Photography by Spacecrafting
Across the Stillwater Lift Bridge, tucked among Wisconsin’s St. Croix River Valley and its rolling bluffs, is a family home with all the markings of a modern lodge. The heavily wooded 140-acre site is dotted with small ponds and streams, providing a backdrop that formed the basis of the home’s architecture. “Starting with natural elements set us up for success,” says Lindsey Wojski, brand and design manager at Style + Structure. The custom builder concepted the years-long project alongside the clients to forge a home base that offers as much respite from the outdoors as it does connection.
The Style + Structure team reinterpreted raw materials in modern applications to bridge the homeowners’ contrasting styles. Each earthy element is met with a clean finish, combining the husband’s more rustic background and his wife’s love for design. Living room ceiling beams sourced from reclaimed barn wood were designed to make the grand space feel more intimate. The linear look is echoed in the adjoining dining room’s chandelier, as well as the fireplace. “The Primo II gas linear fireplace is the only one that could’ve worked with the scale of the wall and the TV,” says Heather Wimberger, Style + Structure’s project manager. The team selected the Primo II by Heat & Glo, noting that it perfectly combined the elemental nature of fire in an expertly engineered linear footprint.
As in any traditional lodge, the fireplace is a major gathering spot and focal point. It’s visible from dual catwalks, as well as the entryway, living room, dining room and kitchen — from which the clients wanted to be able to see both the TV and fireplace while cooking. “The fireplace needed to be a statement,” punctuates Wojski. The designer selected a reflective black glass refractory with birch logs, all set against a stunning feature wall made from Fon du Lac stone. Its natural texture and not-so-perfect pattern makes the sleek, sophisticated design of the Primo II pop. “Heat & Glo is our favorite brand to use,” adds Wimberger, referencing the company’s Minnesota roots and trade-dedicated team as being integral to the success of their projects.
A reclaimed floating wood shelf caps off the accent wall. “A great fireplace is going to make you gather,” says the design team. And with future plans for a swimming pool and full-size lacrosse field, the young family looks forward to unwinding post-activities in a space that truly feels like their own. “We never build the same house twice,” concludes Wimberger, but the magnetism of a fireplace is universal.
