Fourteen years ago we chanced upon a piece of land -- unspoiled, private -- on a promontory overlooking Lake Movil, the closest lake to Bemidji, a small university and resort town of 10,000 in northern Minnesota. It was a rare find – 150 feet of lakeshore with a hard sand bottom, on a quiet road that abutted hundreds of acres of state land and cross country ski trails.
Excited and anxious, we purchased the land and set about building our dream home. We wanted it to be one-of-a-kind – a jewelbox of a house -- part Craftsman, part cottage -- with a large, gracious screen porch for warm summer nights overlooking the lake.
We had four guiding motifs – wood, stone, light, and color. There were to be interesting angles, surprising details, and light cascading in through stained glass windows. Our artist-builder added maple flooring with rosewood inserts, a fieldstone fireplace, built in bookshelves and cabinets, and prairie style leaded glass inserts in the interior doors. It was truly a work of art.
Though only six miles from downtown Bemidji, the hospital and clinic, and the University, we wanted our home to feel like a private sanctuary. So we designed a northern rock garden, with perennials, annuals, and native ground cover. In keeping with environmental concerns, we left the foliage between the house and the lake, so we look out at the sunrise and sunset through a tracery of pines and birches.
In our years here we have discovered unexpected pleasures. Eagles flying low over our lakeshore, loon serenades at night, a quiet lake of families and pontoon boats, wonderful swimming, breathtaking sunsets, and kind and caring neighbors.
This is a home for a special person or family. It is a work of art as much as a building. With a deck for warm summer nights, a winding staircase down to the lake, a private parkland setting, and a heated year around writer’s studio, this is a dream retreat for a small family or a retired couple or anyone wanting to live a gracious life in a northwoods setting.
We do not have to sell, but we are ready to move to a new phase of life and want our home to go to someone who appreciates its uniqueness and beauty.
If you are interested in more information, please email lmengelkoch@gmail.com.
