farmhouse luxury

words by AUBREY TYSON photography by JONATHAN CALIX

For over forty years, Dietrich Homes has been building custom homes in the FargoMoorhead and Minnesota lakes area. With a real passion for attention to detail and making dreams come true, Clay and Tom Dietrich make a dynamic father and son duo with a reputation for outstanding service. "When I started building homes, I knew that I wanted to be different than the rest. I didn't want to turn out house after house. I wanted to provide quality over quantity, and that's what I've been able to achieve. Even more than that, I've been able to pass on the trade to my son, Tom," says Clay.

Their latest build, a modern farmhouse, is a labor of love and creativity. Nestled in a new subdivision in South Fargo, the two-story home offers clean lines and a simple look, fitting into the natural backdrop of terrain. Before walking into the house, you can see the level of craftsmanship and skill that sets Dietrich Homes apart from other area builders.

In traditional farmhouse style, the kitchen is the focal point for the main living area. With custom touches like a built-in wine rack and an expansive island with thoughtful features such as space to sit comfortably, you can sense this will be the setting for many family events and lively gatherings.

The interior of the home features a classic white-on-white color scheme. In the dining room, dark wood beams make for the perfect accent, drawing your eyes to the natural light of the space and the backyard area. In the living room, there are more custom pieces, requested by the homeowners. "The living area is about comfort and functionality. When you have kids, you can never have enough storage. The owners wanted to have a functional multi-use space for storing toys in the living room, so we built a bench seat with built-in drawers that runs the length of the windows. To keep the area well ventilated, we cut in heating and cooling vents. This will keep the windows from frosting up in the winter and help maintain even air flow throughout the space," says Tom.

In the master suite, the master bathroom and walk-in closet are something out of an HGTV show. With a free-standing tub, custom tiled shower and private water closet, the master bath is dripping with luxury. The walk-in closet, however, is truly a work of art for the woman of the house. With built-in shelves and a center "island" with drawers and extra storage, it reminds you of a Kardashian-style closet.

The upper level features three bedrooms for the kids of the family. All three bedrooms have their own en suite bathroom, ample space for living, and custom pieces like a built-in bookcase and walk-in closets.

Entertainment is the focus of the basement. Fully finished, the downstairs living area features a custom bar, game area, TV lounge, an in-home gym and two additional bedrooms. "The homeowners like to entertain, but they also wanted a separate area where the adults could have their own space. The in-home gym was built with electrical sockets all around the room to plug in various types of equipment. We also included an area to hang a TV. My favorite feature for this space is the antique door used as a sliding barn door. The owners saved a few old doors from their lake place, and we've incorporated them into the design. The bar area features a stunning quartz backsplash and countertops, a sit-up bar for TV viewing and enough space to host gatherings where guests can mingle comfortably," says Clay.

Throughout the house, luxury and comfort go hand in hand. Heather Sagvold, design consultant, and Melissa Meyer, CAD designer, use their design skills to achieve a balance between luxury and comfortable living for their clients. During the design process, both Heather and Melissa are heavily involved. They take ideas from the homeowners, insert creativity and thoughtful de- sign, and put them together to produce a dream home with a fixed-price guarantee. "Heather and Melissa are an important part of our design process. Without Melissa's eye and Heather's sense of style, our custom homes would not be what they are today. Professional and patient, they take our clients’ dreams and make them come true. Once the design is agreed upon, Heather puts together a design book for everyone involved in the project. The design book has become a lifesaver of sorts. Subcontractors who have worked with us in the past know to look for the book the minute they start work on a new build," says Tom.

The design book is the glue that holds each Dietrich custom home together. Inside the book are the original plans for the house including each room broken down by size, layout, color scheme and featured accents. Ensuring all the boxes are checked, the builders, design team, clients and sub-contractors all use this design book to refer to throughout the process.

Dietrich Homes are well known for their attention to detail. Their customers enjoy the building process and seeing their home come to life. "We take a lot of pride in our homebuilding process. We are a little OCD when it comes to the amount of planning that goes into a new build before breaking ground, but that's what makes our homes turn out exactly the way our customers dreamed. We want our customers to feel like they are being taken care of, every step of the way. Once finished, we want them to walk in their new house and think, ‘Wow, I love my new home,’" says Clay.

Building a limited number of custom homes each year is the way Clay and Tom prefer it. They can manage the process without losing sight of their clients’ wants and needs. They can also actively monitor and be on the job site to ensure all the work completed is up to the Dietrich standard. Customer satisfaction is key to their business, and that belief is evident in everything they do for their customers. From the design book to custom built-in features, Dietrich Homes has a tradition for excellence and fine homebuilding. [ aw ]