At the turn of the 20th century, flour milling was king in Minneapolis, and the wealthy millers built extravagant homes on the fringe of downtown, a prestigious suburb back in the day. Designed by noted architects and upwards of 10,000 square feet, the Washburn, Crosby and Pillsbury mansions overflowed with the finest Italian marble and exotic wood painstakingly installed and hand-finished by skilled craftspeople. Not many remain — either torn down as they became too expensive to maintain or converted to institutional use. A precious few are private homes.
Photography by Spacecrafting
One of these gems, the Alfred F. Pillsbury House, recently underwent a massive renovation with the help of the Minnesota chapters of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and scores of local design professionals and artisans who took part in Design Home 2024. In March 2023, entrepreneurs Matthew Trettel and Ryan Hanson purchased the property (which they call “the castle”) with dreams of restoring it and making it their family home. “Too many of these [historic old] homes have been torn down, and we wanted to show how they can be relevant for modern life,” Trettel says.
Located in the Washburn-Fair Oaks Historic District, the 12,000-square-foot English Tudor Revival has lived many lives since Alfred and his wife Eleanor passed away in 1946 and 1950, including housing seminary students as a dorm and office space. Although the previous owner did a significant amount of work to begin the restoration process and convert the house back to a single-family home, there was still much to do — update all the mechanical systems (plumbing, electrical and HVAC) and remodel or refresh every room in the house, including the kitchen, six bedrooms and nine bathrooms.
Design partner PKA Architecture helped Trettel and Hanson reevaluate the home’s layout, which included servants’ quarters, back staircases, coal rooms and other remnants of a bygone era. Their goal was to minimize structural interventions by moving a door here and there or changing the function of a room instead of tearing down walls. “Matt and Ryan wanted to add to the legacy of this home, not hide it, and were willing to set boundaries to do what’s right for the house,” says PKA Associate Principal and architect Andrew Edwins. Taking this sensitive approach, the architectural team converted awkward back-of-the-house areas into 21st-century amenities — a second-floor laundry room near the family bedrooms, a charming third-floor nanny suite for caregivers or an aging parent, a home office for Trettel on the main floor, one for Hanson on the second, and space for a future home gym and spa in the basement. PKA also suggested adding an elevator, a common feature in a house of this size. Trettel and Hanson agreed, knowing it would make aging in place and shuttling heavy items between levels easier. Finding a place for the elevator shaft that worked for each floor, where the door wouldn’t open in the middle of a room, required finesse (the sweet spot was the juncture between the back and the front of the house). Challenges like this and restoring or recreating intricate wood and stone details were invigorating for general contractor OA Design+Build+Architecture, along with the seven additional contractors who worked on specific rooms throughout the home. “It was amazing to think about what it took to create this 100 years ago with hand tools,” says Chris McGuire, production director with Vujovich Design Build. “Our guys live for this stuff.”
Thirty-plus interior designers revamped 34 rooms, volunteering their talents to create a sophisticated and cohesive look from top to bottom. Their shared philosophy was to avoid period looks in favor of a mix of contemporary and traditional furnishings — an approach encouraged by Trettel and Hanson. “Think of a 17th-century Paris apartment with abstract art,” Hanson explains. “It’s more dynamic.” One example hangs just inside the front door — a light installation by Hennepin Made that cascades down the curved oak staircase. Unquestionably contemporary, the handblown glass cylinders have a pleasing rapport with the heavy, ornate woodwork. Hennepin Made founder Jackson Schwartz posits that the reason lies with the maker. “Like the masons and carpenters who finished this house 120 years ago, we also make these by hand and are experts at our craft. We share a feeling of heritage you don’t get with a mass-produced thing.” Another nod to the era: lots of saturated color and bold wallcoverings, including several scenic wallpapers and a custom hand-painted design by local studio She She celebrating Trettel and Hanson’s past, present and future. “We referenced old paintings, especially Matisse and Cézanne, for the figures that represent Matt, Ryan, their cats and future family,” says She She co-owner and lead designer Kate Worum.
As the name suggests, the grand salon is the most enormous room in the house. Designed to impress, it features mahogany paneling, a trio of ornately carved walnut archways and a beamed ceiling. Niosi Interior Design’s Kimberly Niosi didn’t shy away from incorporating distinctive pieces into the space, such as a bentwood and glass Piegatto Ghost Table, green velvet leopard sofas and a wall of smoked mirror tiles. But she was careful to complement what was original by choosing sofas with a curved back that mimics the archways. She payed close attention to scale. “Too many divas in the room creates chaos,” she explains. “But a room with this quantity of dark woodwork needs furnishings with personality to bring elation much like a symphony.”
The adjacent kitchen and scullery had designer Kate Roos and Partners 4, Design literally between a rock and a hard place. “The space used to be an outside porch, and the walls are made of the same rock-faced Platteville limestone as the rest of the home’s exterior,” says Roos. This made running plumbing to the new scullery and installing custom cabinetry tricky. The limestone walls also posed a design challenge. “It’s a very aesthetically opinionated material,” Roos points out. “So, our strategy was to complement, not compete.” Rich colors — green-gray, gold, brass, deep red and dark stained oak — play off the stone while inset cabinets, marble countertops, shimmery wallpaper and sparkling pendants add warmth and freshness. For appliances, Trettel and Hanson worked with partner Warners’ Stellian and chose Gaggenau for its integrated look and performance. “Matt swears that these appliances will teach him how to cook!” Appliance Specialist DeAnne Bennett says.
Throughout the house, which includes a family room, kids’ playroom, media room, music room, mudroom, speakeasy, billiards room and many delightful nooks and crannies, the ASID designers and NARI remodelers created imaginative spaces to entertain, work, play, rest and retreat, providing the backdrop for the magic of everyday life. The results are sumptuous and spirited. “Our designers reimagined this entire house in a historically respectful way with incredible results,” says Design Home 2024 co-chair Christine Happel. For Trettel and Hanson, this project has given them the home of their dreams — and the satisfaction of knowing they helped preserve an essential part of Minnesota’s history. “We think we’ve honored Alfred and Eleanor and are hopeful that the house will inspire others,” Trettel says. “They don’t make them like they used to and there’s no need. The houses are here. They just need a champion.”
Learn more about this home and take a virtual tour at PillsburyCastle.com
Read this article as It appears in the magazine.
Project Partners
Designers
Abitare Design Studio
Albertsson Hansen Architecture and Design
April Star Interiors
Bruit de la Mode, Inc
Daybreak Interiors
Designer Lindy Haglund
Edmanhill Interior Design
Ethan Allen
Fine House Interiors + Design
Gabberts Design Studio
Jennifer Ball Interiors
Julie Tuerk Interior Design
Kate Roos Design
Katie Brandt Interiors
Laura Engen Interior Design
Lucy Interiors
Mike Rataczak Studios
Niosi Design
Partners 4, Design
SKC Designs LLC
Spencer Design Associates
TDM Designs
Terry Gustafson Interior Design LLC
University of Minnesota Design Students led by lecturer Anne Farniok
Vela Interior Design
Contractors
EdgeWork Design Build
Holly Home Renovations
J3 Renovation & Design
Ohana Home & Design
Otogawa-Anschel Design+Build+Architecture
Partners 4, Design
Quality Cut Design | Remodel
Vujovich Design Build, Inc.
