooks for hanging pool towels, and the three kids bedrooms that had to be exactly the same size (parents will understand why). The home achieves the perfect balance of family/entertaining spaces, kids areas, and rooms for adults only. The top floor is split up into two separate wings with the kids bedrooms and play area on one half and the massive master suite on the other side, complete with a hang-out room, bedroom, exercise room, master bath, and a bedroom-sized closet.
Home 3: Kroiss Development, Inc. in Kenwood
For those who love ultra-modern home concepts with sleek lines and built-in technology, these condos are right up your alley. From the open staircase to the walls of windows and automated everything, the condos are completely modern without feeling barren or cold.Organic colors and wood provide warmth and the drought-resistant green roof and patios bring in nature. Once you’re inside, you would never notice that there are four units on the property because of how expansive and private the spaces feel. Make sure to walk down the entire hallway from the living room to the master bedroom and admire the alternating floor-to-ceiling windows and modern art—it will make you feel as if you are in a New York art gallery. Bonus points if you can find the hidden bathroom in the butler pantry.
Home 4: Detail Homes in Summit Hill
One of the most unique projects on the tour, every aspect of this St. Paul home is designed to fit within its turn-of-the-century neighborhood. Every design choice was thoughtfully made to blend vintage and historical with sophisticated and modern style. Modern light fixtures and bold colorways accompany tufted furniture and beautiful paneling details. Some key elements not to miss are the paneled wall the great room, the red oak butler pantry, and the dark green formal dining room. The three-level home is also meant to fit a family at any stage with three kids bedrooms (two joined by a Jack-and-Jill bathroom), a bar and wine cellar in the lower level for entertaining, and a rough-in for an elevator for seamless aging in place.
Home 5: TJB Homes in Lake Elmo
The first thing you notice when you enter this modern, rustic rambler is the two-story-tall 
peaked ceiling in the great room. The mix of shiplap and dark wooden beams are a spectacle to walk into. While styled traditionally, the home has many intriguing design choices. The detailed design choices add intrigue to each area of the house. Some of the must-see details include the coffered, drop beam ceiling in the master bedroom that gives a cross-hatch effect with wooden beams, stone archways in the lower level, a cobblestone back patio, and the rustic, timber pool table in the billiards room. The home also features intimate areas to entertain, including the full wet bar with brick backsplash, theater, exercise room, and sauna.
Home 6: Custom One Homes in Lake Elmo
This home is all about the entertainment value! The kitchen features a extended island and double fridge for hosting parties, and the fireplace and three-season porch on the first level offer prime locations to host. And in the lower-level is where the party really gets started with a wood-paneled old pub bar for serving up drinks, a golf simulator with 4K screens and surround sound to feel like you’re out on the green any time of year, a living room area with a 100-inch stone fireplace, and a patio and fire pit just out back. The lodge-inspired feel is infused throughout the home with large windows, luxury amenities, and dark wood, metal, and stone details.
Home 7: Hartman Homes in Lake Elmo
An overhanging, multi-peaked roof with knotty pine arches and large columns, gives this traditional rambler a homey feel from the outside-in. Upon entering, the cottage style continues with a shiplap ceiling and cerused oak flooring in the great room, a coffered ceiling in the master bedroom, and a three-season porch with a two-sided fireplace. While walking around the space, don’t forget to look up: this home is filled with intricate metal light fixtures and a suspended shiplap ceiling with recessed lighting above the dining area. Additional details such as the tuck-under golf cart garage, grocery pass-through in the pantry, sauna, and expansive bar and wine cellar in the lower level add function and personality to the modern cottage.
Home 8: Divine Custom Homes in Afton
This home is a must-see for texture enthusiasts! From granite to reclaimed barn wood to stone, the mix of materials add modern and rustic touches to each room. 
Make sure to peek into all seven bathrooms to see unique tile patterns and colors in each.Other standout materials include the massive golden pendent lights above the kitchen island, the Shou Sugi Ban wood on the master bedroom and office ceilings, and the forest green cabinetry in the master closet. The natural color scheme compliments the mountain retreat style with lots of natural lighting and multiple access points to the multi-leveled courtyard. The home also incorporates family spaces, such as the great room with two-story stone fireplace and the large entertainment area with wine cellar in the lower level, as well as spaces for the homeowners’ personal interests, including a yoga studio in the lower level and a cocktail room off the kitchen.
